EKO Scholar Bryce Desrochers

Bryce has worked hard to overcome challenges, adapting tasks to achieve remarkable outcomes. He has been passionate about sports all his life, especially hockey, baseball and boccia. Beginning with sledge hockey at age six, he worked his way through the ranks, serving as both assistant and captain of his team. With or without those letters on his jersey, he always modelled teamwork and leadership, compassion and encouragement, on and off the ice.

Bryce is also a talented boccia athlete who is working towards making the Canadian Paralympic Team, with sights set on the Paris 2024 games. He eagerly agreed to help his club promote the sport by creating accessible virtual resources that promote physical activity for all. This program is now reaching over 3,600 students across Ontario.

He took his passion for sports to the broader community when he identified the need for a local accessible baseball field. Inspired to make it happen, Bryce and his family founded the Miracle League of Ottawa, helping to raise the funds and partners necessary to build the only fully accessible and inclusive local field and accessible playground which he helped design. The field now offers both competitive and recreational programming for all ages and abilities.

Active involvement with the CHEO’s WE club gave Bryce another way to give back to his community. He worked hard with his peers to support multiple local and international initiatives, including raising funds to repaint CHEO accessible parking spots with the new dynamic accessibility symbol. It was these volunteer achievements and more that led to being nominated for a Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award, one of his most prized possessions.

Bryce is now studying game development at Algonquin College with plans to develop games that are more inclusive and accommodating to everyone.