Northern Lights Women's Development Program

My name is Tiana and I play wheelchair rugby with the Northern Lights Canadian Women's team. After an accident I was paralyzed from the chest down. Wheelchair rugby helps me become active and find support within the rugby community. I like the challenge that wheelchair rugby gives me, as I came from highly competitive sport background prior to my injury. I want our Northern Lights team to be able to represent Canada and show the world what Canadian women can do.

Why we are fundraising: 

I'm fundraising to help send our team to the first-ever Women's World Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Paris this December 1-5, 2026. It's a huge milestone for the sport, and I'm proud to be part of the effort to get them there. Would you help support the team with a donation? Every bit makes a difference — thank you!

Our Challenge- 🏐✨LIGHTS ON: MOVE WITH US ✨

We're training for the 2026 World Championships in Paris, and we want you to be part of the journey.

Starting August 15, we're inviting our community to move with Northern Lights every day until our Edmonton training camp.

Move however works for you. Walk, wheel, roll, stretch, swim, lift, play a sport, dance, or simply get moving in a way that feels right for you. There are no rules about what movement has to look like.

Here's how to join us:

🏐 MOVE: Get moving every day until camp. 

✨ SHARE: Show us how you're moving and tag @NorthernLightsWheelchairRugby. 

🏐 DONATE: Help support our journey to the 2026 World Championships in Paris. 

✨ INVITE: Challenge your friends, teammates, family, or community to move with you.

While you're moving with us, we'll be putting in the work too. At our upcoming Edmonton camp, we'll track every minute the Northern Lights spend training and share the total with everyone who has joined us along the way.

This isn't about how far you go, how fast you move, or what activity you choose. It's about showing up, moving together, and helping us keep the Lights ON all the way to Paris.

Every contribution helps get the Northern Lights to Worlds. Let's get moving.

Team Background

Women remain underrepresented in the sport, despite growing interest and momentum worldwide. The Northern Lights Women’s Development Program is a volunteer-led initiative, delivered in collaboration with Wheelchair Rugby Canada, dedicated to growing participation and elevating the visibility of women in wheelchair rugby. 

In 2025, the Northern Lights made history at the Rugbymania tournament in Prague, becoming the first all-female team to compete in an international mixed-gender wheelchair rugby competition. Building on that momentum, the program has continued to advocate for greater opportunities, contributing to the creation of the first-ever Women’s Wheelchair Rugby National Championships and now another historic milestone: the first Women’s Wheelchair Rugby World Championships, taking place in Paris this December. The Northern Lights are now fundraising to support athletes and staff as they prepare for and compete on the world stage.