Elizabeth Ferris (wheelchair rugby)

Scottish wheelchair rugby player

Elizabeth O. V. Ferris BEM (born c. 1986) is a former Scotland Wheelchair Rugby League international[1][2] and medical doctor. She is the founder of Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club SCIO[3] in Dundee, Scotland.

## Early life and education[edit]

Ferris was born in Northern Ireland[4][5] She attended Rainey Endowed School, Magherafelt[6] and after leaving in 2003 went on to study medicine at the University of Dundee. A spinal cord injury during her studies rendered her paralyzed from the waist down.[7] She was the first full-time wheelchair user to graduate from the University of Dundee School of Medicine[8][9]

## Wheelchair rugby career[edit]

During rehabilitation after her spinal injury Ferris was introduced to the sport of wheelchair rugby league[10] She was selected to represent Scotland at the 2013 Wheelchair Rugby League World Cup[11] and has served as both Manager and Chair of Scotland Wheelchair Rugby League[12]

She founded[13] the Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club in 2013 as there were no facilities in Tayside for team based wheelchair sport.[14]

## Honors and awards[edit]

* Recipient of the Dundee City Disability Sport Jenny Wood-Allen Award in 2014[15]
* Appointed Ambassador for Spinal Injuries Scotland[16]
* Honorary Fellowship from Abertay University, Dundee in 2017[17]
* Awarded the University of Dundee's Wimberley Award upon graduating from her medical degree.[9]
* In 2020 Ferris was awarded the British Empire Medal in the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours for services to Disability Sport in Scotland.[3][18][19]
* In 2021 Ferris was named as one of Britain's 100 Most Influential Disabled People with her inclusion in the Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 List.[20]

## References[edit]

1. ^ "Scotland Wheelchair Rugby Team Thanks Generous Dundee Firm". Dundee Evening Telegraph. 13 September 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
2. ^ "Scotland Rugby League Wheelchair Squad Records". Archived from the original on 9 July 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
3. ^ a b Adams, Hannah (13 October 2020). "Dundee Graduate Makes Honours List For Services to Disability Sport in Scotland". University of Dundee, One Dundee Blog. Archived from the original on 19 October 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
4. ^ "Of Dragons and Doctors" (PDF). Spinal Injuries Scotland. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2020.[permanent dead link]
5. ^ "Meet Our Founder. Excerpt from 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Bearer BBC Documentary". Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Website. 21 July 2014. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
6. ^ "Congratulations Elizabeth Ferris". 10 October 2020. Archived from the original on 25 October 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
7. ^ "Elizabeth Overcomes Her Biggest Hurdle" (PDF). 2 April 2014. Archived (PDF) from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
8. ^ Holland, Nathaniel (8 March 2018). "International Women's Day Player Profile". Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
9. ^ a b Longmuir, Cara (26 June 2017). "Medical Student Defies The Odds To Become A Doctor". University of Dundee, University News. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
10. ^ "Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Newsletter Issue 1" (PDF). Dundee Dragons Wheelchair Sports Club Website. 7 September 2020. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 September 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
11. ^ "Batonbearer Spotlight - Elizabeth Ferris". Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
12. ^ "Scotland Rugby League Wheelchair Board Member Opportunities". 23 November 2016. Archived from the original on 20 November 2019. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
13. ^ "Dundee Dragons Founder Graduates as Doctor". 23 June 2017. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
14. ^ Black, Ian G (18 May 2016). "Interview: Elizabeth Ferris Chairperson of Dundee Wheelchair Sports Club and Scotland Wheelchair Rugby League". YouTube. Retrieved 1 November 2020.
15. ^ McGinley, Kevin (25 February 2015). "Sport Dundee 2014 Sports Awards". Retrieved 11 October 2020.
16. ^ "SIS Spinal Life Summer 18" (PDF). 1 July 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 September 2018. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
17. ^ "Fellowship for Disability Sports Pioneer". University of Abertay. 17 May 2017. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
18. ^ Crichton, Emma (9 October 2020). "In Full Tayside and Fife Pandemic Heroes Among Those Named in Queens Birthday Honours List". The Courier. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 2 November 2020.
19. ^ "2020 Queen's Birthday Honours List". 9 October 2020. Archived from the original on 9 October 2020. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
20. ^ "Dr Elizabeth Ferris BEM Shaw Trust". Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.

*[c.]: circa