Three amazing wheelchair comics

Three hysterical comedians with spinal cord injuries:

Chuck Bittner (pictured), a C5 quad from New Hampshire doing some stinging self-deprecating “wicked” humor and Damon Rozier, a para from NYC, doing a “wheelchair lap dance.”

Also watch legendary UK Cockney comic (wc-user from polio), who passed away this spring, Tony Gerrard. Read this entry

Meet zen-filled paraplegic Josh Dueck, landed the first back flip in a sit-ski

An aspiring Olympic skier from Canada injured in ’04 when he became a ski coach (to save up money to train himself), Josh has become one of the most amazing sit-skiiers in the world, landing the world’s first back flip in a sit-ski this past February (and getting on Ellen).

A yoga guru and one cool dude, he’s also been nominated for National Geographic’s 2012 Adventurer of the Year Award. Read this entry

SCI Superstar: Chanda Hinton Leichtle

After dropping to 58lbs because of chronic pain that came out of no where 12 years after her injury, Chanda Hinton Leichtle’s life was transformed by acupuncture, massage and chiropractic care (& yoga!).

Learn all about the biggest guru of alternative therapies for people with spinal cord injuries, and her foundation, The Chanda Plan Foundation. Read this entry

SCI Superstar: Chuck Close

Paralyzed in ’88 from a freak spinal artery collapse (leaving him a quad), Chuck Close does giant photorealism portraits and is considered one of America’s greatest contemporary artists.

From being a world-renowned artist since ’69 to rocking his guest visit on The Colbert Report in 2010, here’s everything you need to know about this brilliant man. Read this entry

Podcast 92: Damon Boiser – Mahalo is his middle name

In podcast 92, Tiffiny is joined by Damon Boiser, a lifelong resident of Hawaii, who was injured doing what he loves – surfing – 9 years ago.

They talk about Damon’s interesting (and sometimes tumultuous) journey to recovery on the Big Island (traveling there from Kauai).

And they discuss his discovery and love of three adrenaline-soaring sports that have helped fill the void that surfing left – skydiving, karate and Aikido.

He’s the first person to directly land in their wheelchair after a skydive in fact!

Paralysis & tattoos – why we do it

What’s more popular than iPhones, reality TV and fast food in this country? Strangely, tattoos.

Like it or revile it, everyone from old ladies to young kids to yes, people with paralysis, are getting inked (with mermaid tattoos a popular choice among paralyzed women).

Heck, my mom even has more tattoos me (believe me when I say this is very very weird). Read this entry

SCI Superstar: John Hockenberry

Current host of NPR’s, The Takeaway, John Hockenberry (paralyzed at the age of 19 while hitchhiking) has become an esteemed journalist despite going on year 36 of being paralyzed.

In the ’90s, he was on the ground in war zones like Iraq & Somalia covering news for ABC and NBC, and he had a MSNBC show, Hockenberry. Learn all about this brilliant man. Read this entry