Rick Hansen | Man In Motion

🩵 GIVEAWAY 🩵 Enter to #Win our MAN IN MOTION #PrizePack following the steps below! #Giveaway #Prize #Contest 1) Follow @owlkidspublishing and @rickhansenfdn 2) LIKE this post 3) TAG a friend in the comments! *Prize pack includes: a copy of THE MAN IN MOTION, two Man in Motion chocolate bars from @kasamachocolate , our 50th anniversary tote bag, a t-shirt, two ballons, and a sticker! THE MAN IN MOTION: HOW RICK HANSEN’S WORLD TOUR HELPED BREAK DOWN BARRIERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES by @lornasn in collaboration with @rickhansenofficial and ill. @emmafitz_art is the inspiring story of Canadian hero Rick Hansen, who wheeled around the world to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities. [Giveaway ends *Tuesday, May 26, 2026 AT 12PM EST**. This contest is only open to CAN and U.S. residents. Entrants will only be considered if their direct messages are turned on. The winner will be chosen by random draw and contacted via direct message. We are posting from our official account @owlkidspublishing . This contest is not affiliated with or endorsed by Instagram.]

Thanks to everyone who joined us last weekend at @vankidsbooks for a special conversation with our Founder, @rickhansenofficial . Together with author @lornasn and illustrator @emmafitz_art , we shared stories, laughter, and insights into the creative process behind The Man In Motion picture book. We hope it will inspire a new generation of young readers to help identify and break down barriers for people with disabilities. 👉 You can find your own copy through @owlkidspublishing , at select bookstores like @vankidsbooks , or online. 🍫 We're also excited to share that @kasmachocolate on Granville Island has created a limited-edition chocolate bar. A portion of proceeds from each bar supports our Foundation. Stay tuned for more!

The Rick Hansen Foundation is proud to have helped guide and fund BC’s first Spinal Cord Injury Navigation service for clinicians and people living with spinal cord injury (SCI). SCI Nav is a free Vancouver Coastal Health @vchhealthcare service that connects people living with spinal cord injury, families, clinicians, and community providers across B.C. with expert guidance and support. SCI Nav helps navigate: • Treatment, rehabilitation, and life with SCI • Access to SCI-specific resources and education • Connections to specialists at G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre • Transitions from hospital to community care No referral is needed! Anyone seeking SCI-related information or support can reach out directly. This project is made possible thanks to input from @sci_bc and support from VGH & UBC Hospital Foundation @vghfdn 🔗 vch.ca/sci-nav

Today, May 6, is McHappy Day 💛 I’m grateful to @McDonaldsCanada for their longstanding relationship with our Foundation, one that goes back to my early days on the Man In Motion World Tour. By supporting #McHappyDay, you’re helping @ronaldmcdonaldhouse_can ensure that families who must travel long distances for their child’s life‑saving medical care can stay together when it matters most.

📚✨A powerful, family‑friendly story comes to life this Sunday, May 3 @vankidsbooks ! @owlkidspublishing Join our Founder, @RickHansenOfficial , alongside author @Lornasn and illustrator @emmafitz_art , for a special conversation celebrating The Man In Motion: How Rick Hansen’s World Tour Helped Break Down Barriers for People with Disabilities. Perfect for kids and families, this event explores how Rick’s 26‑month journey helped raise awareness about the potential of people with disabilities and inspired a global movement towards a more accessible world. The free event includes a live Q&A and book signing. Space is limited — register through @vankidsbooks to attend.

What a treat to reconnect with Rick Hansen, the Man in Motion, after more than twenty years! We first connected during my time with the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans when we often focused on protecting salmon and supporting recreational fishing on the West Coast. His passion for our valued salmon resource is as strong today as it was many years ago! Today, we talked about Surrey. The opportunities. The potential. The hope for what this city can become. But all of this depends on one thing: public safety. Surrey has everything it needs to thrive, except the peace of mind that lets people build, grow, and dream without fear. We can get there. But it starts with making our city safe. (Rick Hansen, Man in Motion, Surrey BC, Bilal Cheema, Fisheries and Oceans, public safety, #OurSurrey)

🇨🇳Beijing, April 13, 1986 #MIMWTMemories Getting into China was no small feat. At the time, the country was just beginning to open to the world. Years earlier, in the late 60's, when Chairman Deng Xiaoping's son, Deng Pufang sustained a spinal cord injury, he was welcomed to Canada by PM Pierre Trudeau for medical care. It was a gesture that helped build a bridge between our countries and our people. That kindness was not forgotten. When our Tour arrive in China, we were met with overwhelming warmth and enthusiasm. During this visit, I fulfilled a lifelong dream to wheel the Great Wall of China. I did not reach the top alone. The grades were incredibly steep, after each push forward, my team had to hold my chair steady to prevent it from rolling backwards. Every 100 yards there were stairs. My team carried me up 103 steps. Forty years later, I'm reminded that nothing meaningful is ever achieved alone. Every moment on that climb, and indeed on that journey was a testament to what we can accomplish as a team when we share common values and have a vision of removing barriers together. China became one of the most significant stops on the Tour. For the first time, we connected with all levels of society, from government leaders to school children and farmers in the field. Everywhere we went, we were met with respect, dignity and genuine care. The response to our message was deeply moving. At the time, the one personal souvenir I hoped to bring home was a photo of me at the top of the Great Wall. Forty years later, while that photo remains a cherished memento, what stays most vividly in my heart is gratitude, for my team and every single push that helped me along the way. Today, in a world often marked by unrest, even at times here in Canada, it's worth remembering that kindness and respect can create a powerful ripple effect. Thank you, Pierre Elliot Trudeau for choosing compassion, optimism and friendship when it mattered most. Our Tour and its impact wouldn't have been the same without it. #GreatWallofChina #Beijing #disabilityawareness #China

It was an honour to be invited to speak at the Liberal National Convention. Accessibility isn't partisan, it's a Canadian core value. Almost two-thirds (64%) of Canadians have a disability or have a family member they live with or take care of with a disability. This number is rising as our population ages. People with disabilities are our friends, family, colleagues, customers, business owners, taxpayers and voters. Yet, every day, we face significant physical, attitudinal and financial barriers that limit us from participating and contributing fully. When we adopted the Accessible Canada Act in 2019, we committed to a barrier-free Canada by 2040. This means that our workplaces, transit systems, buildings, schools and digital platforms should be designed for everyone from the start. With just 14 years left, progress must accelerate. All levels of government, Indigenous leaders and partners in the private and social sector need to share in the responsibility to be accountable. Accessibility is not just a moral imperative; it’s an economic one. Building inaccessibly now creates retrofit costs estimated to be five to ten times higher than getting it right the first time. Removing barriers drives innovation and closes the disability employment gap that represents billions of dollars in unrealized economic output each year. These are a few examples of how investing in accessibility now, means fewer costs and greater opportunities in the future. If we want a strong Canada, we must build it the right way, by ensuring everyone, with or without a disability, has a fair chance to get ahead. As we approach the 40th anniversary of my return to Canada on my Man In Motion World Tour, I hope that the global journey I embarked on decades ago will be one that we can complete together. Let’s keep going. Photo Credit: PMO #Canada #accessibilitymatters #BarrierFreeCanada #disabilityawareness #accessibility

During her visit to British Columbia, Minister @joannethompsonstjohns joined @rickhansenofficial , @fnfc_bc , and PSF for a boat tour along the Lower Fraser River. 🚤 The boat, named Everyone Everywhere, is a fully accessible vessel developed by @rickhansenfdn ’s Accessible Outdoors Program. Rick Hansen gave a full tour of the boat and taught passengers about conservation and accessibility. The tour gave Minister Thompson a chance to see Canada’s largest Pacific salmon-bearing river firsthand and learn about current salmon recovery plans and habitat restoration projects. The Lower Fraser is a critical migratory corridor for all five Pacific salmon species, whether their destination is the Adams River in B.C’s Interior or the Nechako River near Prince George.

It was a pleasure to join our partners at the @pacificsalmonfoundation to welcome the Honourable @joannethompsonstjohns , Minister of Fisheries and her team at Steveston Harbour for a tour of the Fraser River. The Fraser River is a rich and vibrant home to one of the world's largest salmon runs, and protecting it requires all our collaborative efforts. The Pacific Salmon Foundation has worked tirelessly to prioritize sustainability, restoration and stewardship. Together, we can ensure this working river continues to support Indigenous communities, local economies and a thriving natural environment for generations to come. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans play a significant role in helping to remove barriers so more people of all abilities can access and experience the outdoors. My greatest hope is that people with disabilities will be part of this ongoing journey and that they can fully participate and contribute to shaping the future of our natural world. #FraserRiver #accessibility #EveryoneEverywhere #AccessibleOutdoors #RemovingBarriers #NatureForAll

Today is launch day! 📘 I’m excited to celebrate the official launch of The Man In Motion written by @lornasn , illustrated by @emmafitz_art and published by @owlkidspublishing . As we continue to celebrate the 40th anniversary of my Man In Motion World Tour, I'm so pleased to share my journey with a new generation of young readers. I hope this book will inspire kids to believe that anything is possible, encourage them to find barriers to remove, and see themselves as part of creating a more accessible and inclusive world for everyone. #TheManInMotion #OwlKids #LaunchDay #EveryoneEverywhere #NewBooksforSpring #Picturebook #Kidlit #NewPubs #Teachers #ClassroomBooks

Today is the day!! New book out today. An inspiring story about Rick Hansen- The Man in Motion! He overcame the odds to wheel the circumference of the earth to raise awareness for people with disabilities! His story is incredible. What an honour to write the words. And what a fabulous job @emmafitz_art did of the illustrations. ❤️❤️❤️ @rickhansenofficial