Team Angel Wolf is a non-profit organisation, created by parents Delphine and Nick Watson to make an inclusive world for their son, Rio Watson.
Connector spoke to Delphine Watson to share her story and her wishes for a more inclusive world for people.
Rio at the age of 6 months experienced a seizure and, after several tests were conducted over the span of years, a conclusion was drawn.
At the age of 4 years, Rio was diagnosed with 1q44 deletion de novo syndrome, which is known to cause seizures, difficulty communicating, sensory sensitivity, gross and fine motor skill issues and intellectual disabilities.
Known as a rare chromosome disorder, it is not genetic and cannot be detected while pregnant.
Despite the challenges, Rio is a happy person and is cared for by the family, especially Delphine, who is Rio's primary carer.
During a routine check-up in November 2021, Delphine had to get mammography, biopsy, lumpectomy surgery and continue radiation for four weeks, and although she is now recovered, the scare led to her worrying about Rio's care.
Every parent fears leaving their children behind, but for Delphine, the thought of leaving Rio behind, without a primary caregiver is a daunting thought.
As a full-time care facility is not an option for Rio, she was left thinking about who would take care of him and protect him from the world, in her absence.
People of determination are often mishandled and taken advantage of and due to their difficulty in protecting themselves, have been, in many situations, taken advantage.
Fearing the worst, Delphine worries about how basic safety is not available for children.
Nick Watson, Rio's dad, is a triathlon enthusiast and hoped to one day to participate together with his son, although after Rio's diagnosis and daily life getting in the way, the plan did not happen.
After being diagnosed with a tumour in his colon, Nick, after coming up with innovative solutions, began racing with Rio and it became their bonding time.
When Rio's sister Tia was old enough to race, marathons and triathlons became a bonding experience for the family of four, and with wanting to create an inclusive community, the idea of Team Angel Wolf was born.
Eventually, along with other people, an inclusive community was created and more events were hosted.
Team Angel Wolf hosts monthly events including Beach Blast, held at Fairmont The Palm, which allows people with or without disabilities, to float in wheelchairs.
An inclusive walk with performances is also held at Sustainable City, where running chairs are provided for people with disabilities to participate.
Additionally, during the lockdown, Rio's dad started climbing up and down the stairs with Rio on his back, and the steps climbed was equivalent to the height of Burj Khalifa.
From there, a new inclusive activity called Climb With Rio was launched, where people can walk up and down the stairs.
As mentioned by Delphine, she knows that we still live in a world where there are changes being made, and the changes being made are not happening at a fast enough pace for her and other families to feel safe to leave this world and know that children will be in good care.
Although they are surrounded by a good support system, the world we live in still does not support people with intellectual disabilities with the tools they require to manage on their own.
Delphine also brought up that we should not think about the parameters to make the world a better place. It should already be there to help people with intellectual disabilities be able to do things at the same pace as others.
Joining schools for people with disabilities is harder, finding a bathroom or even going to parties is difficult, as they do not get the exact same opportunities as others.
To make the world a more inclusive place for everyone to coexist in harmony, we need to ensure that our schools, workplaces, family and friends circles are all accepting of having people with disabilities, to give them the equal opportunities they deserve.
Activities should always consider people of determination as well as should be thought of when making changes.
To participate in Team Angel Wolf events, visit Team Angel Wolf Facebook page or the Team Angel Wolf Instagram.
