Private donations allow visually impaired athlete to shower at home after months without

Private donors have enabled visually impaired Finnish athlete Timo Pulkkinen to install a new shower unit in his home and compete in national championships after his welfare region refused support, public broadcaster Yle reports.

Pulkkinen, 74, had been unable to shower at home for months due to a broken shower enclosure that the North Savo welfare region declined to replace, despite provisions in Finland’s disability services law guaranteeing reasonable support for accessible housing. His only option had been a weekly sauna slot in his apartment building.

Following a Yle report on his situation in March, Pulkkinen received an outpouring of support from across Finland. Around a dozen private individuals donated funds, covering the cost of a new shower unit and its installation.

“I cried uncontrollably”
The first shower in his own home was an emotional moment. “I cried so much in that situation. I don’t know how to describe it,” Pulkkinen told Yle. The new unit, installed in early May, allows him to wash thoroughly—something impossible in the old, deteriorating enclosure. “This is pure luxury. Now I can even clean between my toes,” he said.

Donations also funded his participation in the national para athletics indoor championships in Nastola in April, where he won gold in javelin and shot put and silver in the 3,000-meter race walk. It was his 40th year competing in domestic and international events, though welfare authorities had insisted he travel by public transport this year—a logistical challenge for a visually impaired athlete relying on an assistant.

Legal challenge ahead
Pulkkinen plans to appeal the welfare region’s decision to the administrative court, as they have not contacted him since the media coverage. Meanwhile, he remains uncertain whether he will receive support for upcoming summer competitions.

Reflecting on the public generosity, he expressed deep gratitude: “The messages started coming the next morning—people wanted to help and support me.” With his immediate needs met, he can now focus on training and his athletic goals with greater peace of mind.