by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Kenny Herriot

Kenny Herriot is much more than a wheelchair athlete, he could give the Most Interesting Man in the World a run for his money. He’s not only one of the best wheelchair racers in the world, he also flies planes, boxes, teaches fitness, climbs mountains, shoots rifles, skydives and on top of it all, he’s an inspirational speaker.

A man who shows how to reclaim your life better than anyone, but just a bit differently, read on to learn about one of the greatest wheelchair athletes to come out of Great Britain, Kenny Herriot. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Find Your Inner Geek: Wheelchair-Users Doing Cosplay

Wheelchair-users love to dress up. Many of us love Halloween or any excuse to don the visage of someone else and get out of our element, even for a few hours.  There’s just nothing like it. And one of the best ways to really get out of your element when it’s not Halloween is by going to a comic convention.

That’s right – those geeky conventions you seen on TV. Do you dare to be this geeky?  If you’ve stopped caring what people think long ago and the notion of emulating your favorite movie or comic character sounds appealing, then read on for three sweet videos showing how wheelchair-users can get their cosplay on just like everybody else. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Alana Nichols

If you don’t know who Alana Nichols is, you soon will. A Paralympic athlete and the first American woman to win Paralympic medals in both the Summer and Winter Paralympics, she’s ramping up to make a big powdery splash downhill skiing at the Sochi Winter Olympics this February.

Being an athlete on the court or the slopes is only half of what she does. Alana is also a motivational speaker and a two-time ESPY Award winner, speaking on the importance of adapted athletics across the country. A born and bred athlete, learn more about Alana Nichols, an amazing woman destined for even more Paralympic glory. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Video Shaming: Catching Handicapped Parking Offenders

We can complain about people parking in our accessible parking spaces all day long, but that only be so fulfilling. Sometimes…we need to do something more, something that will help us feel like we can change a bad situation. It’s frustrating just sitting there watching the chaos happen or simply leaving a note hoping it will make them think.

No, there’s something bigger we can do and that very thing is “video-shaming.” With nearly everyone with a camera on their cell phone nowadays, it’s the best solution to really get to the offender; making them squirm is sometimes the best option. Check out three examples of video-shaming accessible parking offenders below. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Monica Quimby

Monica Quimby may be one of the most interesting women with spinal cord injuries to come along in the last six years. A college biology professor and a Paralympic athlete in-training, yes Monica is a go-getter, and she does it all with great hair (how does she do that?).

Not surprisingly, Monica also possesses one of those no fear attitudes everybody loves. A couple of years ago she even bungee jumped in her wheelchair and just recently she packed up and moved from Maine to somewhere much warmer; something that is never easy to do in a chair.

A woman armed to the hilt in courage, this is the awesome story of Monica Quimby. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Recovering From a Wheelchair Fall

There are times when we all need a helping hand, especially when we take a fall.  But what are we supposed to do when there’s no one around to help us? How do we get back in our wheelchairs then? It’s not easy for many of us. In fact, most of us can’t do it all. But for those that can, there are some tricks to be had….and learned.

If you’ve always wanted to know how to get back upright after a wheelchair fall or how to get back in your chair if you’ve fallen out of it completely, read on for three videos to get yourself educated on the finer points of restoring to wheelchair-center. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Dr. David Card

Next to walking again, the ultimate goal of everyone with paralysis is to make the world see us and not our wheelchairs. And Dr. David Card, a family practice doctor from Bellevue, Washington, has not only made this happen, he’s an absolute expert at it.

With his renowned bedside manner, intelligence and professional reputation far outweighing the fact that he’s paralyzed, read on to learn about one of the few paralyzed medical doctors in the world, Dr. David Card. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Halloween on Wheels

Halloween is upon us; one of my favorite times of year. And even if you don’t celebrate, you have to admit the holiday has some pretty cool elements – have a good time, be someone else for the day, scare a few people and eat candy. How awesome of a holiday is that?

And it seems everywhere I go, I always meet wheelchair-users who love Halloween.  Maybe it’s because it’s fun to be someone else because let’s face it, always being the “wheelchair person” gets old. Why not be a superhero or a rolling photo booth, instead of a medical contraption like it usually is?

If you love Halloween too, then you’ll love our four must-see Halloween videos below, showing everything from a wheelchair costumer’s point-of-view on being the “wheelchair version” of whatever character to a video of one of the best costumes I’ve seen yet for a wheelchair-user. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Rachelle Freidman Chapman

Chances are you’ve seen the “paralyzed bride” headline since her injury 3 years ago, but Rachelle Freidman Chapman is much more than just a paralyzed bride. Now happily married, Rachelle has forged a new life for herself since her accident at her bachelorette party.

A speaker, author, motivator and a leader, read on to see how this media darling has persevered, showing the world that wallowing in self-pity after a spinal cord injury isn’t a requirement. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Folks Open Up On Health & Nutrition

Food can be so amazing some days we can completely forget we also must consume it to stay healthy. However, when you have a spinal cord injury, remembering this is more important than ever.

Our bodies have a much harder time communicating with our bones, muscles and skin post-injury. Making sure you eat the right kinds of things each day is huge. It can take some work making yourself eat the right things though. Food can be such a comfort when you have a spinal cord injury; it’s one of the things that still feels/tastes the same.

However, if you feed your body exactly what it needs, you really will be amazed at how rarely you get secondary health conditions related to your SCI. Check out three videos from people with spinal cord injuries opening up about nutrition and how to do it right. Read this entry