Whenever there is a problem, a solution to it is always in the process. And during World War II, many soldiers lost their body parts fighting with the enemy. Losing an integral part of your body, your career, and the ability to live the same life again is something that we can’t really feel or understand.
It is very hard to be in the same mental state after these types of mishaps. The pain and sufferings of these people were understood by only one person in the world, that is Dr. Ludwig Guttman. He was a neurologist who was an expert in treating spinal injuries.
Observing the pain, agony, and hopeless lives of disabled people, he took the step to bring them their glory back. So, he worked to start competitions similar to the Olympics for disabled people. This step of his revolutionized the sporting field.
This is why he is referred to as “the Father of the Paralympics.”
About Dr. Ludwig Guttman
He was a German neurologist with a specialty in spinal injuries. Born on July 3rd in a Jewish family, he completed his Doctorate of Medicine in 1924. Later, he fled to London, successfully utilizing the opportunity, when he was sent to Portugal to treat the Dictator’s friend.
Following a four-year stay in London where he focused on spinal injuries, the British government asked him to establish a special center for spinal injuries called National Spinal Injuries. Dr. Ludwig Guttman’s first step toward the establishment of the Paralympic Games.
He was named the director of Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s National Spinal Injuries Center. During his research in the field of spinal injuries, he believed that playing physical sports helped a lot in the betterment of injured military soldiers. Playing sports can help the PWD (People with disabilities) in the process of rehabilitation and will eventually build their physical strength.
He thought that playing sports and winning the games was a way to bring back their lost self-respect and dignity and would give them hope to lead a better life. In 1945, he officially became a British citizen.
On July 29th, 1948, he organized the first-ever sports event for disabled war soldiers in his center, known as the Stoke Mandeville Games. This marked the start of an epic journey that had several remarkable stops in between.
The Journey from Stoke Mandeville Game to the first Paralympic games (Olympics)
Dr. Ludwig’s thoughts and dedication were the only reason that people with disabilities got the opportunity to participate in these great games that were known worldwide. In just its 4th year, more than 150 people participated in the Stock Mandeville Games.
It was a feeling of pride for the participants to be able to play such games and be appreciated by people worldwide. Soon, the International Olympics Committee understood the importance of these games and awarded Dr. Ludwig with the Sir Thomas Fearnley Cup for his impeccable contribution in the field of social and human values.
In 1960, the 9th Stoke Mandeville Games were organized in Rome, which is considered the first-ever Paralympic Games.
Dr. Ludwig’s Retirement Life
Guttmann continued to be highly involved with the Games and national and international organizations, both sporting and medical, after retiring from the Spinal Injuries Center in 1966. Her Majesty the Queen knighted him that year, making him Sir Ludwig Guttmann. Following donations to pay for the construction, Queen Elizabeth II launched a new sports complex on the grounds of Stoke Mandeville Hospital in 1969, which was later renamed the ‘Ludwig Guttmann Sports Centre for the Disabled’ after his death.
Dr. Ludwig’s Death
Sir Ludwig Guttmann died of heart failure on March 18, 1980, after suffering a heart attack a few months earlier. He did not survive to see his vision realized, but his work lives on via modern disability sports organizations and the National Spinal Injuries Center at Stoke Mandeville, which continues to be a world leader in spinal injury treatment.
Conclusion
A genuine doctor who wished for his patients to have faith in themselves and never give up hope. Supporting his patients through a world war and risking his life by refusing to return to Germany were two of Dr. Ludwig’s bravest experiences that we will never forget.
He ushered in a new era for the world’s particularly abled individuals, who are now on par with normal people. He certainly earns the title of “Father of the Paralympics.”
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