When he was three-and-a-half years old, Jacob McArthur was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), a genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle loss. 

His DMD began with muscle weakness and fatigue that required Jacob to start slowly introducing his wheelchair, using it when he was tired and bringing it to junior kindergarten to show classmates his cool new wheels. But when Jacob was 12, he became non-ambulatory. “I can’t walk now,” says Jacob. “I use my power wheelchair to get around. There have been some famous people who have had DMD, like the son of Enzo Ferrari, which is pretty cool.”

Now, Jacob is 14 and in Grade 9. Homeschooled by his parents, Jacob finds community in his Salvation Army church and through VOLT Hockey.

Team Canada

VOLT Hockey is an adapted form of hockey played in electric sport chairs for people with physical disabilities. Designed to be an accessible and inclusive sport, VOLT Hockey gives participants an opportunity to play a sport, be part of a team and make friends who have shared experiences.

“VOLT Hockey is really fun. The crown prince of Denmark, back in the 1990s, donated the proceeds of a coin he minted in his name to enable people with a disability to play a form of hockey,” explains Jacob. “I started playing three years ago when the team at my clinic suggested I might be interested in it.”

Jacob, a Toronto Maple Leafs fan, wore the number of his favourite player, Auston Matthews, number 34, when he represented Canada at the VOLT Hockey World Cup in Gävle, Sweden, in September. 

In Scandinavian countries, VOLT Hockey is a developed league with more than 50 teams playing. Since 2016, teams in Canada have joined VOLT Hockey with clubs in cities such as Toronto and Niagara in Ontario, and Edmonton and Calgary in Alberta. 

Though Team Canada Ontario had been preparing for the World Cup since 2019, the pandemic delayed the tournament and the team did not reconnect until 2021. “My teammates were worried. They thought we weren’t going to do well because we were really new to the game and the people we were playing against have been playing a really long time,” says Jacob. “I think the greatest challenge has been believing in ourselves.”

Jacob’s team rose to the challenge, placing silver in their division. “We were in the lowest division because we’re newer. I think if we had played the best players now, it wouldn’t have gone very well. But we’ll be as good as them eventually,” says Jacob, who hopes to return to the VOLT Hockey World Cup again next year.

“I think what made us do well is that we all have disabilities, so we understand each other. We all understand how difficult some days can be. One of the things that encourages me is our shared experiences,” says Jacob.

“Because we were in this competitive environment together, it really brought the team closer,” says Jacob’s father, James McArthur. For Jacob, friendships can sometimes be harder to find because he can’t play regular sports or participate in activities that most other people his age are doing. “I felt like they became very close friends, even since the tournament. I think it’s been a meaningful social group that will continue on,” his father adds.

Plans to Prosper

Jacob and his family attend Yorkminster Citadel in Toronto, where his parents are active senior soldiers. Jacob grew up in the Army, attending Sunday school, participating in singing company and in the young people’s band. Both he and his younger sister, Eliana, are also involved in ministries there such as the Yorkminster Music Academy and youth group.

“Our church community has been overwhelmingly encouraging to Jacob. It has been such a blessing for us. They really are our family. They’ve celebrated this with us,” says Teena McArthur, Jacob’s mother. 

One of Jacob’s favourite Bible verses, which he has carried throughout his life, is Jeremiah 29:11. “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’ ”

 “It became very meaningful to him at a young age,” says Teena. “It was a blessing in his life to understand that God has a plan for him, and that he has a purpose. Jacob has really lived out that verse.”

Photos: Teena McArthur