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United Spinal Association and wheelchair athletes the world over lost a close friend and tireless advocate last month.
by Rob Ingraham
Albert Youakim, a nationally known pioneer in the early development of wheelchair sports and a tireless advocate for people with disabilities, died Sunday, August 19, at the age of 82.
Youakim, an influential coach, mentor, and counselor, was a driving force behind the sports program at United Spinal Association and volunteered on behalf of people with disabilities for over 60 years. He was inducted into the National Wheelchair Basketball Hall of Fame and coached track and field at the first [...]
Fun and Adaptive Adventure
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN: Mind and Body
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: New Talents
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR: Vacating and Recreating
NEWSROOM: August 2007
Compiled by Peggy Hathaway
Class Act
SCHIP – State Children’s Health Insurance Program
Money to Cut Social Security Backlogs
RESEARCH FRONT: August 2007
Neuralstem’s Cells Restore Motor Function in Spinal Ischemia-Paralyzed Rat
Study Finds MRI Useful in Predicting SCI Recovery
Top Three High-Octane Adaptive Activities in Colorado
Planning a mile-high vacation? Here are three ways to have extreme fun in Colorado for the adventure-loving adaptive sportsperson.
By Andrea J. Kennedy
Saddle Up For Therapeutic Horseback Riding
Therapeutic riding offers many people with [...]
Throughout this issue you will find various activities to help keep body and mind healthy. We all need to discover activities we enjoy that promote physical and mental well being. Finding that hobby or activity that captures our enthusiasm and practicing it consistently can’t help but result in both. I’m fortunate that my interests run the gamut and afford me ample opportunity to focus my energy and decompress. I scubadive, play tennis, and handcycle. I paint and grow orchids; and I take the time to get just the right light for that perfect photograph. Many years ago I was an avid runner. [...]
As per bylaws approved by the membership and adopted in January of this year, we have expanded our board of directors to include members as well as nonmembers with an interest in our goals and mission. The objective is to bring varying perspectives to the board in the fields of advocacy, medicine, business and other areas.
I’m pleased to report the addition of the following board members effective July 2007.
I expect many of you will be on vacation this month (as will I), and will therefore be interested in the theme of many of the articles in this issue: Recreation.
Neuralstem’s Cells Restore Motor Function in Spinal Ischemia-Paralyzed Rat
Three rats paralyzed due to spinal ischemia returned to near normal ambulatory function six weeks after having received human spinal stem cells (hSSCs) developed by Neuralstem, Inc. (OTC BB:NRLS), researchers reported online in the journal, Neuroscience (www. neuroscience-ibro.com/). Three other rats, while not able to stand up two months after treatment, showed significant improvement in the mobility of all three lower extremity joints and increased muscle tone. In all the grafted animals, the majority of transplanted hSSCs cells survived and became mature neurons. The study was conducted at the University of California at San [...]
Planning a mile-high vacation? Here are three ways to have extreme fun in Colorado for the adventure-loving adaptive sportsperson.
By Andrea J. Kennedy
Downhill mountain bikers can test their skills on stairs at the top of the trail leading to the road down the mountain.
Colorado is one of the most adventurous destinations in the world. Lovers of the outdoors are attracted to the state’s endless mountain landscapes, bountiful rivers and lakes, and four seasons of fresh air, blue skies, and perfect weather. But perhaps contrary to popular belief, Colorado is also one of the most accessible states in the US. Small ski [...]
Therapeutic riding offers many people with spinal cord disorders a fun way to improve balance, mental outlook and overall health.
By Celina R. De León
Brenda Smith (in chair) gave up most sports when she began
raising her children, but recently she’s discovered a
passion for horseback riding.
Brenda Smith of central Florida said it was three years ago when she realized she needed a change-a recreational change. “Sitting in a wheelchair for 25 years resulted in my body feeling weak and hunched over,” said Smith. “Plus, traditional physical therapy is boring.”
Smith acquired her spinal cord injury (SCI) in 1981, when she was [...]
Tripping the light fantastic can be good for your health and for your social life.
By Kelly Rouba
Cleveland’s Dancing Wheels modern dance company. People of all abilities can use any or all parts of their bodies to move to the music. (Photo by Dale Dong, courtesy of Dancing Wheels)
As a young man living in New York City, George Gallego often enjoyed going out for a night on the town and hitting the dance floors of some of the hottest clubs around. But, after a tragic accident at work left him paralyzed from the waste down, Gallego quickly decided his clubbing [...]
A respected recreation association shows how you can start a program for your own local wheelchair sports heroes.
Members of the Grand Rapids Wheelchair Sports Association Sports Camp team, one of the group’s many events promoting adaptive activities for people with disabilities.
By Michael Lee
Luanne Westenbroek, a tennis enthusiast from Grand Rapids, Michigan, first learned about wheelchair tennis while on vacation in California in the 1970s. She knew a group of local wheelchair athletes whom she thought might be interested, so she recruited a tennis instructor to work with three wheelchair athletes and thus began the Grand Rapids Wheelchair Tennis Foundation in 1980.
From [...]
Whether you want to grow healthy vegetables, a beautiful bed of flowers, plants to attract butterflies, perennials, tropical or desert plants; a garden is a worthwhile endeavor and can reap great rewards.
By Linda Stango, AIA
A computer generated image of a raised garden bed demonstrates just how easy and accessible gardening can be for wheelchair users.
Gardening is a psychologically and emotionally therapeutic hobby, the benefits of which have been well documented. It is also a relaxing and productive exercise that is enjoyed by a growing number of people who use wheelchairs. All [...]
A report investigates how nearly half a million people with disabilities Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana were affected by Hurricane Katrina.
By Rob Ingraham
Two years after Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, communities are still rebuilding. Only time and the next Category 5 storm will tell if safeguards for people with disabilities are in place.
“Every person interviewed for this report lost their residence and household belongings, while over half lost items that significantly affected their independence for weeks or even months after the storm. These included such things as vehicles, durable medical equipment, or accessible housing. Many also lost the family or social [...]
By Kelly Rouba
“I love the massage therapy profession and I wanted to bring high quality massage education to a community that did not yet have a massage school,” says Ruth Marion, who founded Health Works Institute after moving to Montana in 2000. “I chose Bozeman because it is a small city with a good university, a wonderful natural foods co-op, and an active population of friendly people who love the outdoors and pursue diverse approaches to a healthy and vibrant lifestyle.”
Marion’s interest in massage therapy developed in the 1970s. Before founding Health Works Institute, she served as executive director of the Boulder [...]
By Leonard J. Selfon, JD, CAE
It is important to understand that applying for and establishing entitlement to VA benefits is often a complex and challenging task. A successful claim requires knowledge of the specific benefits that the VA offers to veterans with disabilities; an understanding of applicable laws, regulations, and VA policies; knowing what kind of evidence is necessary to support the claim; and how to obtain and submit such evidence. Even if the VA grants the claim, the veteran will need to know whether the VA has granted all the benefits that he or she is entitled to.
By Tamar Asedo Sherman
You never get a second chance to make a first impression, the old saying goes. That’s why you have to prepare for a job interview. Before you even open your mouth to say hello, the interviewer will size you up based on your appearance, so look your best.
By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD
Coming home from the hospital after a spinal cord injury is a traumatic experience. Chances are that the home you left prior to your injury won’t work for you in the short- or long-term because of your need for wheelchair access. Modifications and remodeling may be needed.
My homecoming in July 1998 posed plenty of problems since I live and work out of my two story home that has a full basement and no elevator. My husband, Mark, and I knew that quick fixes would be needed in order for me to get into my home.
Mark and I asked Jason, [...]
By Ed Lash
A sufficient amount of water is important for everyone, especially for people with multiple sclerosis (MS). According to an issue of the University of California at Berkely Wellness Letter, “Water is the basis of all body fluids, including digestive juices, blood, urine, lymph, and perspiration. All cell processes and all organ functions depend on it. It’s essential as a lubricant: as the basis of saliva, mucous secretions through-out the body, and the fluids that bathe the joints. Water is needed to keep food moving through the intestinal tract and to eliminate wastes; it helps prevent constipation. Water also helps regulate [...]
By Kathleen M. Muldoon
Yvette Silver www.yvettesilver.com
The summer between eighth and ninth grade, I had one thought in mind-I wanted to scale Mount Franklin. Wait, don’t run to your globe and try to locate it. Mount Franklin was the name of a fictional mountain, the symbol given to the teen summer reading program at my public library. Named for Benjamin Franklin, founder of the public library system, those who had registered for the program and who scaled Mount Franklin by reading 30 books would be awarded a T- shirt, a $50 savings bond, and a book of free pizza [...]
Vincent Laffaille
Vincent “Vixente” Laffaille, 29, of Agos-Vidalos in southwestern France, is president of his local Wheelchair Rugby Club. Action recently asked him about his life as a person with spinal cord injury in France. Here is his story:
I am paraplegic at T-7-8 from an accident. I did my rehab at the rehab center of Bagnères de Bigorre in France.
I first became interested in quad rugby in 2001. It wasn’t actually quad rugby but wheelchair rugby, which is similar to the rugby that is played in Europe, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.
Since my accident, which happened in 1998 when I [...]
By Mark Maghran and Steve DeMott
Bass Master Elite Series Comes to Buffalo
The Bass Master Elite Series came to Buffalo, New York, during the weekend of July 19, 2007. This is a National bass fishing tournament sponsored by various fishing tackle manufactures including Bass Pro shops with a $100,000 pay off to the winner. Local bass pros were on hand the last day to take anglers with disabilities, including members of United Spinal Association, out for their own tournament.
Western New York Adaptive Water Sports was instrumental in all the setup including contacting the guides; putting up a booth display, which featured United [...]
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