The Courage To Come Back: Louisa Bridgman

Louisa Bridgman's story is one of obstacles - and overcoming

BC Disability

November 14th, 2025

While North Vancouver's Louisa Bridgman is no stranger to adversity, it is resilience which defines her story.

A recipient of this year’s Courage to Come Back Award in the medical category, we spoke to Louisa about her journey from upheaval to empowerment as a community leader.

Learn more about the Courage to Come Back Award, and nominate someone by January 21st, 2026

Tell everyone about yourself — where you’re from, how old you are, and some details about your early life

I was born with cerebral palsy and diagnosed at 18 months. My childhood wasn’t easy. I didn’t meet my father until I was 28, and my mom made some difficult choices along the way. I experienced assault, and at one point I tried to take my own life.

At 17, I became legally emancipated. I started out living in a group home and slowly worked my way up to living more independently with support. Over the years, I’ve had 67 surgeries — and there are still a few more to come.

You won the Courage to Come Back Award in the medical category this year — what are the biggest challenges you had to come back from?

There have been so many — physical, emotional, and social. Living with cerebral palsy brings constant challenges, but the hardest part has been overcoming everything life has thrown at me while trying to build independence and stability. Every surgery, every setback, was something I had to come back from.

You said when receiving the award, “It may start with one person, but it takes a village to keep it going.” Who has been part of your village?

I’ve been lucky to have some incredible people around me. My boxing trainer, Leo — who actually won the Courage to Come Back Award the year before me — has been a huge support.

Boxing has helped me release a lot of negative energy and physical pain, and it’s one of the reasons I no longer need to rely on pain medication. I’ve also worked closely with people like Tony Valente and Don Bell from the City of North Vancouver on accessibility projects in the community.

Then there are Paris Jackson and Vernon Adams, both CFL players, who keep in touch with me regularly. They lift me up when I need strength, and I do the same for them when they’re struggling.

It may take one person to raise an issue, but it takes many to create change. There are a lot of broken pieces in society that need to be reconnected so that people with disabilities can have a stronger voice at the table.

Looking back on all you’ve overcome, what advice would you have for your younger self?

I’d tell my younger self that I haven’t overcome everything — I still have challenges, and there are still days when I feel like giving up. But I’d also say: don’t give up. There’s a whole community of people out there waiting to help you.

If you have a dream, remember that it’s not about proving something to others — it’s about proving it to yourself. And along the way, you’ll show others what’s possible, too.

If you have a dream, remember that it's not about proving something to others - it's about proving it to yourself

You’ve done a lot of work in the community on accessibility — what’s an accessibility issue that you think people don’t fully understand?

I think the bigger issues are within the systems themselves — health care, education, and how government values people with disabilities. Financial inequality is a huge problem.

Too often, people with disabilities are treated like “the slime on the bottom of a shoe.” Employers need to recognize the untapped potential in people with disabilities. We can be strong assets to companies.

One of the biggest changes I’d like to see is allowing people with disabilities to keep their base support while also being able to earn a full income. That way, when we can’t work, we still have something to fall back on — and we don’t feel like a burden.

You’ve shared your dream of starting a foundation to support the adaptive community. How has that been going?

It’s still a dream I’m working toward — and now it’s officially registered. Over the next 8 months to a year, I hope to fully launch it. I already have the name and everything set up; I’m just saving up to get the website and logo up and running. A lot of organizations are doing similar work, but I want to collaborate with them — to reconnect the broken pieces of the bridge.

My focus is on education: helping communities, families, employers, and first responders understand how to support people with disabilities. If my family had access to that kind of support back in the late ’70s when I was diagnosed, life could have been very different.

I want to help others avoid going through what we went through — to show that not all people with disabilities are the same, and we shouldn’t be treated as if we are. Education is the foundation of change.

Education is the foundation of change

What impact has winning the award had on you?

The night I got the phone call, I was really emotional. For so many years, I’d been trying to tell my story and get people to listen. Winning the award felt like it was finally my time — my chance to tell my story in my own words. No one could take that away. It gave me a sense of freedom and lifted a lot of emotional weight off my shoulders.

Why do you think the Courage To Come Back Awards are important to the community?

They raise awareness. They bring attention through media and public conversation to the issues we’re working on in our communities. The awards remind people that there are real lives and stories behind every challenge — and that courage comes in many forms.

In closing, what message do you most want to share with others who feel unheard or limited by their circumstances?

Keep making noise. Eventually, people will start to listen. Others will join you, and together your voices will be heard. Even the smallest actions can make a difference somewhere, for someone.

You don’t have to change the whole world — even the tiniest ripple matters. Keep believing in yourself and sharing your message. Sooner or later, something will open up.

Keep believing in yourself and sharing your message. Sooner or later, something will open up.

Is there anything else you’d like to note?

It’s been quite an experience — a little overwhelming at times — but also incredible. Going through this, I’ve been surprised by how many people truly want to support me. It’s reminded me that I’m not alone, and that community really does make all the difference.

Learn more about the Courage to Come Back Awards and nominate someone here

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Spencer van Vloten is the editor of BC Disability. To get in touch, send an email to spencer@bcdisability.com!