Linda Benard was born with spina bifida, but never let it dictate her life or limit her options. The 77-year-old Langdon, Ontario resident has been active her entire life. She got her driver’s license at age 17 and treasures the freedom and independence it offers.
Born in Dalhousie, New Brunswick, Linda lived in Sudbury, Thunder Bay (when she was briefly married), Montreal and Florida. Moving around a lot was natural for Linda, as she is curious and enjoys seeking new opportunities.
She now lives in an apartment connected to the house where her older sister lives with her husband, son and two Maltese-poodles. They are all close and visit daily. Her sister has early dementia, so Linda drives her wherever she needs to go.
Growing up in Dalhousie, where her father worked at the local pulp and paper mill, no one knew that she had spina bifida, let alone heard of it. There were no other children with disabilities in her town or school. Therefore, she did not consider herself as having a disability. She loved attending sports events, acting as a scorekeeper and cheering on the other children.
“I was the best scorekeeper ever. It was a gentler time. Everyone knew me. Living in a small town helped.”
Linda had her first surgery at 13 months old to close the opening on her spine from the spina bifida. Further orthopedic surgeries followed every summer, starting when Linda was five until age 17 when she stopped growing. The hospital was in Moncton, so Linda was away from home for months at a time. She remained positive and made many friends while she was there.
“It was like camp, as we all knew each other.”
Following the surgeries, Linda had plaster casts on her legs. She used a wheelchair, then crutches, until the casts were removed and she could walk independently. If there was a fire drill at school, one of her classmates would stay inside with her so that she did not have to leave the building. She traveled by car with Rotary Club members to and from school.
Linda completed her studies at Oulton Business College in Moncton, specializing in bookkeeping, office administration and typing.
“My mother wanted me to be sheltered, but my dad thought I could do anything, and I believed him. My dad took me to the doctor’s appointments, and I relied on him more than my mother. Mom and I were never close, although we tried to form a bond. It was hard when my dad died suddenly from stomach cancer when I was 30”.
Linda lived in Florida for 20 years in a condominium, working for an accountant before managing rental apartments. She returned to Canada following an injury to her leg which required her to be fitted with a knee brace. Eventually, she had knee replacement surgery and only returned to Florida for vacation. While in Canada, she had a hotel business in her hometown.
Linda loves driving and has travelled across Canada, the United States and Europe for many years. Every winter, she went to Florida with a friend to escape the cold.
After a car accident a few years ago, Linda had to retake her driving test and switched to using hand controls because her leg muscles had weakened over time. Although it was challenging at first because her attention was focused strictly on her hands, she mastered it and still loves driving for the independence it gives her
Today Linda’s health is stable. She wears a leg brace and uses a walker. When she was 25, she had surgery on her bladder to control her incontinence and rarely has infections. She eats healthily and practises yoga occasionally.
She is grateful for the online community of peers at Hydrocephalus Canada and attends monthly zoom meetings. Sharing information on spina bifida and connecting with others is helpful. She considers herself lucky that her spina bifida is minimal. She has friends in Montreal and throughout the US with whom she connects online or by telephone.
Linda offers the following advice for parents of children with spina bifida and or hydrocephalus: Give your child wings. Do not let your child believe they cannot do something. Encourage and include them. If you have these conditions, reach out for support and information.
