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Television schedule set for Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games

STAMFORD, Conn. — NBC Olympics and the United States Olympic Committee will present an unprecedented 52 hours of coverage of the upcoming Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games across NBC and NBCSN including 27 hours of live coverage, beginning with the Opening Ceremony on March 7 at 11 a.m. ET on NBCSN. TeamUSA.org will live stream all events from the Paralympic Winter Games. NBC Olympics’ coverage will include all five Paralympic winter sports – alpine skiing (which includes snowboarding), biathlon, cross-country skiing, wheelchair curling and sled hockey – spread across 11 days of coverage on NBC and NBCSN. NBCSN will provide 48 of 52 total hours of coverage, as well as live coverage nearly every day of the Paralympic Winter Games. NBC’s coverage is highlighted by the sled hockey gold medal game on March 15 at 1 p.m. ET. “We are looking forward to covering the Sochi Paralympic Winter Games and telling the amazing stories of these great athletes across multiple platforms

Thousands with disabilities experience their possibilities at Abilities Expo.

Abilities Expo in Los Angeles Feb. 28 – March 2 Admission is free! For more than three decades, Abilities Expo has succeeded in improving the lives of Americans with disabilities, their families, caregivers and healthcare professionals. This unique forum features three days of cutting-edge products and services, compelling workshops, fun-for-the-whole-family

Tongue piercing lets paralyzed control wheelchairs

NEW YORK — From fashion statement to … wheelchair controller? In an advance that promises to improve the lives of the more than 250,000 people in the United States who are paralyzed from the neck down, researchers announced on Wednesday that they have developed a wireless device that operates specially

Obama to include disabled workers in minimum wage order

WASHINGTON — President Obama’s executive order to raise the minimum wage for workers under future federal contracts includes a key provision to address concerns raised by advocates for disabled workers, according to the White House. The president, who is set to sign the order at a ceremony in the White

‘NCIS’ EP ‘proud’ of Delilah storyline: She’ll ‘rise up after what she’s been through’

At the 2014 TCA press tour panel for CBS drama showrunners, “NCIS”executive producer Gary Glasbergaddressed the decision to have new character Delilah Fielding (Margo Harshman) be left paralyzed after a bomb explosion, which the EP says will provide rich material for the show and the character. “I’m actually really proud of that

7 Examples Of Discrimination Most People With Disabilities Experience Every Day

Discrimination in a fact of life for many groups of people, but to be honest, I never really gave much thought to discrimination growing up. It wasn’t until I became disabled when I was 14-years-old when I finally understood what discrimination meant. It meant not only being misunderstood, but being rudely

Top 23 Winter Survival Tips for People Living with Paralysis

We asked three wheelchair users familiar with cold climate conditions to provide some general safety tips for people living with paralysis this winter season. Candace Cable She is the Executive Director of Turning Point Tahoe, which creates outdoor recreation and environmental education for people with disabilities in the Truckee/Tahoe area.

Wheelblades: When You Need To Use Your Wheelchair In The Snow

Snow-covered, icy streets can get the best of even the heartiest Minnesotan. Almost all of us have stumbled or had a hard time trudging through fresh snowfall. But winter weather poses an especially difficult challenge for people who use wheelchairs. The snow makes it difficult to maneuver and steer, and

A new jersey: The gift all hockey players love

CANADA - If you want to make a hockey player happy just get him a new sweater of his favorite team. That’s what the Kawartha Blazers junior developmental sledge hockey team got with a surprise presentation on Monday (Dec. 23) and they couldn’t be happier. Sure, it’s the same team

Family of paraplegic teen seek help with transportation, therapy

FLORIDA – Aaron Willis gets around. You can find him rolling through the hallways of Booker T. Washington High School or along the sidewalks of Overtown. Sometimes his friends push him to Bayside or lift him onto a bus for a trip to the movies. Willis has re-learned to swim,

Clinton man among those honored for helping wounded vets

TENNESSEE – Josh Callihan of Maryville and Buzz Buffington of Clinton have been awarded regional honors by Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing for wounded and disabled veterans—Callihan as Tennessee Valley Region Participant of the Year and Buffington as Tennessee Valley Region Volunteer of the Year. Both men have been active

Wheelchairs on the move

NEW ZEALAND – Nothing could derail a wheelchair train of more than 100 people from trying to break a Guinness World Record. Drizzly weather didn’t stop Auckland’s disabled community descending on Wynyard Quarter to form what they hoped would be the world’s longest moving line of wheelchairs. Albany based disability

Darren Jernigan poses in wheelchair advertisement

TENNESEE – Celebrity endorsements are a dime a dozen at Nashville International Airport. Few, however, feature a state lawmaker and Metro councilman. State Rep. Darren Jernigan, who may be on the verge of gaining an opponent next November, is the star of an advertisement from wheelchair maker Permobil. The ad

How Congress broke faith with our troops

D.C. – Last week, Congressional leaders reached a compromise budget agreement that averts yet another disastrous fiscal fight. On its face, that’s a commendable achievement but not worthy of the political preening that took place after Congress simply did its job. That’s because there is a catch. While the budget

Limited mobility, but not limited in life

CANADA – On Thursday, it was Christmas come early for Jeff Scott as he took hold of the keys to a gleaming Dodge Grand Caravan. The vehicle was even draped in a big red bow. The 28-year-old Victoria man is getting back on the road, a new inflection point on

Bloomington woman refuses to let ALS define her

INDIANA — Vera Nicholson can no longer speak, gets her nourishment through a feeding tube, and stuffs a tissue in her cheek to control drooling. She can’t drive, and gets around with a walker. But while ALS has stripped her of many things, it has not corroded her spirit. And

Disability access needs improvement at Sochi Games Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2014/02/19/4833761/disability-access-needs-improvement.html#storylink=cpy

SOCHI, Russia — After $51 billion, it should be easy to get around at the Olympics — for everyone. Organizers have repeatedly touted accessibility for people with disabilities as one of the chief lasting benefits of hosting the Winter Games in Sochi. But with less than three weeks until the Paralympics, infrastructure around Olympic Park and its venues are not entirely barrier-free. Wheelchair access ramps at Laura Cross-country Ski & Biathlon Center aren’t easily visible, while stairs for walking access are steep and icy. Door frames raised from the floor are all over the venues, including doorways leading into lower seating areas and wheelchair seating at Bolshoy Ice Dome. Wheelchair lifts at some of the hotels being used for the games only work on one side of the stairs — and instructions are provided only in English. One trailer with two restrooms for people with disabilities outside the Iceberg Skating Palace doubles as a storage closet,

Olympic Gold Medalist Credits Brother With Cerebral Palsy

Skier Alex Bilodeau says it’s his brother with cerebral palsy who inspired him in his quest for Olympic glory. Bilodeau took the gold medal Monday for freestyle skiing moguls at the Sochi Games, repeating his victory four years ago at the Vancouver Olympics. The Canadian athlete promptly celebrated by embracing his

Fourteen facts: Sled hockey

The Paralympic Winter Games are March 7-16, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. With three medals up for grabs in one sled hockey competition, Team USA will send 17 athletes to compete. Get ready for Sochi with these 14 facts on sled hockey: Swedish from the start Modeled after ice hockey, ice

President of the IPC Praised Accessibility in Sochi for People with Impairments

In preparing for the 2014 Games, the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee gives particular importance to meeting the needs of people with disabilities. Even today, everything that is being created for the Olympics – transportation, roads, sports venues, and public infrastructure – is being constructed with consideration for the needs of

Ski for Light underway

LEAD — High winds created some slick slopes at Terry Peak Monday but that didn’t hinder people from strapping on their snow gear to kick off the 35th annual Black Hills Regional Ski for Light. Every year the event draws hundreds of visually and physically impaired winter sport participants from

Paralympian Alana Nichols on Conan

CONAN: My next guest is one of the top paralympians in the world, three-time gold medalist and won both gold medals in summer and winter. Here’s her gold medal in Vancouver in the alpine skiing downhill. she will be competing to the U.S. in Sochi, Russia. Please welcome the incredible

Wheelchair basketball competitor shows students how sport is played

GERMANTOWN HILLS — Savanna Klobnak pushed the basketball ahead, leaving behind any defenders before she dished the rock to an open teammate for an easy bucket. The 14-year-old, who uses a wheelchair because of spina bifida, is used to doing things differently than her classmates at Germantown Hills Middle School,

Paraplegic skier lands the first backflip on a sit ski

“We all struggle with our own disabilities, our own challenges, whether they be physical, emotional, or spiritual,” says paraplegic freeskier Josh Dueck. “This was a deeply personal quest. There was a ton of risk involved with the backflip in the sit ski. It had never been done. There was a

Australian men, women win 2013 Asia-Oceania Wheelchair Basketball Championships

BANKOK — The Australia men’s national wheelchair basketball team, known as the Rollers, and the Australia women’s national wheelchair basketball team, known as the Gliders, won gold medals on Friday, the final day of the Asia–Oceania Zone Wheelchair Basketball Championships in Bangkok, Thailand. The eight day championship was opened on

Facing down ALS, former hockey player McCusker can just laugh it off

CANADA – Don McCusker’s got a laugh and he knows how to use it. It’s not a giggle. It’s not a chortle. It’s not a roar that jiggles the belly and goes from there. It’s a laugh. It’s the right size for him. It’s sincere. It’s always in his holster,

RISE quad rugby team prevails again at Irving charity match benefiting Toys for Tots

TEXAS – RISE Adaptive Sports held its fourth annual Toys for Tots Exhibition Wheelchair Rugby Match at Georgia Farrow Recreation Center last Friday. Once again, the Cowboys beat the Harlequins. The Cowboys, a U.S. Quad Rugby Association team sponsored by RISE, expertly navigated the court. The Harlequins clearly weren’t accustomed

McCartney’s ex accused of abusing Paralympic official

U.K. – The former wife of Beatles star Paul McCartney was accused today of lunging at a Paralympic official in a fit of rage and screaming insults after being forced to abandon her attempt to qualify for the British skiing team for next year’s games. Heather Mills’ hopes of competing

Athletes compete in international wheelchair curling competition

MICHIGAN – Athletes from five different countries were in town Friday for the eighth annual U.S. Open and International Wheelchair Curling Competition. Athletes from 12 teams, including five paralympic teams played against each other Friday at the Utica Curling Club in Whitestown. The matches will continue all weekend. The event

A sporting chance

ILLINOIS – The idea of a fielding a sled hockey team for interested members of the Lake Forest-based Great Lakes Adaptive Sports Association didn’t just come out of nowhere. Basically, it grew out of a conversation between two little girls who were in elementary school together in Lake Forest back

McFadden Wins Marathon Grand Slam In NYC, Aims At Sochi

NEW YORK – No push-rim wheelchair racer had ever won four major marathons in a calendar year. Until Sunday. And it wasn’t even a contest. At the New York City marathon this morning, Tatyana McFadden led from start to finish to slay one of the toughest fields of women’s wheelers

Team USA Downs Canada, 4-1

NORTH DAKOTA – After falling behind 1-0 in the first period, the U.S. Women’s National Team would tally four unanswered goals to defeat Canada, 4-1, at the Ralph Engelstad Arena here tonight. Monique Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) and Jocelyne Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) returned to their hometown and notched two

Ruling the Road

It has been said that long drives are a good way to meditate, but one recent drive on a rural highway reminded me of the risks of being on the highways and byways in anything but a car or truck. In less than an hour I viewed several types of wildlife, but most were without life. Driving the back roads of America, and even the superhighways, will introduce you to an amazing variety of animals whose lives have ended on the shoulders of those roadways. We know those animals as “road kill,” but before their deaths they were everything from field mice and snakes to deer and coyotes. Nighttime driving takes a toll on slow-moving skunks, armadillos, raccoons and opossums, as well as owls that swoop down to pluck some unlucky rodent illuminated by our headlights–often becoming another unfortunate victim of their choice of hunting grounds.

Dating, is it Harder for People with Physical Disabilities?

Dating for a person with a disability depends on the individual. I have known people that had a hard time and others who did not think they had any harder time than someone who didn’t have a disability. Self-confidence is a major factor in determining how they approach the dating

Super Wonder Cripster Woman

I am on the verge of making a very drastic and life-changing decision. Radical new chair? Cutting edge surgery? No … I am contemplating no longer reading the news! Lately, a spate of stories have appeared about these insane people making the life of disabled people even more difficult. No

Jewish Disabilities Awareness Month: A Primer

Jewish Disability Awareness Month (JDAM) is back for the sixth consecutive year. Jewish organizations around North America and Israel put inclusion of people with disabilities and those who love them on the proverbial “front burner” every February. When JDAM started here in Minneapolis in 2009, some people asked, “Why do we

10 Things The World Can Learn From People With Disabilities

No matter the type of person, there are lessons to be learned from them. People with disabilities are especially influential, as our hardships in life aren’t easily forgotten. We go through every day with determination and strength, which many people are bowled over by, with many secretly wondering if they

Doctor paralyzed still performs surgery thanks to stand-up wheelchair

A successful Missouri surgeon has beaten unbelievable odds by returning to the OR after suffering sudden paralysis from the waist down. Dr. Ted Rummel lost his ability to walk or stand when a blood-filled cyst on his spine burst in 2010. A year of intense rehabilitation later, he was back

Wounded Marine gets new home in Burrillville

RHODE ISLAND – Marine Corporal Kevin Dubois is finally home. He and his wife cut the ribbon on an early Christmas present Saturday, a brand new, fully paid for, handicap accessible home from Homes for Our Troops, an organization that builds adapted houses for wounded soldiers. “Thank you doesn’t even

Disability discrimination in Tennessee: How not to handle a potentially disabled employee

TENNESSEE – In a recent decision, a Tennessee court granted an employee’s motion for summary judgment, holding that the employer, as a matter of law, discriminated against him. The case highlights what not to do when you’re dealing with a potentially disabled employee. What happened Donald Lovell worked as an

Seniors, disabled get help feeding furry friends

CALIFORNIA – If Meals on Wheels didn’t deliver donated dog food, Sherry Scott of San Diego says her golden retriever Tootie would be eating the pasta, riblets and veggie wraps meant for her. But thanks to partnerships between the program for low-income seniors and pet groups across the country, fewer

‘Living wage’ effort eclipsed by minimum-pay battles

CALIFORNIA – The close of 2013 has been marked by a vigorous national debate over income inequality, the plight of low-wage workers in America and the effect of boosting mandatory minimum wages. Wheelchair attendant Erick Conley (left) assists an elderly passenger at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in SeaTac, Wash. The small

Iowa pot laws need legislative action

IOWA – The Iowans who told their medical marijuana stories to Quad-City Times readers in the Dec. 15 editions seem to come from a planet wholly unfamiliar to our region’s top drug officers. Times reporter Brian Wellner interviewed seven Iowans who were adamant that marijuana smoke, vapors, tincture and ointment

Wish Book: Loving couple needs oxygen, wheelchair access to increase ailing husband’s mobility

FLORIDA – Donald and Darlyn Reeves marriage has withstood many challenges in its 58 years, but their love for each other has never changed. “They’ve always been together,” said daughter, Linda Huffman, who – along with her husband Brian – lives with them. “If one doesn’t go, the other doesn’t

Wounded Marine gets new home in Burrillville

Wheely big bike ride… and with a wheelchair!

U.K. – The joy of cycling is now something that wheelchair users can experience as well. Streetbikes, the project in Kirklees to help people take up cycling, is to take delivery of two wheelchair bikes for the benefit of disabled people. The bicycles have their front wheels replaced with platforms

Medical marijuana supporters face tight deadline

FLORIDA — The Supreme Court isn’t the only challenge facing a petition drive to put a proposed medical marijuana constitutional amendment on Florida’s 2014 ballot. Organizers have until Feb. 1 to gather 683,189 voter signatures. As of Tuesday, 162,866 signatures had been certified. Still, John Morgan of the Morgan &

Paraplegic Calls 911 during Burglary in His Home, Helps Get Suspect Arrested

CALIFORNIA – A suspected burglar, accused of stealing from a residence while the paraplegic resident was at home alone, was behind bars Sunday.The alleged burglary was around 2:45 p.m. Saturday in Reseda, said Lt. Paul Weber of the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley Station. The precise location of the

Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) Wallet Card

The Reeve Foundation’s Paralysis Resource Center invites you to send a friend a copy of its new Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) wallet card. It is important to become knowledgeable about AD if you have a spinal cord injury at the T6 level or above. AD can cause a medical emergency and even be life threatening. Feel free to share the info here with your medical team as it was developed with the help of physicians at the Kennedy Krieger Institute. There are two versions; an adult card in dark blue and a pediatric card in light blue — please note the difference in the medication dosages.

HSE spent €7.5m providing injectable treatment for MS patients in 2013

U.K. – The HSE spent just less than €7.5 million providing injectable beta-interferon to patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) in the first ten months of this year. The information was revealed by Minister of State Alex White, in response to a question from independent TD Terence Flanagan who also

Will stem cell therapy help cure spinal cord injury?

U.K. – A systematic survey of the scientific literature shows that stem cell therapy can have a statistically significant impact on animal models of spinal cord injury, and points the way for future studies. Spinal cord injuries are mostly caused by trauma, often incurred in road traffic or sporting incidents,

LVHN is recognized for its treatment of Lou Gehrig’s disease

ILLINOIS – The ALS Association has recognized Lehigh Valley Health Network for its advances in the treatment of those living with Lou Gehrig’s disease. The distinction establishes the network’s Neuromuscular and ALS Center for Comprehensive Care as one of the facilities that meets national standards in the management of Amyotrophic

Quadriplegics At Risk For Serious Sleep Breathing Disorder

MICHIGAN – Article is published in the Journal of Applied Physiology There are over a million people with spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the United States alone with an estimated 11,000 new cases every year. Furthermore, it is estimated that there are, at least, 100,000 veterans with SCI, making the

Prosthetic bladder ‘could benefit those with spinal cord damage’

U.K. – British scientists have developed a new device, which may be able to restore bladder control to those who have suffered from severe nerve damage, according to a recent health study. Specifically targeting spinal injuries, the researchers used a rat subject to test their device. The new type of

7 Myths About Multiple Sclerosis

MS Myth or Fact? Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common neurological disease leading to disability in young adults. Chances are, you’ve at least heard of MS, and perhaps you’re even living with the disease yourself. Yet, despite its familiarity, MS is widely misunderstood. Have you fallen for any of

Does Spine Surgery Timing After Traumatic Injury Impact Outcomes?

VIRGINIA – There is no strong evidence to support spine surgery soon after a traumatic injury to prevent some of the secondary damage, mainly because the available study data cannot be easily compared, according to a study published in the Journal of Neurotrauma. The researchers performed a systematic review of

New technologies promise advancements in treatment for spinal-cord injuries

COLORADO – Rapid advances in technology are hastening the spread of new, motion-based treatments for people paralyzed by spinal-cord injuries, raising their hopes of moving in ways they never dreamed would be possible again. Locomotor patient Kyle Pearson, who broke his back and 10 ribs at Breckenridge on a ski

A Paralyzed Man’s Impossible Dream

ILLINOIS – In 2007, Mark Stephan was a successful businessman, an avid marathoner, and a two-time Iron Man triathlete when a bicycle accident left him a quadriplegic, unable to use his arms and legs. Doctors told him he would never walk or bike again. Stephan, however, had other ideas.

Therapy for spinal-cord injuries helping Coloradans regain mobility

COLORADO – It is Day 1,097 since James Nall’s right leg stopped listening to him. Nall sits on a couch just 10 feet from the stairway where he fell and broke his neck. Moving on from a devastating spinal-cord injury is even harder when, a dozen times a day, you

Toxin-Emitting Bacteria Being Evaluated as a Potential Multiple Sclerosis Trigger

NEW YORK — A research team from Weill Cornell Medical College and The Rockefeller University has identified a bacterium it believes may trigger multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic, debilitating disorder that damages myelin forming cells in the brain and spinal cord. Their study, published in PLoS ONE, is the first

Flu Shots and Multiple Sclerosis: Should You Vaccinate or Not?

D.C. – The influenza vaccine is recommended for MS patients, but only if they receive it in shot form and are not taking steroids. Flu season is upon us, and people with multiple sclerosis (MS) are once again debating whether or not to get vaccinated. According to the National Multiple

Local Washington State Resident Defies the Odds After a Spinal Cord Injury

CALIFORNIA – Joe Preti has dealt with many dangerous circumstances due to his tendency to sleep walk. Nearly three years ago Joe was sleepwalking through his Washington home when he took one fateful step that would change his life forever. This step resulted in a tumbled down a flight of

Use of Sugar Molecules Open Up New Avenues for Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis

JAPAN – disabling condition that is caused by degradation of myelin tissue that works as insulation for nerves helping them in generating impulses, multiple sclerosis is still poorly understood. Recent research by scientists has made an invention that could change the face of medical science in treating the dreaded disease.

Health Briefs: Technologies brighten prospects for wheelchair users

PENNSYLVANIA – New technologies offer the promise of empowerment for people with spinal cord injuries, but in a recent editorial in the Journal of Spinal Cord Medicine, University of Pittsburgh professor Rory Cooper says their effectiveness is diluted by insufficient training in their use, and by “misguided changes” in medical

US Airways fined $1.2M for inadequate wheelchair access

The Department of Transportation has fined U.S. Airways $1.2 million for not providing adequate wheelchair access for disabled passengers. The agency said the airline was in violation of the Air Carrier Access Act during two instances at Philadelphia International Airport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport in 2011 and 2012. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said the fine was one of the largest penalties in a disability case. “All air travelers deserve to be treated equally and with respect, and this includes persons in wheelchairs and other passengers with disabilities,” he said. “We will continue to make sure that airlines comply with our rules and treat their passengers fairly.” The department also announced a new rule to require easier stowage of wheelchairs in new planes. US Airways said it has made “significant improvements” since the complaints cited in the agreement, according to spokesman Todd Lehmacher. “We are investing $2 million per year in continuous enhancements to our

Michigan residents with disabilities hit hard by polar vortex

Michigan’s record snowfalls and cold are inconvenient for everyone, but they are especially difficult for people with disabilities. The snow and ice still on Michigan sidewalks can trap people with disabilities at home or even put them in danger. Just getting to work or to a doctor’s appointment can be daunting.

Medical marijuana users will pay their own way

CONNECTICUT – Connecticut, and its more than 1,300 approved patients, call it medicine. The federal government calls it a drug with a high potential for abuse. And health insurers — they don’t really call marijuana much of anything at all. “We do not know of any health plans that provide

Airlines mishandle wheelchairs, strand disabled

CALIFORNIA – Imagine the next time you take a flight, you are asked to turn over your electronic devices. That’s right, your laptop, tablet and smart phone. And when you arrive at your destination they are given back to you broken into pieces. You wouldn’t tolerate this, would you? This

GALLERY: Superman in wheelchair a star attraction

AUSTRALIA – Wheelchair aerialist Paul Nunnari goes to great lengths to break down barriers for people with disabilities. Yesterday, the former Paralympian and Australia’s Got Talent finalist wowed onlookers in Crown Street Mall with his strength as he climbed up nine metres of silks before spinning through the air in

Wheelchair athlete injured by fishing-line-across-path trap

U.K. – A DISABLED man was knocked from his wheelchair twice in a week by a deadly fishing-line trap set across the seafront promenade. The length of wire was strung up across the promenade, not far from Frinton Golf Club. It was tied between street furniture on either side of

AbleRoad app allows those with disabilities to rate travel businesses

INDIANA – Flying across the country is challenging for most anyone these days with paying extra for baggage, sitting in seats airlines admittedly have made smaller and dealing with delays that cause travelers to race through the terminal to catch a connecting flight. When Kevin Hughes flies, he has those

Harrison County Girl to Compete in Ms. Wheelchair USA

WEST VIRGINIA – Jordan Lowe, 20, is an Enterprise resident who lives with her grandparents and sister. In 2011 Lowe’s life was changed completely. “In April 2011, my boyfriend and I were coming back from dirt track racing, and it was about 1:30 a.m. and he fell asleep and then

Disabled People Strip Down to Combat Stereotypes About Sexuality

U.K. Can disability be sexy? Photographer Holly Norris and model jes sachse challenged common assumptions about disability and sexuality with their American Able project, and now, Enhance the UK is doing the same with Undressing Disability. Disabled models with a variety of impairments including cerebral palsy, rheumatoid arthritis and blindness

Freed wheelchair lawyer plans to sue

CHINA – A disabled rights lawyer whose imprisonment stirred international concern says she has been released after serving her 2- year sentence and pledges to sue the police as well as pursue redress. Ni Yulan, who is renowned for defending people evicted from their homes, was sentenced to two years

Disabled females twice as likely to experience violence, abuse

AUSTRALIA – SCOTT BEVAN: Women and girls with disabilities are twice as likely as those without disability to experience violence and abuse in their lives. And research shows that they will experience abuse for longer and that it will result in more severe injuries. Well, these alarming statistics are the

Social Security Overpayments Mean Trouble for Recipients

NEW YORK — The Social Security Administration is overpaying big sums of money to disability beneficiaries — and lawyers, consumer advocates and watchdogs say the agency’s own missteps are to blame.Long after notifying Social Security that they have either started working again or earn too much income to qualify for

Undressing Disability Calendar 2014: Celebrating Those ‘Ignored & Desexualised By Society’

U.K. – A calendar celebrating disabled bodies is available now. Undressing Disability aims to promote the bodies of people often ignored and desexualised by society. The campaign by Enhance the UK also focuses on raising standards in sexual health and sexual awareness for disabled people. It features a range of

London gay bar denies entry to man with MS because of his wheelchair

U.K. – A man with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) was denied entry into one of London’s gay bars because he is in a wheelchair last night. PinkNews reader Christopher Stapleton said he approached Compton’s bar on Old Compton Street in London’s Soho, on 25 September, and was unable to enter because

Wheelchair Accessible Taxi Service Launches In Huntsville

ALABAMA — Prior to this month there were no taxi services available for people in wheelchairs after 4:30 p.m., or on the weekends, but now there is help. Phoenix, A Plus Cab, the City of Huntsville and the Madison County Transportation Coalition launched the first accessible taxi operating in Huntsville/Madison

Coalition sues to free RTD wheelchair seating from strollers, carts

COLORADO – A disability-rights group is suing the Regional Transportation District in U.S. District Court, claiming the agency consistently fails to make sure people using wheelchairs have a place to ride on its buses. The suit, filed by the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, says that wheelchair passengers are often denied use

New Memoir: It Rained in the Desert

Jocelyn Dettloff remembers being calm after the fall. She lay in the sand of Dune 45 Sosoussvlei, one of Namibia, Africa’s biggest sand dunes and thought about where the closest hospital might be. She already knew she couldn’t feel her legs or anything else from the chest down. But otherwise, nothing seemed to be broken. Just before this reflective moment, she’d been sand boarding. It’s like sledding on sand instead of snow. “Growing up in Michigan I went snow sledding all the time, why would sand be any different?” she says. But, thingswere different that day. “I knew I was going too fast, but I couldn’t slow myself down. I saw a mound of dirt and thought it might stop me. It stopped my sled, but not me.” She flew off the sled, something she doesn’t remember, and injured her spinal cord. She had to wait for almost four hours for a rescue plane to take her to

Dreams Come True by Jennifer Lynn Adams

The cancer patient cured by broken radiotherapy machine and the paralysed man who walked after visiting Lourdes

Former Reporter With Lou Gehrig’s Disease Hopes Her Book Will Inspire

Living With Stroke: A Guide For Families

Wheelchair Basketball

Spinal Network: The Total Wheelchair Resource Book

I Have A Friend In A Wheelchair: A Guide to Understanding Feelings & Needs

My Perfect Son Has Cerebral Palsy

Still Me: Christopher Reeve’s Personal Saga

Enabling Romance: Love and Sex for those with disabilities

There To Here: A Journey Through Trauma To Life On The Other Side

The Wheelchair Evaluation: A Practical Guide by Mitch Batavia

Choosing a Wheelchair: A Guide for Optimal Independence by Gary Karp

Life on Wheels: For the Active Wheelchair User by Gary Karp

VIPs

What is 3E Love…?

3E Love, LLC. is a social entrepreneurial experiment to change the perception of disability. The company was started by siblings Annie & Stevie Hopkins in 2007 with the intent of promoting their unique symbol and social model of disability. The company’s trademarked International Symbol of Acceptance (wheelchair heart logo) is the drive behind it’s social mission to provide the tools for others to embrace diversity, educate society, and empower each other to love life. What was once just a small Chicago disability pride clothing brand is now an international movement of acceptance. People with disabilities are everywhere, and thousands of t-shirts and other items later, so is the 3E Love message. “3E Love is more than living disabled but is simply about living. Everyone has the freedom to live their life. We challenge you to do what you love, because you’ll meet some amazing people along the way, and that, our friends, is how you’ll

‘It’s not a beauty pageant; it’s about advocacy’

A combination of tears and smiles spread across the faces of contestants and audience members at Baton Rouge’s first Ms. Wheelchair Louisiana pageant on Sunday afternoon at the Baton Rouge Rehabilitation Hospital, which ended with the coronation of a 29-year-old college student. About seven years ago, Leah Hoffpauir lost much

New York Fashion Week Features First-Ever Model In Wheelchair

NEW YORK (WOMENSENEWS)–The fashion industry is coming under steady pressure to widen the spectrum of beauty ideals. Ad campaigns have called out unrealistic beauty standards, major department stores are adding plus-size mannequins and New York’s recent child model laws are designed to protect all models under the age of 18 from exploitation. But there’s still

He’d Take a Bullet for Her and at 1:50 You Won’t Doubt Him a Bit

This sister and brother duo have the most beautiful relationship in the world. When he says his life would be nothing without his little sister, you’ll be moved to tears.

Randy Snow: Paralympic Champion, Businessman, Author

At the peak of a blossoming tennis career while just a junior in high school, Randy Snow was injured in a farming accident, which left him without the use of his legs. Since then he has become a business owner and nationally recognized sales associate, a Fortune 500 speaker and

John Belluso, award winning playwright

John Belluso was born in Warwick, RI and died at the age of 36 in 2006 in Los Angeles. A wheelchair-user since the age of 13, Belluso’s work as a playwright focused on the experience of disability. He sought to understand this experience through humor and by placing disability within

Don Schoendorfer, founder of Free Wheelchair Mission

The sight of a crippled Moroccan woman crawling across a dirt road planted a seed that germinated in 1999 when Don Schoendorfer, founder of Free Wheelchair Mission, invested his education and professional expertise as a PhD Mechanical Engineer to create a simple, rugged, and inexpensive wheelchair that could be donated

Sam Schmidt, Race Car Driver, Foundation Head, Race Team Owner

Sam Schmidt is a former Indy Racing League driver and now owner of Sam Schmidt Motorsports. Born August 15, 1964 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Sam’s father was a drag racing competitor and the family spent much of their free time working on racecars and attending events. Sam quickly caught the bug

Stephen Hawking, “Most Brilliant Physicists Since Einstein”

Once asked how he felt about being labeled the world’s smartest person, he responded: “It is very embarrassing. It is rubbish, just media hype. They just want a hero, and I fill the role model of a disabled genius. At least I am disabled, but I am no genius.” Hawking

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Four Term President of the United States

Assuming the Presidency at the depth of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt helped the American people regain faith in themselves. He brought hope as he promised prompt, vigorous action, and asserted in his Inaugural Address, “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

John Hockenberry: Three-time Peabody Award winner, four-time Emmy award winner and Dateline NBC correspondent

Three-time Peabody Award winner, four-time Emmy award winner and Dateline NBC correspondent, John Hockenberry’s weekly public radio commentaries have been heard on The Infinite Mind since its first broadcast in March 1998. John, whose spinal cord was injured in a car accident when he was 19 paralyzing him from the