the story

Mathew Szymanowski, affectionately known as Shim, was born and raised in Kitchener, Ontario, where he first learned to row at the Cambridge Rowing Club. Shim was offered a scholarship to Ridley College, where he graduated as a decorated high school rower in 2014, before accepting an offer to row and study engineering at the University of Victoria (UVic). At UVic, Shim won multiple national titles (2016, 2017) and competed for Canada at the 2018 U23 World Championships.

After rowing, Shim transitioned into the world of cycling, joining the Victoria Wheelers Cycling team and working at Oak Bay Bikes. Shim’s strength, kindness, and ambition inspired many and he quickly rose as a leader in the cycling community.

In August 2019, Shim was hit by a motor vehicle while out for a bike ride. Shim suffered punctured lungs, broken ribs and a C5 spinal cord injury. The ICU at Vancouver General Hospital treated Shim’s initial injuries before being transferred to the GF Strong Rehabilitation Center for initial physiotherapy. To be closer to his family, Shim moved to Toronto in January 2020.

On July 25th, 2020, the founders (Cole, Nick, and Sam) rode from Port Hardy to Victoria (520 km) in a fundraising effort to support Shim and also raise awareness for Spinal Cord Injury. The event had incredible support along the way, and the community came together to raise $85,000.

Spinal cord injuries are costly, and there are limited treatments available. Innovative technology of epidural stimulation, not yet available in Canada, has been proven to increase the quality of life in spinal cord injury. Shim used funds raised in 2020 for the epidural stimulation surgery in Thailand.

Shim continues to improve his health and independence daily through rehab. The epidural stimulator is used daily for activities such as standing, controlling spasms and toileting. Today, Shim plays a role in establishing Shim’s Ride as an annual event, attends University, and participates in school clubs.