Wayne P. MacDonald Human Fund

Wayne P. MacDonald Human Fund

by Wayne MacDonald

I moved to London in 2015. I was injured in a life-altering workplace accident in 1999, resulting in paraplegia, but it never deterred my determination to thrive with my new normal. Becoming the second licensed disabled glider pilot in Canada was certainly a personal highlight.

Once I settled in, I immediately became familiar with the different charities in the London-Middlesex region. For my first Christmas as a newly minted Londoner, I volunteered for a number of shifts with The Salvation Army’s Christmas Kettle program – something I continue to do each year.

I became aware of London Community Foundation in 2021, and after meeting Diane Silva, I knew this was a new chapter in my life I wanted to pursue. I’d already established monthly giving to a number of local charities, but with a Donor-Advised Fund I could create a bigger impact and a legacy that I could establish now, which will grow over time.

As a paraplegic of 22 years, I’ve always been humbled by what life can give and take away. I’ve grown in body and soul because of the support and vision of others. I feel it’s a privilege to pay it forward and give back to those who could benefit from a hand-up at their most difficult times.

Through my fund, I hope to support a number of local charities including Merrymount Family Support and Crisis Centre, March of Dimes of Canada, Childcan, Sunshine Foundation and Spinal Cord Injury Ontario – a lasting legacy for continued support of the human race through the Wayne P. MacDonald Human Fund.