Earlier this fall, Williamsbridge Oval Park played host to the third annual “Challengers at Montefiore Sports Day”—a physical activity event for wheelchair bound spinal cord injury and disorder patients. 

Dr. Maya Therattil, the head of the “Challengers at Montefiore” spinal cord injury support group and the director of the Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders Service at Montefiore Medical Center, organized Sports Day with the help of the “Challengers.” Popular activities included bowling, an obstacle course and bag tossing.

According to Therattil, the sporting event provided a “fun, active, competitive and safe” activity for 30 of her patients.

 “I look forward to this every year,” said David Mereno, a spinal cord patient.

Another patient and a group leader for the “Challengers at Montefiore,” Cecilia Lugo, said that all of the different games are her favorite part of Sports Day. “A lot of [spinal cord patients] don’t go out because of the wheelchairs and because of fear,” Lugo said. 

 “We needed a sporting event,” said Therattil. “Many patients don’t get to go to gyms.”

“About four or five years ago we started going to Dr. Therattil and it was the best thing that happened to us,” said Stephanie Petrizzini, a mother of a son with a rare spinal cord disease.

“Dr. Therattil has been a godsend,” said Moreno. “She is very compassionate and I look forward to seeing her.”