MARIA

Life in a wheelchair might be utterly hopeless for some people: not for Maria. Maria Liaskou is 20 years old, born with cerebral palsy; her days are a constant battle to get around in a wheelchair. In a city, which does not cater to the needs of people with disabilities, Maria has managed to get more than around.

Her charismatic personality has given her the strength to overlook the discrimination and to excel not only academically as a law student, but also as a passionate competitive swimmer who has represented Greece in major athletic events.

Maria is just one example among many; the number of people with mobility impairments has been rising in Greece over the last few years, a great part of it consists of cases that are due to some kind of automotive accident. With the lack of infrastructure and institutional support, Maria’s struggle represents the struggle of many in a similar situation.

Maria’s message is a clear and positive one: people with disabilities not only deserve a life like everyone else, but can claim it too.