All participants at Egmond High School took part in the challenging activies, includeding...

• Sailing
• Wheelchair basketball
• and Go-cart racing

Every year a group of Coloplast researchers go to a special, week-long camp for people with spinal cord injuries. To meet, help and learn from our end users.

This year Morten Holmgård from Corporate Communications went. He shares his experiences with us.

Michael is sitting in front of me and we’re having lunch. He’s a tall, good-looking man in his early fifties. He’s tanned and his white shirt magnifies it.

His wife cuts the meat on his plate for him.

“We went skiing in the Alps, as we used to,” he tells me. “In the deep snow on a small hill I lost control and fell, landing on the back of my head.”

Michael was paralyzed from the neck down.

It’s been almost two years since the accident. After months of daily training in the hospital, he has regained the coordination of his arms, but his fingers are almost stiff.

This week, Egmond High School in Hou, Denmark is full of stories like Michael’s.

Hannah, a young teenager, sits behind me. Only a year ago, she was a talented swimmer. One day she was practicing for a big meet and she hit a boy who swam in front of her. She’s now in a wheelchair and looks very thin. But she smiles.

And then there’s John, a former trash man, who had a bike accident two years ago. He’s having a laugh with his helper who he beat in a go-cart race the day before.

"To see that people with the same handicap as yourself are able to live an active life, really gives you a push to get on with your life" says Michael, who is paralyzed from the neck down, due to a skiing accident.

Not a retirement home!
Before I arrived, sitting in the bus on my way there, I guess I expected something like a retirement home. But as soon as I arrived at Egmond I was overwhelmed by the joyful atmosphere among the 130 participants and helpers.

“This week is a boost, especially if you’ve had your accident recently,” says Michael. “For the first time you’re surrounded by people who have the same handicap as yourself. And you see that they’re able to live an active life and that they’ve learned to cope with their situation. That really gives you a push to get on with your life.”

Morten challenged himself to some Wheelchair Basketball. It was hard!

Action packed afternoon
After lunch I joined the afternoon’s activities. I signed up for wheelchair basketball.

The next two hours was all about action and having fun.

On my team is Carsten Faltum, Vice President of GRD Technology.

“It’s my first time here, and it’s been great,” Carsten says, sweat dripping from his face. “You learn the basic fact that our end users are real people, and you get to know them, their everyday lives, and their challenges much better than in any clinical study. It’s really inspiring.”

Carsten and six colleagues have been following the participants the whole week from morning to evening. They’ve helped with the most intimate bathroom activities, and they’ve helped in all kinds of recreation activities, like sailing, cooking, go-cart racing and partying.

“The other day, I was exhausted after another long day, and went to bet at three, and at that time the music was still playing,” Carsten tells.

Researcher Carsten Faltum was amazed by the active lifestyle of our users and immidiately got to thinking about ways to  improve their lives even more.

Holistic learnings
“From a GRD perspective, it gets you thinking - "maybe we could change the tube on a specific product to avoid this problem,” Carsten says. “But this is also about understanding the whole situation of our users. You could say that this is a unique course in passion.”

My day is almost over. I’m saying goodbye to all the people I’ve met. Ordinary happy people – they’re just sitting in wheelchairs.

My wrists are sore as I pick up my bag and get on the bus. Must be from practicing self-defence techniques with the guy with the huge hands.

Our users rule!