Bob Mikesic recognizes the importance of physical activity. His home has an area that houses fitness equipment, including stretch cables, dumbbells, and a lat pull machine that facilitates stretching and strengthening. He wheels for... read more
Brenda Hansen was an active woman in her thirties when a traumatic event changed how she does things but strengthened her determination to keep doing them. In August 2005, Brenda was practicing jumps for a horse show when her horse... read more
Christine Burke is an 18 year old woman with spina bifida (L 3-4 level) who is so totally into wheelchair sports that her email address is “gimpsportsgirl”!
Since age 10, she has been involved in sports, including... read more
As a child, Heather Grace’s school physical education program focused on individual physical therapy rather than group fitness activities. Born with spina bifida, she sometimes used a walker and other times used a wheelchair. In her... read more
After sustaining a C-6 spinal cord injury (SCI) from a fall while working in construction, Henry Ciesynski threw a paraplegic peer counselor out of his hospital room, feeling that the man with a less severe injury would not... read more
As a young non-disabled adult, Karen Beattie remembers visiting the gym daily. But after incurring a spinal cord injury at age 27 and becoming a C6-7 quadriplegic, she also recalls the frustration of lying in bed for a long time—404... read more
Kerri Morgan dove into wheelchair sports five years ago and hasn’t stopped moving since then! Now 32, she contracted a virus at age 1 that resulted in transverse spinal myelitis—which she describes as similar to being an incomplete... read more
Pam Dickens, born with spina bifida, was very active using crutches for most of her life. But three years ago, she underwent surgery which resulted in a spinal cord injury—and the need to use a wheelchair.
This resulted, Pam says... read more
Paul Choquette says that while the activities he chooses have changed over the years, he still considers physical activity to be essential to good physical and mental health.
Now 43, Paul sustained a T-12 level spinal cord... read more
Ramon Canellada’s initial reaction to his spinal cord damage was to lock himself in his home. Diagnosed with spinal cord tumors in his early 20’s, Ramon searched for a cure, trying “all kinds of concoctions, even voodoo magic.”... read more
Ray Petty’s involvement in wheelchair sports began in 1990. However, his connection with disability rights and accessible communities began long before that. Ray regards the opportunity to engage in accessible... read more
Walter Goncalves was active before sustaining a T-10 spinal cord injury six years ago. Now 28, he is determined, post-injury, to stay active for several reasons-- to control his weight, to build stamina, and to keep his shoulders healthy—all... read more