by Tiff -

The only paraplegic pro-surfer in the world

At the beach or the skate park – this is where you would’ve found Christiaan Bailey (who’s on the cover of this month‘s Sports ‘n Spokes magazine), an always-on-the-go pro surfer before his injury.

What’s awesome about this SCI superstar is that this is where you can still find him.

A L3-L4 fracture while filming a skateboarding video in 2006 is how Christiaan became paralyzed, but he’s refused to let it stop him from doing what he loves. Within weeks, Christiaan was already sketching surf board designs for paraplegics from his hospital bed. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Back-to-school fierceness

It’s back to school time, people, and that means wheelchair-users everywhere are rolling into classrooms (and pushing desks out of their way).

Oh man, I remember my first day of college orientation as a quad. Talk about the Scariest. Day. Ever. But I soon found out, just like these wise people below, I was freaking out over nothing and realized after a few short months that college was going to be more than ok (and utterly awesome in fact).

The first video is of Carrie, a quadriplegic (injured in 2003). She shares what it was like to go back to college at Depaul university.

In her video (created by Facingdisability.com), she touches on how surprisingly easy it was to get her professors to accommodate her disability, and how great it felt to live on campus, in the city and far far away from her parents’ home. Read this entry

by Tiff -

A great SCI-worthy donation

And this is a big one, folks. September is – woo hoo! – Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month.

What does this whole “awareness month” message mean? Lots of things…talking about what is a spinal cord injury, sharing spinal cord injury prevention tips and bringing up important issues facing people with spinal cord injuries.

This is actually where my heart lies. No one can cure us, but we can be in control of our lives by improving day-to-day issues, like having people who understand and all the information you need so you can live an amazing, healthy and independent life. HUGE stuff. That is why I am a major fan of BACKBONES. They’re a great non-profit dedicated to improving all of this really important stuff.

And this month, they’re trying to raise $10,000 for their organization, all of which will go directly to fund their mission (you can read it in full here).

They are there to give free support people with SCI and their familes – they do one-on-one pair ups, fun events all around the country. Having a good time and positivity is what they’re all about (proof!).

What’s not to love about an organization that holds city-wide scavenger hunts IN wheelchairs (everybody has to try it too, even if they can walk) as a way to teach SCI education?

Click here to give & help BACKBONES reach their goal!

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 14 Review: Breaking Back In

In episode 14, the season comes to a close with the premiere of Auti’s new film (and she invites her long lost Dad). Angela finally lands her dream modeling gig, but brings new boyfriend as her caretaker for the 3 day shoot in NYC. Does it end up being a good idea?

SPOILERS AHEAD ***

The episode begins with Angela sitting at her kitchen table with her caretaker Judy, looking through headshots and putting together her modeling portfolio. She gets a phone call from her casting agent and is told she just landed a modeling deal with Nordstrom. Dude!

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 13 Review: In The Deep End

In episode 13, Mia swims her first meet (and it’s against all able-bodied swimmers), Auti and Eric finally get some deep conversations going on having kids and Tiphany rolls a 5k. And you gotta watch Tiph do her faux chair “run” in Angela’s kitchen.

And good news! Push Girls has been renewed for a second season! (look for it in 2013)

SPOILERS AHEAD ***

The episode begins by checking in with Mia at the pool, whose doing her last practice before her swim meet, and we get another melodramatic over dub of Mia’s story, and she talks about how hard it was to not be able to swim anymore (and now she’s worried about failing).

Her trainer Kevin, who trained several Paralympic athletes, has her doing different turns in the water. He tells the camera she needs to get over her emotional blocks if she wants to succeed.

After she gets out of the pool, she tells him how slow she feels when she’s swimming, which I’m sure is a big change from how it felt before. “I’m still so far from the level I used to be at,” she says. “The meet is only a few days away, but I really don’t feel ready.”

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Zack Weinstein

Are you a fan of Glee?  If so, you may already be familiar with Zack Weinstein.  He’s the only person with paralysis in real life to be on the hit TV show Glee yet, and he’s slowly been making a name for himself in Hollywood since.

Zack always knew he wanted to be an actor. We all know how a crazy accident can totally sent us off course, but Zach refused to let that happen.

Despite an injury that could’ve made him change his entire life, Zach couldn’t let his passion go.

Why he’s fearless

After only one year into his schooling at Skidmore college, studying theater arts, Zach found himself lying in a nearby river with a broken neck at the C4-6 level.  He broke his neck canoeing in Maine with some friends.

Despite taking a one year break from college to figure out how to live as a quadriplegic, Zach went right back into college afterwards, and refused to change his major.

Zach said that some of his professors tried to get him to change his major after his accident. Read this entry

by Tiff -

‘Iconic’ project needs disabled models

Have you ever wanted to try modeling and live in the UK (or can get there easily)?

There is an upcoming photography project looking for you, searching for disabled models (and absolutely no experience is necessary).

Elizabeth Waight, an able-bodied photographer in London, is the creative mind behind this exciting project which she has beautifully called ‘ICONIC?’ (the project has been copyrighted).

The purpose of the project: “To subvert the current obsession with physical perfection” by recreating iconic photographs (from the last 100 years), but using people with disabilities instead.

So far Elizabeth has already created a couple of images to get the public excited about her project.  My favorite is her recreation of the famous Steven Meisel black and white image of Madonna (where she’s lying on a white sheet, nude, smoking a cigarette).

She used Kelly Knox, a disabled model born with only one arm forearm, as the disabled representative of this image, and it turned out stunning. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 12 Review: Moving On

In episode 12, Mia and Tiphany go accessible apartment hunting so little miss Mia can get out of her grungy apartment and into a sexy “grown up” apartment she can be proud of. Not easy in LA, but is it anywhere really?

Watch the girls visit the Rose Bowl farmer’s market to find Mia some stylish new things for her place. Also, Chelsie’s back story with her dad gets spotlighted, with her beginning to feel some reluctance in doing her “don’t do what I did” speeches at high schools.

SPOILERS AHEAD ***

This episode begins with Mia in her apartment feeding her parakeet Chirpy.  We get the back story on Mia’s apartment. It’s “grungy;” has stained carpets from living there for five years and she can’t shut the bathroom door when she goes to the bathroom. “It doesn’t feel very inviting.  I don’t even like to be there,” she says.

Tiphany arrives to see Mia’s apartment for the first time.  You get to tour Mia’s apartment as Tiph rolls through, and if you ask me it’s really not that bad (except for the Persian rug over the carpet of course).

Mia tells the camera she’s not had people over because her place, “it’s not something I want to share with people.”

by Tiff -

SCI Superstar: Marilyn Hamilton

When you were injured, what kind of wheelchair did you get?  A lightweight manual or a powerchair?  Either way, it sure wasn’t a 60 pound steel wheelchair.

Times have changed a lot since ancient wheelchairs were made (praise God!), and we have Marilyn Hamilton thank for it, the co-founder of Quickie Wheelchairs.

A driven businesswoman, Marilyn, 63, is without question one of the most successful people with spinal cord injuries in the corporate world.  Her insatiable desire for success is what catapulted her to where she is today, and where she is, is pretty dang exciting. Read this entry

by Tiff -

Push Girls Episode 11 Review: Breaking the Ice

In episode 11, the girls get to do one of the best adrenaline rushes you can still get when paralyzed – downhill skiing. They head to Big Bear, Cali for the classic weekend ski getaway.

Tiphany and Chelsie have fun rating hot men during the road trip there, Chelsie can’t calm her nerves before she skis and Angela has so much fun she can’t stop smiling. Also, watch Mia prove paraplegics can conquer the top bunk!

SPOILERS AHEAD ***

The episode begins with a flurry of activity at Angela’s house – all four girls are there, plus Chelsie, to pack for their trip to Big Bear (Auti’s idea. She’s the only one in the group who has gone adapted skiing before).

Both Chelsie and Tiphany have gone skiing before their injuries, but Chelsea is definitely the most scared to go.  She tried snowboarding her first time a month before her injury, and talks about how she’s afraid it won’t be the same.

Angela thinks it’ll be scary. “Come on a quadriplegic skiing?” Mia says this is the first time she’s ever gone skiing, and I think she kind of likes it that way.  We get a cute shot of Angela and her 25 year old boyfriend (she’s 37), and calls herself a “cougar kitty.”

Their relationship is definitely getting stronger.  Cody says learning to be with Angela has been an amazing growth process. “I had to battle immaturity to be her boyfriend,” he says.