Adaptive Adventures

Thrilling adventures for all abilities

Lisa Franks: Living a limitless van life

Canadian Lisa Franks was a Paralympian, a title she wore with pride. Her journey in athletics began with a spinal cord injury at fourteen, but it quickly turned into a winning narrative. Before her injury, she was very active, a true athlete at heart. Introduced to wheelchair sports by visiting Paralympians, she was inspired and determined. She started with wheelchair rugby for fun, which then led her to wheelchair racing. Under the guidance of her coach, also a Paralympic wheelchair racer, she excelled rapidly. By 1999, she was breaking world records and in 2000, she competed in her first Paralympics in Sydney, Australia, returning home with four gold and one silver medal.

Her proudest achievement, she recalled, was in 2004, achieving the "world record sweep" by setting world records from the 100-meter race to the marathon. At the Athens Paralympics, she secured two gold medals and set two world records. Despite her success, she constantly sought new challenges, eventually transitioning to wheelchair basketball and attending her third Paralympics in Beijing, China.

Yet, as injuries took a toll on her shoulder, she faced a different kind of challenge. Forced to undergo multiple surgeries, she grappled with chronic pain for seven years. During this dark period, Lisa reevaluated her life. She realized she needed a change, something to reignite her passion and bring joy back into her life.