She has been paraplegic ever since.
As a child, she endured multiple operations to straighten her spine. She spent hours and hours in physical therapy to strengthen her upper body and prepare for life in a wheelchair.
As an adult, Cecelia became an advocate for individuals with disabilities, especially those with spinal injuries. She tenaciously sought out influential people in the Navajo tribe, the New Mexico state government, and the Federal government. Her tireless efforts led to better conditions and treatment for disabled individuals.
Working together with Arthur Hardy, also paraplegic, Cecelia started to speak out for injury prevention in schools, senior centers, and other community settings.
This past February, along with VIP Doris Dennison (center), Cecelia (right) represented Eve’s Fund in accepting the 2012 Quality of Life grant from Prita Mehta (left) of the Reeve Foundation.
Cecelia lives in the Four Corners region of New Mexico with with Jimmy K. Jones and their son and niece. For more information about her work with ThinkFirst Navajo, click here.