Our History

Guided by Vision, Grounded in Service

Honouring Tony Dolan and Myrtle Jenkins

Written by Madison Alan | August 28th , 2025

Introduction
More than four decades ago, Spinal Cord Injury PEI was founded with the same mission and values it upholds today: to support, serve, and advocate for people with spinal cord injuries so that they can live with independence, dignity, and equal opportunity. At the heart of this vision
was Tony Dolan, who in 1982 pioneered the beginnings of the PEI branch and board of Spinal Cord Injury Canada.

A decade after forming the PEI branch, Myrtle Jenkins joined the board, and together Tony and Myrtle became the driving force behind the organization’s growth and success. Each brought unique strengths, but what made the difference was their shared commitment: ensuring that
Islanders with spinal cord injuries had the supports they needed to live full, independent lives without barriers. As a team, they carried SCI PEI through its early years with vision and determination, planting the roots of programs that would flourish, and dedicating themselves to
advance support, advocacy, and accessibility for Islanders.

What started as a small group with little funding and borrowed office space has, through their leadership and collaboration, grown into nothing short of a thriving organization that continues to change lives every day. Through their time and dedication, Tony and Myrtle helped shape the
very foundation of SCI PEI — building programs, fostering client support, and strengthening its commitment to accessibility and a full, dignified life for every client.

This is a tribute that reflects on their decades of service, the barriers they helped break, and the lasting legacy they leave for the future.

Tony Dolan: The Vision Behind SCI PEI

When the Spinal Cord Injury PEI board first came together in 1982, it was Tony Dolan who carried the guiding light. As the founder of the PEI branch — and someone living with a spinal cord injury himself — Tony knew all too well of the difficult reality that many faced at the time
due to lack of accessibility. Supports were limited, resources were scarce, and too often people were stopped by barriers instead of being offered equal opportunities. However, Tony believed there was a better path forward. He saw possibility where others saw limitation, and he worked
tirelessly to build a community that offered hope, connection, and dignity. For more than forty years, his vision has helped Islanders with spinal cord injuries to rebuild their lives and embrace new ones filled with purpose, opportunity, and belonging. Above all, Tony was devoted to
showing every person with a spinal cord injury that their story did not end with their injury—it was the beginning of new possibilities.

A Vision for Possibility

After his own spinal cord injury, Tony experienced firsthand both the barriers of daily life and the possibilities waiting to be embraced. Determined to make a difference, he dedicated himself to building SCI PEI into a source of strength and hope. Drawing on his earlier work with the
Council of Canadians with Disabilities, he sought to influence legislation, advance equality, and expand opportunities for Islanders with spinal cord injuries. For Tony, the mission was deeply personal: to show that life after injury was not the end, but a new beginning filled with dignity,
independence, and purpose. "In those early days," Tony recalls, "if someone happened to have one of these life-altering conditions, their life was over. What we wanted to show was that it didn’t have to be that way — that there are options, and there is more to life."

Laying the Groundwork

The first meetings of SCI PEI were modest — often held at the Delta, with a small but dedicated group of volunteers. Leaders like Gus MacFarland, Key Reynolds, and John Dahl worked alongside Tony to put bylaws in place, secure nonprofit status, and stabilize the limited funding
that was available. Monthly meetings quickly grew to address the urgent needs of Islanders living with spinal cord injuries.

One of Tony’s earliest priorities was the Peer Program, which paired new spinal cord injury patients in hospital with mentors who had already adapted to life after injury. The goal was to provide not only practical advice — how to transfer, how to drive, how to find resources — but

also emotional reassurance. Speaking from his lived experience, Tony and other peers could offer something that doctors, friends, and family could not: living proof that a meaningful, independent life was still possible.

Challenges and Perseverance

Funding was one of the greatest challenges in those early years. For decades, SCI PEI relied on traditional fundraisers, often organized by external companies, supplemented by limited support from the government. These efforts for funding demanded significant time, people, and
resources, but they were essential to keeping the organization running — from covering office costs to supporting programs, and even providing direct financial aid to clients in need. For individuals with spinal cord injuries, the medical supplies and equipment required are often quite
expensive, with little funding or coverage available to offset the costs. "It was extremely difficult," Tony says. "Something as simple as a proper wheelchair cushion could be out of reach for people, let alone the cost of a new chair."

Yet the board pressed on, fundraising year after year, while also advocating for better accessibility and rights. Tony himself served not only on the provincial board, but also on the national Spinal Cord Injury Canada board, where he and Myrtle eventually chaired as a part of its team. Through this role, he worked closely with other national board members, and the broader SCI Canada network helped connect PEI to additional funding opportunities, opening doors to resources that strengthened SCI PEI’s work. His leadership ensured that even a small province like Prince Edward Island had a strong voice in the national movement — and that Islanders with spinal cord injuries were never left behind.

A Lifetime of Impact

Looking back, Tony’s proudest moments are not tied to policies or programs alone, but to people. He recalls the importance of meeting with new spinal cord injury patients in those early stages of recovery — talking with them about what life could look like, teaching practical skills like transferring in and out of a chair, or even learning to drive again. What mattered most to him was showing people that their injury didn’t define their future— that with support and
perseverance, independence and purpose were still within reach. Tony has always placed great importance on providing a sense of community and support — ensuring that from the tough beginnings of recovery through to regaining independence, people felt encouraged, connected, and confident in what was possible. "Seeing someone realize they can still do whatever they want to do — that’s what it’s all about," he reflects. 

A Lasting Legacy

After more than forty years of service, Tony leaves behind not only the story of a board built from scratch, but a thriving organization that has transformed life for countless Islanders. From bylaws to peer mentorship, from bare-bones fundraising to today’s stronger, more sustainable foundation, Tony’s fingerprints are on every stage of SCI PEI’s journey.

Most of all, his legacy is written in the lives of people who, thanks to Spinal Cord Injury PEI, discovered that their injury was not the end of their story, but the beginning of a new chapter.

Myrtle Jenkins: Honoring Decades of Dedication

When Myrtle Jenkins joined the board of Spinal Cord Injury PEI in the early 1990s, she didn’t yet know much about the organization. What she did know was that her friend Tony Dolan, a strong advocate for Islanders living with spinal cord injuries, believed in her. At his invitation — certain that she would be an invaluable addition to SCI PEI — Tony encouraged her to join the board. For more than three decades, she has been a steady and determined force behind SCI
PEI’s growth, resilience, and impact.

The Early Years

In the beginning, Spinal Cord Injury PEI was just a small group of motivated volunteers with limited resources, working to establish itself within the national Canadian Paraplegic Association network. Meetings were often held in a part of Myrtle’s own downtown Charlottetown office, which she generously provided free of charge so that the organization’s minimal funds at the time could go directly to client needs and client-centered programs. For two decades, the organization survived on a very limited budget — money that had to be stretched thin to cover staff, programs, and administration. "We had little money as an organization," Myrtle recalls. "We fundraised to raise money, so that we could give it back to these people." Yet the board pressed on, knowing the difference their efforts were making in the daily lives of Islanders living with spinal cord injuries.

Building Support, Breaking Barriers

Accessibility has always been at the heart of Myrtle’s work with SCI PEI. From the start, she saw the urgent need to break barriers that kept wheelchair users from fully participating in everyday life. "There were real gaps in everyday services that prevented accessibility for people in wheelchairs," she recalls. For Myrtle, that was never acceptable — it became the driving force behind her commitment to creating a better, more accessible world for wheelchair users. "All
wheelchair users want is the same quality of life that you or I have," Myrtle says. She continues to see the barriers that remain and believes there is always more work to be done to break them down and expand true accessibility. 

She turned conviction into action — championing wheelchair repairs, accessible transportation, and SCI PEI’s ramp program, while securing funding not only for the organization but also for clients with limited resources. The board, with her leadership, fundraised and advocated tirelessly to close those gaps and build a more inclusive community.

Programs That Change Lives

At the heart of Myrtle’s legacy is her drive to expand accessibility in every aspect of life — her commitment to breaking barriers and opening doors for wheelchair users. The Peer Program, previously begun by Tony, became a cornerstone, connecting new spinal cord injury patients with mentors who could show, from lived experience, that life with an SCI can still be rich and full. "We always went in pairs," Myrtle explains, "and one of us always had to be someone who uses a wheelchair — because that’s who the client could truly relate to and trust." Myrtle also helped lead the way in creating accessible social opportunities that not only removed barriers but built a true sense of community. Together with the SCI PEI team, programs such as these opened doors to recreation and independence — from curling and tennis to fishing and fitness classes, and even securing specialized mats that allowed wheelchairs to roll onto Island beaches. These weren’t just activities; they were opportunities for people to connect, be included where they otherwise may not have been, rebuild confidence, and experience joy without barriers. In every effort, Myrtle highlighted the importance of accessibility, affordability, and dignity, ensuring that

no barriers stood in the way for wheelchair users.

Moments of Impact
Over the years, Myrtle has witnessed countless stories of resilience and hope. She remembers when she and Tony Dolan once pooled their own money to buy a new wheel for a client’s chair, knowing it meant the difference between isolation and independence. She has seen clients who once felt life was over after their injury grow into leaders themselves, returning to the Peer Program to guide others. 

When asked what makes her most proud, Myrtle resists naming just one. "Is there one thing, no, but there’s a lot of things that I feel proud of," she says. "There’s always more to do, but we’ve made huge progress."

A Lasting Legacy
As she steps back from the board, Myrtle reflects on SCI PEI’s journey from a small, struggling group with limited funding to a respected, stable organization. She credits champions on the board who helped guide its direction, and champions among clients who, after making remarkable progress themselves, stepped up to support others. Yet Myrtle’s own leadership, generosity, and unwavering commitment have been just as critical. 

After more than 30 years of service, she leaves not only the story of what was built, but the enduring inspiration of what is possible. Her vision and perseverance created a foundation that

will continue to change lives for decades to come — fostering accessibility, dignity, and inclusion as SCI PEI carries her legacy forward.

Conclusion

As Tony and Myrtle step away from the board, SCI PEI stands as a living testament to their dedication. From the early years of struggle and sacrifice to today’s strong and diverse organization, their influence can be felt in every peer visit made, every ramp installed to a business, every wheelchair crossing the finish line in the PEI Marathon, and every Islander living more independently.

Their legacies are woven into the DNA of Spinal Cord Injury PEI: Tony’s vision that life after a spinal cord injury can still be full of possibility, and Myrtle’s tireless drive to break down barriers and put resources directly into the hands of clients. Together, they turned challenges into
progress, and progress into hope.

On behalf of the board, staff, clients, and community, we thank Tony Dolan and Myrtle Jenkins for their extraordinary leadership, generosity, and belief in what is possible. The path they forged will continue guiding Spinal Cord Injury PEI for decades to come — inspiring accessibility, dignity, and hope for every Islander.