A young woman who was paralyzed in a climbing accident five years ago is looking ahead to her next challenge: competing for Canada in the 2020 Paralympic Games.

Kara Douville was climbing at Grassi Lakes back in 2013 when she fell over seven metres onto the rocks below.

“I was working in the outdoor industry at the time and I was climbing with some friends that I worked with. It was the first climb of the season.”

She says that Grassi Lakes is among the easier climbs in the Canmore area and she thinks that maybe she wasn’t as focused as she could have been.

“I got to the top of the route and I was going to clean it and take all the gear down. I think I fell from the very top.”

Douville was airlifted from the area and then taken by ambulance to hospital in Calgary where she stayed for six months to be treated for her injuries that included a severe spinal injury.

“It’s pretty devastating to go through something like that especially when your background is very active and your career path was very active. In some ways, you lose a piece of your identity for a while because it’s what you knew and you have to make a new path for yourself.”

That new path led Douville to start training for the Paralympic cycling team using a unique piece of hardware that’s custom built to her specifications.

Douville says cycling was the main sport she got into after her accident and her handbike gives her a lot of freedom that her wheelchair can’t.

“You can go fast and it’s comparable to what able-bodied cycling is like.”

She started training about four years ago and says the bike has served her well in the time that she’s used it.

Her handbike is made out of aluminum and while it’s expensive, ranging from $6,000 to $8,000 USD, it still falls short of the ones her competitors use.

“It’s a lot heavier than some of the carbon bikes that some of the top girls use.”

In order for Douville to break into the top levels, she says she’ll need the same elite equipment.

“They say once you switch it’s like a five to 10 percent increase in your total speed output which is huge in the sport world. One percent is huge; five percent is massive.”

The carbon bikes are also more aerodynamic, allowing her to stay alongside her competitors and give her an edge.

Douville’s friends have started a crowdfunding page to help her raise the money needed to buy a carbon bike that will allow her to qualify at the higher levels and get to compete in the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo.

She says the opportunity would be an ‘incredible’ thing.

“To be able to compete for Canada seems really surreal and crazy and would never have imagined to be in that place, but I am super grateful to be there and have all the support of people to help me get there.”

To learn more about Douville’s campaign or to donate, visit her GoFundMe page.

(With files from Stephanie Wiebe)