Disabled wins Gurgaon wheelchair basketball competition

NEW DELHI: Unfazed by crippling limitations, a daily wage labourer Anil Kumar survived a three-storey fall with broken spine and loss of control in lower limbs, but bounced back to life post-treatment at a city hospital by participating in the national ‘wheelchair basketball’ competition.

Repairing an electric connection, Kumar, 26, suffered an electric shock from a live wire, lost his balance and fell down. As a result, he sustained a severe injury to his spine, crippling him from waist down.

As per a consultant spine surgeon, Indian Spinal Injuries Centre (ISIC), Dr Gururaj Sangondimath, “When he came to us, his spine was broken, and one of his vertebra was pressed on to another one, leading to loss of power in both legs and control over urine and stool.”

“We admitted him immediately and after evaluating all parameters, a major surgery was performed by afternoon on the same day. Following the surgery, he was in rehabilitative care for 20 days when he underwent several therapies, enabling him to be gain life-skills, despite being bound on wheelchair,” Dr. Sangondimath said.

For prolonged rehabilitative care Kumar’s consultation with the ISIC continued for some more days as an OPD patient.

With the help of various therapies and determination, he was able to become self-dependent.

The doctors said that it was Kumar’s determination and mental strength alone helped him recover from the injury.

After recovering fully, he went on to participate in the basketball competition at national level and today, he follows his passion, is able to take care of himself alone without depending on anybody.”  

“I am grateful to Dr. Sangondimath. It is due to his efforts that my life has changed for the better. After the injury when even getting up was unimaginable, today I am no more a liability.”