Saved from a near-fatal diving accident in 1994, Alan Downey chose to embrace life with purpose rather than dwell on what he had lost. Growing up in East London, he was active in sports until a diving accident left him paralysed.
“I hit a sand bank while diving. I could not move and my head was submerged under the water. I was sent to Conradie Spinal Unit in Cape Town for an operation and went through five months of rehabilitation. I was classified as a C5 quadriplegic which meant that I had no feeling from the chest down and limited use of my arms.”
The injury meant losing his independence and job, and relying on his parents for care. Over time, he shifted his mindset and began rebuilding his life.
“This meant that I lost my independence and my job, and my parents had to look after me. I had moments of ‘what ifs’, but one of my friends advised me that the sooner I accepted my disability, the sooner I could get on with my life. I then decided to use painting as therapy and I began to explore the world of computers.”
He went on to start businesses focused on disability awareness and support. In 2008, he launched a cartoon project highlighting everyday experiences of people with disabilities, and in 2017, he founded Disability Info South Africa (DISA), a platform providing free, centralised information and resources.
“We supply a central repository of information for the four main disability groups in South Africa, which include persons with mobility impairments, hearing impairments, visual impairments and intellectual impairments.”
Despite progress, Downey continues to face challenges, including accessibility issues in air travel. After his wheelchair was damaged due to negligence, he used the experience to advocate for change and now advises aviation stakeholders on improving services for passengers with reduced mobility.
DISA’s impact has been recognised with a R300 000 grant at the SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards.
“I am excited to advocate for persons with disabilities. I have met amazing people and organisations who have shown me great support and this has made it easier for me to continue to pursue access for all, with expert advice on how I can achieve my business goals.”
Article originally published by SAB Foundation
