I attended the opening of the 2024 World Health Assembly in Geneva recently and the 5th Walk the Talk event the day prior. Much to my surprise, in front of 7000 people, I was invited on stage by the Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, to receive a Health Champions award. The award was in recognition of outstanding leadership in health promotion and sport and to advance the inclusion of people with disabilities. I was not expecting this award, but equally very honoured to receive recognition from an organisation doing such important work.
Everyone has a right to access health on an equal basis with others, wherever they live in the world. However, in many countries, this simply does not happen and people with disabilities particularly face multiple barriers to accessing their right to health care. I worked previously for over a year on global health development, advising in this space, and looking for ways to mainstream disability into programme and policy work globally. It was through this work that I became closely connected with the WHO’s disability inclusion team and spent time understanding the global situation with them and learning a great deal. I was proud to contribute to their Global Report on Health Equity for Persons with Disabilities published in 2022, alongside many excellent experts and academics on the topic.
Personally, even since retirement, I have placed great importance on continuing to exercise regularly and taking the learning from my time as an athlete forward including good habits, routine, rest and recovery and the importance of mental and physical wellbeing. The biggest thing I learnt as an athlete was self awareness and reflection, ensuring I was taking care of my body with food and drink and making good choices. Obviously, life should not be too restrictive, but learning what worked for my body was key to my success and taking an individualised rather than a homogenous approach to what is best for my mind and body. I continue learning as I move through each decade and my body changes. I am hugely grateful for any recognition I receive and thank the director general and WHO once more for this great honour.
I received the award alongside Olympic athletes David Rudisha and Pau Gasol, fellow Swiss Paralympian Marcel Hug and IPC President Andrew Parsons.
