Romy Tschopp - snowboard champion
RESC: Romy, how do you usually introduce yourself when you meet someone new?
Romy Tschopp (RT): Hey, I’m Romy. What’s your name?
RESC: What is your “superpower”?
RT: I would describe myself as a very empathetic, determined, and open person.
RESC: What are people without physical limitations most amazed by when they meet you?
RT: My positive attitude towards life and my openness. You see, I don’t mind talking about my disability or answering personal questions. I like talking about taboos; I hope and believe that this will help others to overcome insecurities about interacting with people with a disability.
RESC: In which situations do you feel “dis-abled”?
RT: I have incomplete paraplegia, which means that I’m lucky enough to be able to walk a little. I also happen to be very open and am not afraid to ask someone for help, and so I’m able to overcome a great deal of obstacles relatively easily. I would definitely feel restricted much more often if this were not the case. Like when you have to go up a flight of stairs to access a building or a toilet, or the fact that there are bar tables at most functions, high reception counters in public buildings, ramps that are too steep, heavy doors, trams and old trains, products at the top of the shelves in shops, household chores and travelling with luggage. However, I perceive society to be very supportive, so a lot of this works very well and I generally see things moving in a positive direction.
RESC: What is your greatest wish for the future?
RT: Great integration solutions are offered at school. However, when it comes to freely choosing further education with the necessary support, a person with impaired mobility is pushed in a specific direction. This is where I would like to see things change. What’s more, the primary labour market is still not very inclusive, so I would really like to see some positive developments in this regard. I would also like to see devices such as suprapubic catheters, which smell very unpleasant in most cases, being further developed and optimised.
My greatest wish, however, is that we can treat each other as equals and move forward together.
Bio
Romy Tschopp was born with spina bifida. She can walk short distances with the help of orthoses, but has needed a wheelchair for longer distances for eight years now. A trained specialist for movement and health promotion, Romy puts her capabilities to good use in her sports career – she was the first Swiss para-snowboarder to take part in the Paralympic Winter Games in 2022. Romy is married and can often be found in the great outdoors in her free time. In her role as a speaker, she advocates for inclusion and educating people. She has a soft spot for chocolate mousse.
external pageConnect with Romy Tschopp on LinkedIn
external pageFollow Romy Tschopp on Instagram
Miriam Daepp of the Competence Centre for Rehabilitation Engineering and Science (RESC) spoke with Romy Tschopp in November 2022.
