Jennifer Bou Lahoud
My name is Jennifer Bou Lahoud and on December 28, 2008, my life was changed forever after I suffered a T10/11 spinal cord injury.
I was involved in a sledding accident where I fell on my back and dislocated two vertebrae at T 10-11 which caused my spinal cord to bruise. The doctor’s diagnosis: I would never be able to walk again. She continued by saying there were no medical treatments that would repair the injury caused to my spinal cord. One insignificant fall from a sled on a small hill in Big Bear, California changed my entire world.
I attend therapy on a regular basis. Every session at therapy, I am getting closer and closer to my goals. If I continue at this pace, I should be able to accomplish my goals of walking independently with a walker. By continuing my therapy, I will be not only physically healthier but also mentally and emotionally. In doing therapy and continuing to improve, I will be able to show others in my community that anything is possible. It has always been a goal to be an advocate of SCI community.
Before the day that changed my life, I attended St. Lucy’s Priory High School and played basketball for the city of San Dimas. Basketball was everything to me. I loved the feeling of the ball in my hand, dribbling it at my control, and hearing the sound of the net whishing when it made it in. But it all changed in a single moment.
I was denied to return to St. Lucy’s because of my disability but I did not give up on my education. I finished off my junior year by homeschooling and then enrolled at San Dimas High School for my senior year. I was able to maintain a 4.0 GPA and continue my physical therapy.
With the support of the Be Perfect community, trainers, and friends, I was continuously motivated to continue my education. In December of 2014, I graduated from the University of Southern California (USC) thanks to the Swim with Mike Scholarship for physically disabled athletes. During my time there, I double majored in Neuroscience and Psychology. In May of 2016, I graduated USC again from the Master of Science in Applied Psychology Program. At both graduations, my primary trainer, Jenna Hardy, stood next to me as I walked across the stage to obtain my diploma.
With the Be Perfect Foundation, I have been able to do things I never thought I could do when I was first injured like indoor skydiving, ride a horse, kayak, drive an ATV, fencing, etc. All of these really fun activities felt out of reach when I was first injured but now, I feel I can do anything like an able- bodied can! I was also able to live independently when I lived at USC and I knew with the support of the BP Community, I could ask them any questions on how they do something and grow my skills as an independent paraplegic.
As I enter the real world and look for a job, I have been able to network within the Be Perfect community in hopes to work in the Human Resource Department.
I rely on my dreams and my motivations to shape my world. I have aspired to never give up on my dream to walk again and that is my underlying accomplishment. I devote my energy to rigorous exercise-based rehabilitation to regain motor ability in my legs. Working to my maximum capacity each day has allowed me to see significant improvements in my muscles and motor abilities. I have regained some movement and can currently take steps with the assistance of ankle-foot orthopedics (AFOs) braces and a walker.
Since attending The Perfect Step, I have gained tremendous strides in my recovery. I am now able to crawl in all directions, walk with the assistance of a walker and braces, and overall remained physically healthier.
With my therapy sessions, I feel not only physically stronger but also my mental and emotional health has improved. Over the years, I have been able to accept my injury and learn to live with it and it is all thanks to the Be Perfect Foundation and the community they have built. We feel united and know that if we need any resources or questions on how to do something, we have a large group of people that can support us. This has given me hope for living an independent life knowing I can do anything.
I rely on my dreams and my motivations to shape my world. I have aspired to never give up on my dream to walk again and that is my underlying accomplishment. I devote my energy to rigorous exercise-based rehabilitation to regain motor ability in my legs. Working to my maximum capacity each day has allowed me to see significant improvements in my muscles and motor abilities. I have regained some movement and can currently take steps with the assistance of ankle-foot orthopedics (AFOs) braces and a walker.
My future goals would be to focus on keeping my healthy and continue to gain strength so that I can live my life independently. I have a goal of keeping my life active and with a new wheelchair that would be perfectly fitted for me, I will be able to maneuver a lot quicker and be able to do any fun activity I want to as well as travel long distances. With the new chair, I will be able to safely transfer without worrying about the chair moving away from me. With that, I can do new workouts and be able to keep my body healthy.
The Be Perfect Foundation supported me immensely during my mission of recovery and it changed my life forever. You are to thank for that. I would like to take the time to thank you for your generous gift to The Be Perfect Foundation. Because of you, I was able to achieve my goals not only physically but mentally and emotionally. Be Perfect is a community where I was able to be motivated and supported by the trainers and clients. I was able to reach my life goals and become a working adult. Today, my life is forever changed because of YOU. Through your donation not only has the Be Perfect Foundation been able to support individuals like me, but also many other people in need who are suffering from paralysis. You truly make the difference for us, and we are extremely grateful!