At The World is Accessible, one of the greatest privileges we have is hearing stories directly from our members. People who not only travel but also actively change the accessibility landscape in their own communities. Today, we’re excited to introduce a contribution from one of our members based in Canada, who shares both her personal journey and the inspiring advocacy work she’s been doing on Vancouver Island.

By Maggie Tietjen

Hello everyone, I’d like to introduce myself. I’m 66 years old and became an above-knee amputee in 2019, following a knee replacement a few years earlier. My husband of over 40 years and I live in Parksville, on beautiful Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

Becoming an amputee at 60 certainly changed our lives, but we were determined not to let it slow us down. Since then, we’ve traveled across Canada, visited Europe multiple times, and even enjoyed a safari in Tanzania last year.

Wanting to better understand our new life led us to join a local group called Access Oceanside Association, which advocates for people of all disabilities.

From Beaches to Businesses: Making Oceanside Accessible

Our first challenge was making our local beach accessible. Thanks to a generous donation from Corona Beer Canada, we were able to install mobi mats and provide water wheelchairs last summer.

This year, we turned our attention to small local businesses in the Oceanside area. Many people with mobility aids (like walkers, canes, or wheelchairs) struggle to enter shops, cafés, and other businesses because of barriers like narrow doorways or the absence of automatic door openers.