by Tiff -

Dealing with the Dreaded SCI Anniversary

Anniversaries can be either super fabulous or super depressing, depending on what’s being commemorated. In the world of spinal cord injuries, it’s a 50/50 thing, but most look at their SCI anniversary as a sad thing they’d rather not remember.

“Yup, one more year in a wheelchair,” is the thought process, and then there are the others who wildly celebrate the anniversary of their injury, looking at it as they have an amazing survival ability. We all can be vastly different with our coping methods.

From a 40 year old Australian talking about what he misses most to a quadriplegic embracing dozens of adapted sports the first year of his injury, here are three people with spinal cord injuries showing how they manage their anniversaries. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Robb Dunfield

In the lobby of the Blusson Spinal Cord Centre in Vancouver, Canada, you will find the largest mouth painting ever created- a beautiful 6X8 oil painting called “Visions of Possibilities” (view) – and this beautiful image of two young girls on English Beach was painted by their father and vent-dependent quadriplegic, Robb Dunfield.

Robb, a C3-5 quad from Vancouver as well, is one of Canada’s most accomplished painters. Thrown into the world of painting after a fall from a balcony when he was 19, painting is just one of his outlets. He’s also a pioneer of group homes for people with severe disabilities and a public speaker for the Rick Hansen Foundation.

A man that has been paralyzed for longer than many of us have been alive, this is the story of esteemed artist – Robb Dunfield. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Wheelchair Dating Advice Direct from the Source

Everyone has an opinion on dating, but not everyone has one when it comes to the wheelchair side of things. Most people, let’s be honest, don’t even think about wheelchair-users in the realm of dating, but the truth is that many of us want to date or are currently dating. We too are in need of dating advice.

Fortunately there are a handful of wheelchair-users who love doling it out. They may not be as plentiful as the Dr. Ruth’s of this world, but they’re out there and they’re recording their advice just for you; and w00t, they’ve made some amazing videos.

Straight from the heart advice coming right at ya, here are three unforgettable videos from wheelchair-users on the sticky topic of wheelchair dating. Read this post

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Hilary Lister

On paper, Hilary Lister could very well be one of the most interesting women in the world. From being an accomplished clarinet player and biochemist in her early years to becoming a world-renowned sailor, this woman is no average lady at the coffee shop. Hillary is in fact quite extraordinary.

But her journey into these exciting areas of life were all because of one thing and one of the only – her disability – and not some able-bodied dream she had before becoming paralyzed from the neck down.

Hilary has done more in her life than most able-bodied people, and she has no intention of stopping anytime soon.

Read on for Hillary’s rockin’ story, as well as her most recent sailing accomplishment (she really has no intention of stopping) – crossing the Indian Ocean. Read this entry

by Tiff -

No Free Rides Episode #105 – Josh Winkler’s Epic Fight Against the System

josh2In podcast #105, Tiffiny is joined by Josh Winkler, a C6 quad, engineer and accidental advocate. A resident of Colorado since being discharged from Craig Hospital, Josh has been determined since Day One to be as independent as possible, but this isn’t easy when the system is broken, which Josh contends.

They discuss Josh’s injury story in his teens to his days working for NASCAR as an engineer. They also discuss the various opinions PWD have regarding the word “cripple,” whether they think it’s offensive or just plain practical. But more than anything, tune in to hear one of the most passionate disability advocates in the US right now.

– Visit his site: Cripple Concepts

– Visit his YouTube channel: Crippie Boy

No Free Rides is sponsored by Easystand.com

Show run time is 70 minutes. Listen via the player below!
[powerpress]

by Tiff -

Sweet Wheelchair Summer Camp Skillz

After my injury, my mother forced me to go to a wheelchair summer camp, and it was one of the scariest things I’ve ever done, well the first day or two at least, and then by the third and fourth days I completely forgot about home and had the time of my life.

That’s the uncanny thing about summer camp as a wheelchair-user – even if at first you don’t think you want to be there, before you know it you’re having so much fun you completely forgotten about all of your outside cares and worries. It’s an escape into a world I wish I could stay in permanently.

Do you feel the same way, or want to know why I do? Watch our three videos below showing some of the best elements of summer camp as an adult with a disability. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Dror Cohen

This former F-16 Israeli fighter pilot lived and breathed the real version of Top Gun, but instead of shunning the world for what he lost after his injury, he decided to prove to the world what he could still do instead.

From becoming the best Paralympian sailor in the world to a highly decorated motorsport driver, Dror has transformed the idea of disability in Israel.

And he’s reaching out to help others too. He helped found a charity helping Israelis access adaptive motorsports and is a motivational speaker. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Wheelchair-User’s GoPro Extreme Adventures

In a sea of cameras, the GoPro camera is definitely the Sucker fish; the camera that very stealth-like attaches itself to anything it can. This is why this camera has become a favorite of extreme athletes, and adapted athletes, wanting to share their first person experience with the world.

Mount it, wear it, the options are endless. The camera/company itself, own by Nick Woodman, a surfer from California, has been around since 2004, and it’s become quite the phenomenon. Thousands of amazing wheelchair-perspective videos have been made over the years too, from simple stuff like “ride-alongs” to giving an in-your-face view of a hardcore adaptive sport.

Check out 3 videos below that feature some of the best GoPro footage ever taken from a wheelchair user’s perspective. When you have a rugged, HD camera like this, the options truly are are endless. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Therese Riedel

You have those that when they say they’re going to do something, they actually do it, and Therese Riedel definitely falls into this category. A rising basketball star who likely would’ve played on the 2012 U.S. Women’s Olympic team, she went on to transform her b-ball skills into martial arts skills.

And it doesn’t stop there. Now a teacher of martial arts and returning to school as well, this 24 year old woman refuses to let her injury win. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Never Before Seen Wheelchair Elevators

ference to our lives, transforming us from dependent into independent individuals and it’s been a beautiful thing to witness.

Elevators too have come a mighty long way since they were invented in the late 1800s. They’ve especially become cooler since the dawn of the Computer age, especially when you throw in a healthy dose of American ingenuity. They’ve been so fabulous in fact we had to write this post.

Read on for three unforgettable videos showcasing elevators made specifically for wheelchair-users. Read this entry