by Tiff -

Where’s the Power Wheelchair Art?

There is an amazing trend going on in the wheelchair world right now – the crocheted wheel covers being made by Dutch designer Simeli.nl. These are fantastic and beautiful in every way. They make me want to take my old manual chair out of storage, dust it off, and buy a pair. Sadly however, I’ve been a full-time power wheelchair-user for years and these lovely wheel covers won’t work on my spoke-less wheels.

Power wheelchairs get no love. The beautifying accessories available to our cross-section of the universe are far and few between. Do you know of any power wheelchair accessories that enhance their aesthetic appeal? Am I uninformed about some amazing powerchair pouff that exists unbeknownst to me? 😉 Please share in the comments below.

by Tiff -

Perfectly wheeled wedding in Palm Springs

janacory

 

I see a lot of awesome wheelchair wedding pics online all the time, in my line of work, from my thousands of wheeled friends n FB and on Pinterest, but recently a photoset of a wedding/reception really impressed me. Jana and Cory (married for nearly 2 years now) got married at the fab retro hotel, the Ace Hotel, in the just a fabulously retro location Palm Springs, Cali. If you plan on getting married this year and are a bride using a powerchair, Jana and Cory’s photos by the talented David Richards Photography is something to behold. Check them out

Ps. I absolutely love her dress choice. Strapless in a wheelchair can look so good. And even better news, the happy couple is loving married life.

by Tiff -

Fashion Student Heidi McKenzie Becomes Paraplegic, Returns to Industry

The latest wheelchair fashion designer to throw her hat into the ring, Heidi McKenzie is unlike any other wheelchair designer of there. A paraplegic since her early twenties, Heidi has owned being a woman with a spinal cord injury, competing in Ms. Wheelchair America and now her latest venture – becoming a business woman -since her injury.

But her latest venture, creating customized wheelchair clothing, is what has launched her into fame this past year. From appearing on local media to being profiled on some of the biggest websites online, Heidi’s grand “coming out” last year with her brand (which included a successful Kickstarter campaign) has been phenomenal. Read more

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Priscilla Hedlin

After our injuries we’re all worried about different things – going back to school, doing things you love again, providing for your family and for many women with spinal cord injuries – will I be able to have children? The answer is a resounding yes, as the renowned Wheelchair Mommy blogger exemplifies.

Priscilla Hedlin is one of the most well-known bloggers for mothers with spinal cord injuries. Priscilla began sharing her story shortly after it happened by starting a Geocities website. She’s officially been blogging on WP in 2008 and her blog covers every aspect of parenting with a spinal cord injury. The depth of information she covers is some of the best out there.

If you’re newly injured and worried about parenting, you can’t get better than The Wheelchair Mommy. Read her journey, from her injury to how she became a blogger, here.

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Anna Turney

Not just another Paralympic athlete, Anna Turney is a lifelong athlete who’s more self-aware than most.  Injured nearly 10 years ago in a snowboarding competition, she transformed herself into a top mono-skier representing Great Britain in two Paralympics. And that’s not all.

This year she transformed herself again, leaving her Paralympic career behind and focusing on the next chapter of her life – journalism and motivational speaking -something she never dreamed she’d be doing before she was hurt. This is why Anna is a superstar and more. Read on for her awesome story

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Monika Kuszyńska

A lead singer of a popular polish band in the early 2000′s who went on to forge her own successful solo career, Monika Kuszyńska is a woman with a spinal cord injury you may not know…but not for long.

The funny thing, she’s been living loudly in her native Poland but echoes of her awesomeness have yet to trickle to the States, which is why we’re excited to bring her story to our readers. Very rarely do you see a paralyzed woman rock out like she does and at her elite level.

A soulful artist poised to perform in one of the world’s biggest singing contests – Eurovision 2015 – this is the unforgettable Monika Kuszyńska. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Michael Graves

You may have heard of Michael Graves’ before, especially if you shop at Target for kitchen gadgets. A man who had been paralyzed for only 11 years but designed both memorable buildings and high-style health products (and teaching design at Princeton along the way), Michael’s goal in architecture was to always be about making functional things more beautiful. And boy did he succeed.

Michael is the mind behind hundreds of stunning buildings all around world, including Disney’s headquarters in Burbank, California. He was a powerhouse architect since the ’80s and continued designing until the day of his death. A few health setbacks never turned off Michael Graves’ desire to design, it only fueled his desire to design.

His disability inspired him to start thinking about redesigning everything in the healthcare world too, from patient rooms to wheelchairs, and he’s come up with some beautiful stuff. Read on for the backstory of one of America’s greatest architects, Michael Graves. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Carolyn Pioro

Fifteen years ago, Carolyn Pioro’s life forever changed. Carolyn was a circus performer for a Toronto-based company, Cirque Sublime, where she was a rope/bungee trapeze performer and trained with a group of three others on the flying trapeze. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Jan Scheuermann

A pioneer in the field of mind-controlled prosthetics, Jan Scheuermann, 55, is a quadriplegic on a mission to make the world a better place. She volunteered to be part of a groundbreaking research project to get people with paralysis to move prosthetic limbs using their minds, and she’s been making international news in the process.

Jan’s journey without question is one for the history books, and even though the research she’s taking part in is poised to help millions, it likely will never be able to directly improve her own life. And she’s totally ok with that.

Jan’s main hope is that the research leads to big time discoveries to truly help people with spinal cord injuries be more independent. Read on for her truly selfless and fascinating story. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Wendy Crawford

When you look at Wendy Crawford, what do you see? A woman in a wheelchair, or something more? A former fashion model turned founder and editor of MOBILEwomen.org, Wendy has been hugely determined to change the way the media sees women with disabilities since her injury.

Above all, Wendy has refused to accept the status quo and her story is something everyone with a spinal cord injury should know. Read on to see how Wendy Crawford has fashioned herself an incredible journey in spite of a spinal cord injury. Read this entry