John McFall, a former Paralympian sprinter has been cleared to take part in a mission on the International Space Station. John, who lost his leg in a motorcycle accident aged 19, has represented Great Britain and Northern Ireland in the 100m winning over a dozen medals. He then left the sport to become an orthopaedic surgeon but is now the first disabled person to join a crew for a long-duration mission.
Liz Johns, interim head of space exploration at the UK Space Agency declared that: “this is an essential step towards the first long-term mission for an astronaut with a physical disability”.
John shared how this exciting milestone symbolises so much more than him being “medically fit” to make the journey to space. He hopes that it will help to change perceptions of disabled people. “I think it should give people faith that it is possible to change things and people are listening. With the right support and the right work, it is possible to change mindsets.”
This is a positive shift and advancement in how disabled people are viewed and treated by society.
