Georgiana Burnside

Spinal Cord Injury: Beyond the Paralysis

Project Description

At 16 years old, I sustained a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) in a snow skiing accident and was immediately paralyzed from the waist down. I was fortunate enough to complete inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation at Craig Hospital in Denver, Colorado that not only got me back up on my feet within 2 years of the injury but also introduced me to a community of folks with this shared, unique identity. Since the onset of my paralysis, I have met incredible humans that continue to redefine possible everyday; whether it be in regards to social stigma of wheelchair bound lifestyles, overcoming major health issues, or in the way they learn about engaging in activities that promote healing and independence.

Living with an SCI has taught me about not only the resiliency of the human spirit, but also the incredible ways in which the body can adapt and heal. Spinal Cord injury: Beyond the Paralysis, is a short, educational film that exposes viewers to the physiological implications of SCI while dispelling the stigma around wheelchair bound lifestyles. During the film, my dear friend and fellow SCI survivor, Justin Pines, encourages the audience to understand that ability, as defined by science, is much more of a spectrum than we tend to believe. Video footage is sampled from fellow members of the SCI community as well as the High Fives Foundation, a nonprofit that sponsors people with SCIs to get back to the activities they love through adaptive training, equipment, and financial support in the rehabilitation process.

Educating people on the medical and social perspectives of SCIs — and various forms of paralysis at large — is extremely important for the disability community as we continue to adapt to a world that isn’t always accommodating to us. As you watch the film, I ask you to consider how we can support and empower individuals living with SCIs so that they too can have a platform to take on life with fervor and confidence!

About the Artist

After Georgiana sustained her spinal cord injury in 2015, she found that many of her interests like figure skating, volleyball and hiking were no longer accessible to her. She was fortunate enough to become part of the High Fives Foundation family and quickly realized that recreational hobbies like adaptive skiing, surfing, biking, etc, are widely growing activities available to the population of people with disabilities. Now a graduating senior with a B.S. in Neurobiology, Georgiana has since worked for the High Fives Foundation while investing her academic interests and research in regenerative medicine in regards to chronic spinal cord injury.

Explore Georgiana's project online