DONATE TO HELP JORDAN NOW. CLICK HERE
Jordan with Sporting Dreams founder and Paralympian Marayke Jonkers
Jordan Carroll, an 18 year old alpine skier is Sporting Dreams 100th grant recipient. He attended the Sporting Dreams award ceremony on Friday night full of life and so excited to discover he was the 100th grant recipient.
Jordan receives his trophy from inaugural Sporting Dreams athlete Rachael Dodds, Marayke & Cr Jason OPray
But by that weekend he was in hospital having completely lost his sight in one eye due to an unexpected bleed in the in operable brain tumour which has been causing him to slowly lose his vision. Sporting Dreams has set up a fundraising page on Jordan’s behalf to support Jordan adjust to his new way of life without vision in one eye as well as to support his skiing career when he’s out of hospital and back on the slopes.
Despite his latest health set back Jordan is determined to get back on the slopes and back into life- but he needs your help both to support his skiing and his new life without a vision.
please donate generously via the link at the top of this page. all donations over two dollars are tax-deductible. You will be taken to these Sunshine Butterflies website who are collecting donations on Jordan’s behalf.
MEET JORDAN
Jordan, 18, became hooked on alpine skiing after being invited to development camps with Disabled Wintersport Australia and Camp Quality.
Jordan skis with a guide because he has a vision impairment due to an inoperable tumour growing on his optic nerve. He had tried skiing prior to losing his sight and was determined to get back on the slopes.
He now aspires to represent Australia at the 2018 Winter Paralympics and is already well underway, having been invited to train recently with the Australian Paralympic squad.
Jordan, who lives in East Brisbane, also competes in swimming and tandem cycling, building his leg strength for skiing.
Living in Queensland with no snow does not faze Jordan at all, using a special skiing simulator machine in his Brisbane home and joking that he is QLD’s own version of the “cool Runnings” movie about the Jamaican bobsled team.
JORDANS MEDICAL HISTORY
Jordan has been climbing metaphoric mountain is his entire life.
Aged just 11 he had a stroke and was placed in a coma with only 3% chance of survival. Jordan didn’t speak for three months.
One year later Jordan and his family discovered he has a rare form of cancer, Jordan endured radiation but the tumour is inoperable.
Until now he still has partial vision but knew that one day he would become completely blind. On October 4, 2014, the day after the Sporting Dreams awards ceremony Jordan last complete sight in one eye after a bleed in his tumour. He is currently in hospital but is determined to be back on the ski slopes next year to train in Canada as planned.
Jordan has some memory loss, and still has regular health checkups. Jordan and his mum Marie raise awareness for childhood cancer and acquired brain injury. But with the support of his family and his guide dog Ekka Jordan continues to speed towards his Paralympic dream.
Remarkable when you consider he only finished cancer treatment a year ago.
JORDANS SKING CAREER
Imagine careering down a mountain at over 70 km an hour. Now imagine doing it partially blind, without being able to see where you are going.
Relying on the instructions of a guide in front of you. This is how Jordan trains every time he hits the snow. The guide communicate via a helmet mounted radio. Jordan’s guide Richard is also a doctor.
Jordan aims to compete in the 2018 Winter Paralympic games in Korea. If Jordan succeeds in his quest he could make history becoming Queenslands first ever winter Paralympian.
Living in Queensland without snow may make it seem impossible to be a skier. But not for Jordan, he uses as skiing simulator called skiers edge machine.To build his leg strength for skiing he also does other sports: gym, Pilates, tandem cycling and swimming. He jokes that he is Queenslands own version of ” cool runnings” the famous movie about the Jamaican bobsled team.
Demonstrating his fitness he even walked the great Wall of China raising awareness for vision Australia. This year he was invited to train with the Australian Paralympic team, and an amazing achievement given he has only been skiing for a year. Jordan plans to head to Canada in January for further training (as there is no snow in Australia in summer).
He’s fundraising and keen to get on the snow again.
WHY JORDAN NEEDS SUPPORT
Jordan is currently in hospital after a bleed in his tumour, and has now gone completely blind in one eye ( previously he had partial sight). He has a remarkable sense of humour, telling his mother Marie he now doesn’t know whether his eye is open or closed because it is all dark. She says “being an intelligent boy he decided to use his iPhone photo and determine whether both his eyes are open, ” says Marie.
Despite his latest health set back Jordan is determined to get back on the slopes and back into life………….. but he needs your help both to support his skiing and his new life without a vision.
We are seeking donations ’s support Jordan adjust to his new way of life with his vision impairment, as well as to support his skiing career when he’s out of hospital and back on the slopes.
most importantly of all your donations and support will boost Jordan spirits well he is in hospital.
PLEASE DONATE BY CLICKING HERE
( donations over two dollars are tax-deductible.)
Video of Jordan skiing
