Adaptive biker and disabled community advocate Annijke Wade talks neurogenic bladder management and inclusivity For Annijke Wade,* mountain biking is more than a hobby, it’s an obsession – and it’s what she loves most in the world. A year and a half ago, Annijke rode on her favorite trail in Angel Fire, New Mexico – […]
Many young adults who acquire their disability when still a minor struggle with finding their independence later in life. Oftentimes, this is a result of worrisome parents not willing to surrender their child to the outside world. This is the case of three protagonists in a new dramedy titled Come As You Are which premiered […]
Editor’s Note: Over three decades ago, Michigander Shelly Loose swerved in her car to avoid hitting a deer and broke her neck. After several months of rehabilitation in the hospital, she was released and returned home as a wheelchair user. In 2007, she discovered the Ms. Wheelchair America competition and went on to become the […]
Editor’s Note: While Pauline Victoria’s parents were preparing for their first child to arrive, prenatal visits showed no signs of abnormality. So when doctors discovered the infant had no arms and only one partially formed leg upon birth, it was a surprise to all. As was typically the case at the time, the hospital strongly […]
Editor’s Note: Texas native Sara Schaffer has been practicing physical therapy for over a quarter of a century and has worked in both the neurological and orthopedic fields. Also a long time yoga practitioner, she has trained under some of the best in the industry. When aerial yoga came onto her radar a few […]
As the Ms. Wheelchair California Leadership Institute, formerly known as the Ms. Wheelchair California Foundation, gears up for this year’s pageant, Wheel:Life got all the details from Dr. Alette Coble-Temple who, after winning both the California and America titles in 2015 and 2016 respectively, now serves as a co-state coordinator. Born with cerebral palsy, her […]
Editor’s Note: During a summer internship at the Center for Disability Rights, Stephanie Woodward attended her first protest to advocate against personal attendant budget cuts. When the chant leader’s voice started to tire, Stephanie instinctively and spontaneously took over for him. Recognizing her knack for advocacy, CDR offered her a part-time job, which she held […]
Editor’s Note: A botched hernia operation during infancy left James Norris with cerebral palsy. Though he was able to get around with a walker throughout the early years of his life, the time constraints of switching classes in high school coupled with teenage laziness made using a wheelchair a necessity. Fast forward to adulthood, Norris moved […]
Editor’s Note: When wheelchair user Tony Jackson’s original career plan didn’t work out, he went back to school to pursue broadcast journalism at Arizona State University. However, finding a job post-graduation, even after having gained valuable experience with the campus radio station, proved arduous. Joining a power soccer team a few years later would open […]
Editor’s Note: Born with spina bifida, Kim Brown has been a full-time wheelchair user since the 5th grade. After earning two master's degrees and a successful career teaching in Chicago Public Schools for nearly two decades, opportunity knocked in 2012 when she was named Ms. Wheelchair Illinois. During her reign, she was invited to speak […]
