Hello there! My name is Brittany McClain and I am a C3-5 quadriplegic from a car accident when I was on my way to work on February 27th 2015.

I have worked very hard to try and put my life back together despite fighting off the daily struggles and symptoms that come with having a spinal cord injury. I find that I am the most fulfilled when I am helping others. I have always wanted to be a counselor of sorts since I was a young girl and decided to get my Associates Degree in human services. Little did I know that I would be able to use this degree and what I learned in ways I didn’t know we’re possible. 

I have directed a lot of my attention towards my internship at Validus Consulting and Services where we help others reach their potential with peer counseling while connecting them with resources for housing and other essential services. I thrive in that environment especially when I know I am helping others get the independence and confidence they need to live their best lives. One day I will turn this into full time work but as of now I would really like to dive inward and focus on getting my health back together after an extremely hard year so far.

As if the separation and shut downs from COVID-19 wasn’t extremely difficult in itself, never did I believe that I would lose both my dad and Grandma within the first few months of this year and I can’t lie and say that it hasn’t hit me extremely hard causing me to take a break from everything in life. I don’t blame myself for that but I’m definitely noticing it causing other issues with my body that I didn’t have before. 

As the saying goes if you don’t move it, you lose it! That being said I have lost so much weight and muscle making me feel constantly fatigued and weak. The combination of COVID-19 and the loss of my loved ones has set me back emotionally and physically in so many ways.

My goal is to get assistance paying for therapy services that I know will dramatically affect my strength and mentality. I plan to really work hard at a spinal cord injury recovery gym where I can get the special help I need to get my health back to even better than it was before. 

For example, the closest one to me is a place called Pushing Boundaries where they have the special equipment I need that far surpasses what they have in the rehab hospitals (that I do not qualify for) as well as a personal trainer to guide me with their knowledge of the body. There are also mobile therapy services like a company called Vertical Therapy where they can come to my home and offer the same things.

I know that I need to reach a higher potential right now to heal myself so I can continue my dreams to help others with disabilities. The problem is the cost of these services being over $115+ an hour which is completely out of my price availability as they only provide me with a small disability check every month. 

When I imagine what I desire for the next year of my life it would be getting in the best health that I can possibly be in, use my love of helping others to go from an internship into a career, and do everything in my power to make my Dad and Grandmother very proud of me.. not just for becoming my best self but to share all the love I have for helping others with as many people as I can. 

My Grandmother told me that “God didn’t give a problem, he gave me a promotion and a platform to sit on that will help impact all those around me.” So far she has been 100% accurate! 

I do not want my situation to stop me from having all the same blessings that others. I know I am still capable of anything as long as I am brave enough to ask for help when I really need it. Getting help with financially affording this special therapy would make the last 7yr struggle worth it knowing I will finally get the special one on one therapy that I have needed for so many years now. 

Thank you so much for reading a little about me as I could go on forever. I really look forward to hearing back from you guys! 

Thanks again! Talk soon!