Resources
As I previously said, this will be the page where I share with you the helpful information, guides, and knowledge that I’ve learned and collected over the past 18 years that I’ve been a quadriplegic. I will post and share something helpful, informative, engaging, and new at least once a month. I am doing this because I want to help others with disabilities. I know how hard and lonely life can become and what it means to be misunderstood, and I want to help others by sharing crucial information and resources that I wish someone would have shared with me over the past 18 years.
On this page:
Christopher Dana Reeve Foundation
Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center
United Spinal
United Spinal is a non-profit organization started in 1946 by WWII veterans and is dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with spinal cord injuries and other mobility impairments. They provide resources, support, education, mentoring, and peer support for individuals and their families impacted by paralysis, focusing on promoting independence, accessibility, and inclusion in all aspects of life. United Spinal empowers those with spinal cord injuries to live full, meaningful, and fulfilling lives as independently as they can through its many programs, resources, and initiatives. They also work to raise awareness, introduce important federal legislation like the ADA, help break down stereotypes, and advocate for the rights of individuals with disabilities, ensuring that they have access to necessary services like healthcare, transportation, education, and more. United Spinal is a valuable resource for those with mobility impairment. I can personally attest to that; since I discovered United Spjnal at the end of November 2021, they have helped me by providing me with many helpful resources, including directing me to relevant grant foundations, informing me of various government resources and benefits, and connecting me to other wheelchair users, and more. Their tech access group is a great dynamic group of assistive technology users and assistive technology professionals who exchange helpful tips and tricks, answer each other’s questions, and help guide each other with anything related to assistive technology.
But most important and impactful for me is their surveys and studies page because of their surveys and studies page, I discovered the Atalante X exoskeleton which is the world’s only self-stabilizing exoskeleton made by Wandercfraft, a French company that allows people with quadriplegia, paraplegia, and other mobility impairments to stand and walk again! I am so thankful to United Spinal for introducing me to Wandercraft, the greatest company ever, that is making the best thing ever created. The reason why I think that is because being upright and walking makes me feel like a complete human being, I know that I shouldn’t have such thoughts, and disabled people can lead full, fulfilling lives and be just as successful as abled bodied people, but it is very hard for to not think that because my family and community that live in have this misconception that disabled people are inferior and are to be pitied. Walking in Wandercraft’s Atalante X exoskeleton makes me feel like a complete human being, like I’m worth something, and empowers me and gives me the strength to wake up in the morning.
I will always be grateful to United Spinal for helping and supporting me, empowering me, and enriching my life in so many ways!
To learn more about United Spinal, here are some helpful resources to explore:
Christopher Dana Reeve Foundation
I would like to start this column by highlighting one organization that was the first kind of disability-related organization I’ve learned about. They have helped me a lot over the past 7 years I’ve known and interacted with them.
The Christopher Dana Reeve Foundation (CDRF) was founded by American actor Christopher Reeve in 1996 after being paralyzed from the neck down after falling off a horse in 1995. Their mission is to help find a cure for paralysis by advocating for innovative research and enhancing the quality of lives of individuals and their families impacted by paralysis.
They have helped and supported me by providing many helpful resources and guides that educate, explain, and inform me of the many helpful programs, benefits, and information about dealing with paralysis. Their dedicated information specialists have continuously helped me since I found out about CDRF from their booth at the New York Metro Abilities Expo on Sunday, May 7, 2017.
You can find out more by viewing the Christopher Dana Reeve Foundation website.
A direct link to all of their resources on living with paralysis can be found here.
Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center
As someone who has been living with quadriplegia and a speech disability for over 18 years, I always felt that I was navigating an unfamiliar terrain. For many, many years, I found myself alone in my journey trying to find answers to questions and better understand my my condition. Discovering the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) in late November 2021, was akin to finding water in a desert. Their comprehensive award-winning resources: factsheets, infographics, and videos provide me with invaluable support and knowledge, during challenging times.
Sharing my story as a TBI\SCI ambassador has unveiled and reinforced a powerful message: I am not alone in my journey. Connecting with others who have faced similar challenges as me has created a sense of solidarity and strength. It is my sincere hope that by sharing my experiences, I can inspire others to reach out and find0 their own resilience and support networks. Remember, you are not alone in this difficult chapter of your life. A large community of people like you are standing by and are waiting to offer you understanding, encouragement, and practical guidance.
I am incredibly grateful for the support and resources provided by MSKTC. Their dedication to improving the lives of individuals with spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and burn injury is truly remarkable.