Politics is one of the subjects best not discussed with people you don’t know well, the common notion goes. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been in situations where the wisdom behind that idea became very clear very quickly.
Nevertheless, politics is a major fact of life in a democracy. Without it, nothing would […]

By Peggy Hathaway and Andrew Morris
Showdown on SCHIP
Here, we take a look at how bills affecting you become law using the prism of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Restoration Act.
Another bill illustrates how unpredictable Congress can be and how quickly United Spinal Association and other advocates must act — the State […]

By Tom Scott

Cooling Therapy and a Buffalo Bill
In football, injuries are expected and Kevin Everett, 25, has had his share throughout his career. During his stint at the University of Miami, a shoulder injury required surgery and in 2005, a torn knee ligament during the fi rst day of the Buffalo Bills […]

One of United Spinal Association’s highest priorities this year, the ADA Restoration Act, illustrates the nuts and bolts of how a bill is enacted — and how important your voice is to the process.
By Peggy Hathaway
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 with overwhelming support from both parties and signed […]

Despite HAVA, controversy continues over secure and accessible systems.
By Rob Ingraham
Few national elections ignited more controversy and ill will than the 2000 presidential election and, to a large extent, the discord turned on the seemingly simple mechanics of casting a vote. Almost two million ballots were disqualifi ed because they registered multiple votes […]

By Leonard J. Selfon, J.D., CAE
The long anticipated report of the Veterans Disability Benefi ts Commission was recently released to Congress and the American people. The report is the culmination of a two-and-ahalf year comprehensive review of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) programs, processes, regulations, and policies. In its 544-page report, the 13member commission, […]

The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have resulted in thousands of cases of serious multiple injuries to American service men and women. They will need a lot of help coming home.
By Tom Scott
At the recent North American Spinal Cord Injury Conference and Disability Exposition, which United Spinal Association sponsored in Orlando in August, […]

Readers responded to our request for information about living with this common secondary condition of spinal cord injury and disorders. Part two of a three part series on spasticity.

By Chris Pierson
In July, Action requested information from members about their experience with spasticity. This article summarizes the information we gleaned from about 15 respondents, representing […]

Women Without Limits, the Women’s Advisory Committee to United Spinal Association, constructed a questionnaire on the experience of women with SCI/D in accessing important healthcare and wellness resources. The survey was made available nationally to women members of United Spinal (USM) in the spring of 2006. In the fall of 2006 the survey was opened […]

By Linda Stango, AIA

The kitchen is one of the most interactive rooms in the house and is often the gathering place for family and friends. Planning is essential since this room cannot be “rearranged” as other spaces can. If you are considering remodeling or building new kitchen; a good place to start is […]

By Rosemarie Rossetti, PhD

In July 1998, when I first came home from the hospital after my spinal cord injury, I realized that my wheelchair would never fi t into our bathroom’s 3’ x 5’ toiletting area; with the door attached, the door clearance was only 26 inches. I looked at the glass-enclosed shower and […]

By Tamar Asedo Sherman
Despite the prohibition of discrimination against qualified people with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, fi ring, advancement, compensation, and job training under ADA’s Title I, many of us have experienced subtle or overt discrimination. If you have been subject to discrimination in employment because of your disability (or for any […]

By Ed Lash
When I became interested in learning more about aging and multiple sclerosis (MS), I wrote to the Information Resource Center of the National MS Society for information and received the following reply, “In general, MS tends to stabilize with age. It has been referred to as ‘burnout’.” A short article sent […]

By Kathleen M. Muldoon

Yvette Silver www.yvettesilver.com

Every November I think back to one of my favorite high school events, the Sadie Hawkins dance. The difference between it and the other dances was that girls invited guys to be their dates. Now, this might not sound like a big deal today, but back in the “Dark […]

By Tom Scott

PepsiCo Hosts “Sports Spectacular” for Youth With Disabilities
PepsiCo’s campus in Purchase, New York was the most recent site of United Spinal Association’s “Kids Sports Spectacular”––a fun-filled and exciting event for children with varying disabilities that teaches the importance of self-esteem, teamwork, and friendship through participation in wheelchair sports including basketball, […]

By Amy Meisner Threet

When she was 9 months old, just starting to walk, and living in Caracas, Venezuela, Marla De Fex developed a fever that an American doctor informed her parents was poliomyelitis. At the age of one her father took her to Rusk Institute in New York City. Her father continued to take […]