MJ has cooked for the Spirit Orcas for years, preparing meals that support the team both emotionally and nutritionally. The Spirit Orcas, a long-distance swimming group made up of athletes who live with a range of physical disabilities, practice their sport at training camps that run a full week at a time, and the swimmers need hot, nourishing food for every meal. One of the swimmers is Drew, who lives with a developmental delay. He gets easily overwhelmed, and when that happens he falls into compulsive, unstoppable talking that can go on for hours unless someone gently interrupts the current. Drew often needs a steady anchor and a way to channel his anxious energy, so chopping, stirring, and measuring tasks provide a way to pull him out of the verbal spiral and into the physical present. In giving Drew a role, MJ creates a chance for him to have agency, show his support for the rest of the team, and feel proud of the work he does to help keep the team fuelled for their next big challenge.
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