by Tiff -

Podcast #99: Jessie Hammond – Fashionista, Author and Depression Blogger

Born with cerebral palsy, but born with the ability to use crutches along with being a wheelchair-user, Jessie talks about existing in both the able-bodied and disabled worlds, and adjusting to her disability as an adult.

They also talk about her first book about to come out, Finding Nikki, an adult fiction novel about a woman bouncing back from a bad relationship.  Jessie also shares why she stated her depression blog, and when she finally told family she was depressed.

They also talk about Jessie’s obsession with fashion, staying classy, and her dream to start an adapted shoe business.  This awesome lady has figured out how to walk in high heels while using crutches. Now that’s talent. You go girl.

No Free Rides is sponsored by Easystand.com

Show runs time is 110 minutes.  Listen via the player below.

Show Links

– Jessie’s blog: Handi-Capable

– Jessie Hamond on Facebook

[powerpess]

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Santina Muha

Every little girl dreams of growing up to be someone special, and for Santina Muha, she was no different. But when she became paralyzed at the age of 5 in a car accident, this New Jersey girl had to take on life as a wheelchair-user.
Santina Muha however hasn’t been phased by her wheelchair one bit. A writer, actress, comic, host, public speaker and diversity in media consultant, learn all about the fabulous Santina Muha below. Read this entry
by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Victoria Arlen

“Rock your disability,” a famous quote by Victoria Arlen pretty much sums up the personality of this hardcore adaptive athlete, who was paralyzed by transverse myelitis when she was 11.

She made a giant splash in the Paralympic world last year when she won four medals in swimming at the London games breaking all kinds of records, and she also does modeling and motivational speaking on the side.

While some unfortunate drama has put Victoria Arlen back in the news disputing the permanency of her paralysis, Victoria Arlen has no plans to abandon her love of athletics. Read on to learn more about this 19 year old beauty from Exeter, New Hampshire who’s forged an amazing life since becoming paralyzed. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Samanta Bullock

Brazil is home to some of the world’s most beautiful women, and you can count Samanta Bullock as one of them. Born Samanta Almeida 34 years ago, Samanta Bullock grew up modeling and playing tennis. Being taller than girls her age, she was invited to try all kinds of awesome things.

But her world of youth and perfection got an abrupt wake-up call when at the age of 14, she became a T12-L1 paraplegic in an accidental shooting. Determined to not let her injury cast a shadow on her hopes and dreams, and definitely not put a damper on her bubbly fun Brazilian personality, Samanta Bullock has gone on to prove everyone wrong, returning to both of her life passions, and smiling every minute of it. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Aging gracefully despite the “easy wheelchair life”

My friend Carrie, also a wheelchair-user, but not from a spinal cord injury (she has cerebral palsy: moderately so and can push herself in a manual chair), is a my only friend in a wheelchair who lives in my area. We met one another at David Bowie’s “Reality” tour in 2005, and she’s a woman with some mighty keen insight. 10 years older than me, she looks about 28 years old.

See, Carrie has this amusing theory that people who use wheelchairs from childhood on up, end up looking younger than their real age most of their lives – we live a “soft life” she theorizes, because well, for many of us we have no other choice.
Spending hours in the sun working for example, not many of us could do that even if we wanted. So we end up with the skin of an angel, and love it or hate it – getting carded into our 40’s…read this entry
by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Tamara Mena

Stunning right? Tamara Mena, a paraplegic from California, is one of the most positive women you’ll ever meet.

She’s an ambassador for Esko Bionics, the cutting-edge biotech company that creates exoskeletons for people with paralysis, as well as a model and motivational speaker. Read this entry

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Briana Walker

Model, hip-hop dancer, motivational speaker and author, Briana Walker is a bright and fun California girl who did something amazing – she got head deep in the world of modeling only a year after her injury.

When she was 23, her entire world changed after she fainted while behind the wheel (becoming a T11-12 paraplegic as a result), but within a year she had found her niche in disabled modeling, and made the cover of Mobility Management Magazine.

And Briana has gone on to much bigger modeling gigs since. Whether you know her from the Overstock.com commercials, seen her dance at the Abilities Expo or maybe she came to your school to speak, here’s the back story on Briana Walker, the fierce platinum blonde who’s trademark attitude – enduring till the end – has made her beloved by people all around the globe. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Stop hatin’ on Lady Gaga’s gold wheelchair

Love her or hate her, Lady Gaga never does anything subtly. After undergoing surgery on her hip last month (she has synovitis, an inflammation of the joints that causes pain, swelling and reduced range of motion; sounds like HO!), she was told she had to use a wheelchair until it heals, perhaps as long as 4 months.
So in true Gaga form, she went and commissioned the most pimped out wheelchair of all time from famed jewelry designer Ken Borochov (if only other pimped out wheelchairs got as much attention as this chair!). He made her a crown and a suit of armor previously (nice job Ken). Read this entry
by Tiff -

The top ten wheelchair jean designers of 2013

Out of everything I’ve tried to wear in my wheelchair, jeans have always been one of the most disappointing things I’ve put on. They just never look right. Bulky, awkward, unflattering – jeans rarely look good when you’re sitting.  No joke, I stopped wearing jeans altogether until skinny jeans and jeggings came out.

But there are dozens of companies making wheelchair jeans. It sounds kind of silly, “wheelchair jeans,” “Yes, I’m going to buy a pair of wheelchair jeans,” but jeans tailored for people sitting exists. Here are the 10 big wheelchair jeans brands to know. Read this entry