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Posted by
JLoWednesday, August 31, 2011
Back in April, I met Adrienne Lauer from Nova Southeastern University at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) conference in Philadelphia, PA. Adrienne was very kind when she approached the Reeve Foundation's Paralysis Resource Center booth.
She came up to say thank you for a recent Quality of Life Grant Nova had received to help SCI patients use iPads.
Here's an update about the grant:
The department, which is a part of NSU’s College of Allied Health and Nursing, is using a $13,000 grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to purchase 20 iPads to treat those individuals.
Because spinal cord injury victims have very limited mobility, using a desktop computer or laptop can be difficult for them. NSU researchers in occupational therapy believe that the iPad, with its lightweight, portability characteristics, as well as its touch screen, will help patients have greater access to the Internet, applications, social media outlets, music, games, GPS, and other functions.
Additionally, the iPad will make it much easier for them to read books and newspapers, which they would not have to pick up anymore.
Read the rest.
More about another grantee I met at AOTA.
Janelle
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Posted by
JLoFriday, August 19, 2011
The Reeve Foundation's NeuroRecovery Network is by far one of my personal favorite programs we have. It's exciting, unique, and gives individuals back their ability to walk and much more.
One of these individuals is Stanley Yoo. Yoo (pictured center) was spinal cord injured in November 2008 after he landed on his neck on a trampoline warming up for a gymnastics class. At that time, Yoo was a resident doctor in Temple University's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation program (PM&R) in Philadelphia, PA. As a doctor, he knew all too well what had happened.
Having spent four months in therapy, Yoo is more aware than ever that what would be seemingly small victories to everyone else, are immeasurable to the actual patient. "Function is determined by how much you put into it," says Yoo. "Going from doing flips in the air to pain in my back when I walk hardly makes you feel like yourself. It's about changing focus, reinventing yourself."
"Any victory, big or small, keeps alive that hope for SCI patients that there will one day be a cure," explains Yoo. "Every advance in pharmacology, mechanical technology, stem cell therapy, while they might not offer a complete cure, will undoubtedly have huge implications in the individual lives of spinal cord injured patients."
To really understand the life of a someone living with a spinal cord injury, Yoo says, "I would urge any non-spinal cord injured individual to take a minute to reflect on all the things that so many of us take for granted -- the ability to feel a loved one's touch, to have control over your own bowel and bladder, to move your body freely, to stand up and walk, to cough when you have to, or even simply to breath on your own. Then, imagine losing any one of those things and ask what you wouldn't do to get that back. SCI patients often have several of these deficits, sometimes all, and occasionally even more. So, while a complete cure might be a long time coming, simply improving some of the sequels of the disease is, and always will be, progress worth making."
Read about Yoo's NRN experience and his journey to walking again.
Janelle
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Posted by
JLoThursday, August 11, 2011
Our Quality of Life Grants Program awards everything from arts and dance programs to assistance dogs. Here is what Cal State San Bernardino is doing with their most recent Quality of Life Grant they received totaling, $9,900.
CSUSB will host its fifth annual DisAbility Sports Festival on Saturday, Oct. 1. The event is free and will feature 22 sports, with most events being coached by current and former medal-winning Paralympians and military veterans.
Participants of all abilities can participate in basketball (wheelchair and stand-up), tennis (wheelchair and stand-up), wall climbing (all abilities), swimming (all abilities), kayaking (all abilities), martial arts (all abilities), track and field, motor skills activities, wheelchair obstacle course, quad rugby, goal ball (blind sport for all to try), beep baseball, golf, soccer, wheelchair lacrosse, dance, cycling/hand cycling (organizers will have tandem, single and hand bikes for all abilities), archery and sit-volleyball.
“We greatly appreciate the support that the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has given us over the years,” said Aaron Moffett, professor of kinesiology at CSUSB and director of the festival. “Through their support, we have been able to purchase adapted equipment, which can be incredibly expensive, increase the number of participants to 700 athletes, and ensure that our program stays free for all participants.”
Read more.
Learn about the Quality of Life Grants Program.
Janelle
Join our community.
Posted by
JLoFriday, August 05, 2011