Lorna Vinden Anderson (1931 – June 9, 2008), born Lorna Margaret Skidmore, was a Canadian wheelchair athlete, competing in

pentathlon A pentathlon is a contest featuring five events. The name is derived from Greek: combining the words ''pente'' (five) and -''athlon'' (competition) ( gr, πένταθλον). The first pentathlon was documented in Ancient Greece and was part of t ...

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

, archery, and swimming events at the 1967 and 1969 Wheelchair Pan American Games, and the 1968 Paralympics in

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

Early life

Lorna Margaret Skidmore was born in

Nanaimo, British Columbia Nanaimo ( ) is a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada. As of the 2021 census, it had a population of 99,863, and it is known as "The Harbour City." The city was previously known as the "Hub City," which was ...

, the daughter of Henry Hearst Skidmore and Elizabeth Margaret McDonald Skidmore. Her father was a newspaperman. She was a gymnast as a girl. In 1951, Vinden contracted

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

, and survived with

paraplegia Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek () "half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neural ...

Career

Vinden became a wheelchair athlete in her thirties. She earned eight medals at the Wheelchair Pan American Games in Winnipeg in 1967. She was a member of Canada's national team at the 1969 Wheelchair Pan American Games in

Buenos Aires Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...

, and at the 1968 Paralympics in Tel Aviv, competing in the pentathlon, track and field, archery, and swimming events. She belonged to the Canadian Wheelchair Sports Association. She described how everyday life was training for her: "If you live in a wheelchair you're pushing and lifting things all day. Even jumping a curb downtown while shopping is an exercise." Vinden was executive secretary of the Vancouver Island office of the Rehabilitation Foundation of British Columbia. She also worked for the Public Service Commission in Victoria, finding employment for disabled workers. "Whenever I've gone job-hunting for myself, I've first scouted the building to see if I can get into it," she explained of the barriers her clients faced. "Washrooms can prove a real hurdle too." She also volunteered with the Kinsmen Rehabilitation Foundation in Vancouver, and the Lions Club Easter Seal program. Vinden was a member of the Canadian Paraplegics Association, and served on the board of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Personal life

Lorna Skidmore married twice. Her first husband was J. Keith Vinden; they married in August 1950. Her second husband was Ian Anderson, who survived, along with her two sons, Dean and Jay, when she died in 2008, in Nanaimo.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vinden, Lorna 1931 births 2008 deaths Canadian female wheelchair racers People with polio Sportspeople from Nanaimo 1968 Summer Paralympics