From school project to the Paralympics

A sit-ski that started as an extracurricular project for some University of Calgary students will be on display at the Paralympics in Whistler, B.C., this week and may soon make skiing more accessible for disabled people.

The germ of the idea for this innovative new sit-ski came from a lift line conversation in 2006, remembers James Chew. Then an industrial design student working on his master’s degree at the University of Calgary, Chew was introduced to some members of the Calgary chapter of the Canadian Association for Disabled Skiing that his friend Derek Gratz had met in a lift line at Canada Olympic Park. Continue Reading »

A recent paper in the journal Nature Medicine sheds some important new light on the underlying mechanisms of spasticity that often develops after a spinal cord injury. Involuntary contractions of muscles, or spasticity, can have potentially serious consequences, and although medications are available that reduce spasticity, they can also interfere with positive motor functions or rehabilitation.

Although spasticity represents an involuntary movement of muscle, the muscular activity originates with excited neurons telling the muscles to constantly move and contract (hyperexcitability). Continue Reading »

HOUSTON — He lost the use of his limbs but found a love for art — now a local artist is on a mission to help others with spinal cord injuries. Continue Reading »

Power Soccer is the first competitive team sport designed and developed specifically for power wheelchair users. Continue Reading »

Over the last couple of days, the Reeve Foundation has focused on supporting relief efforts that are directed at the people of Haiti with existing and newly acquired disabilities. Portlight Strategies and UCP Wheels For Humanity are a perfect match for our mission and are mobilizing rapidly.

Both of these organizations are known to the Reeve Foundation from previous Quality of Life Grants and are already in motion shipping medical supplies and wheelchairs to Haiti. Continue Reading »

Wheelchair Users Say Paraplegic Action Movie Character Inaccurate, but Uplifting

Like others who flocked to see the blockbuster movie “Avatar,” 26-year-old Santina Muha was thrilled by the visuals.

But unlike the majority of people in the theatre, she wasn’t just imagining life on the distant moon Pandora. She was vicariously living the fantasy of regaining the use of her legs.

“The scene where the character goes from his wheelchair into his ‘avatar,’ where he’s walking and playing basketball, it was really touching,” said Muha, who had a spinal cord injury in a car accident at age 5. Continue Reading »

By Judith Shatto

I know personally the danger of drunk driving; the pain, heartbreak, consequences, and rage it can cause. My son and I live it every day. He is a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the chest down because of a drunk driver.

Having the opportunity to write my experience has been somewhat overwhelming to say the least. The opportunity I am calling my purge. To release the negative emotions I have held on to; to let others know that no matter how difficult life gets, if you look over your shoulder, there is often times someone with greater pain. Seems trivial but the saying – if life gives you lemons, make lemonade is true. Some of us just take longer to start squeezing them!

The first year of my son’s injury I fell into a deep hole of depression. I was so angry. Actually, anger isn’t the right word. I was living in rage. I was angry at the world, at God, and especially the drunk and our court system. I was overwhelmed with the fear of not understanding or knowing anything about spinal cord injuries. Overwhelmed and stuck in that place many of us know…the whys. Deep down I had enough faith that I knew we would get through this. I just didn’t know how long it would take. And the hole I found myself in was so deep; forget the rope, I was hanging on by a thread. Continue Reading »

Local clinic helping woman get stem cell treatment in Russia

Brittney Ham has a supportive family, determination and hope, a combination that keeps the thought of walking again active in her mind.

But money stands in her way.

“If I had the money I would be walking,” Ham said. Continue Reading »

Aspiring model Vladislava Kravchenko has a very good chance of recovery form her paralysis, according to doctors in Moscow, where she has now begun stem cell treatment.

“It’s great, I’m really happy. They’re helping a lot of people here. I am filled with hope,” Ms Kravchenko said. Continue Reading »

Christina Symanski is a painter. She has an exhibit going on right now at Kean University in New Jersey.

I’m happy to report that my recent exhibit opening was a big success. This particular exhibit is my third art exhibit and second solo show. The exhibit is at Kean University, in their Student Art Gallery. The gallery is located in Vaughn-Eames, which is the art building. Vaughn-Eames has two art galleries on the first floor, as well as a small theater. The opening reception was held in the Vaughn-Eames building lobby, from two to five p.m., Sunday, September 13, 2009. The exhibit will be available for viewing until October, 2, 2009. If you have friends or family that live in the area, please tell about the show. Continue Reading »