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Latest news and stories
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Lessons Learned from my Son’s Rare Disease Diagnosis
By Kala McWain I remember the day we brought our son, Braxton, home from the hospital so clearly. My husband and I were elated to introduce him to his big brother, Remington, and our family felt complete with two happy and healthy boys—until I received a troubling phone call from a nurse at the hospital.…
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Bling Your Wheelchair
By Stan Clark The best part about living in this time is that we’ve got a lot of celebrating to catch up on. The hard part, at least for me, is that I am out of practice when it comes to dressing up and going out. Whenever I look at my calendar, there’s always an…
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How Abilities Expo Opened Up a New Career for Chris Collin
When T-5 paraplegic Chris Collin rolls into the Dallas Abilities Expo in December, he’ll be rejoining a community of friends that he hasn’t seen since before COVID, and he couldn’t be happier to reconnect. A New England native currently residing in Hollis Center, Maine, Chris works for Motion Composites as a sales manager who educates wheelchair users, clinicians, and…
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Honoring the Life and Legacy of Disability Activist Judy Heumann
By Vanessa Harris, Abilities Expo Ambassador and Fun4TheDisabled On March 4th, 2023, Judy Heumann, widely regarded the mother of the disability rights movement in America, passed away. After contracting polio at age two, she was blocked from entering kindergarten as her wheelchair was seen as a “fire hazard,” and since then, she has dedicated her life…
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Tips and Tricks to Disability Travel
By Amanda Winstead Living with a disability certainly doesn’t make you immune to the travel bug and, when you get bit, you too can embark on globetrotting adventures! Of course, research and advance planning is key to ensure that your particular accessibility needs are met on your dream vacation. 1. Do Your Homework do your…
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Behind the Scenes of the Ms. Wheelchair America Competition
By Ali Ingersoll, Ms. Wheelchair America 2023 Competition is natural. We all want to be the best at what we do and be rewarded for our efforts. Regardless of what competition may be afoot in your life, we are taught at a young age in our society to work harder and strive to break so…
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My Life as an Autistic Solo Traveler
By Alex Stratikis, Autistic Adventures Abroad I was given my autism diagnosis at age 6, and naturally a lot has happened since then now that I have just turned 28. When I was growing up, we often went on family trips to either Greece, England or Spain, all places that we had close relatives living.…
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If You Want to Start Journaling About Your Health, Here’s a Good Place to Start
By The Mighty Staff This is not meant to be a negative statement, just a realistic one: In the course of any individual’s health story, there will be moments of perceived powerlessness. Those days when a treatment isn’t working as intended, chronic pain inches beyond an accepted tolerance threshold, a mental health morning that just…
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How Can Pets Help Autistic Children?
By Elizabeth Long Finding out that your child is autistic is a big moment in any family’s life. For some, there may be concerns around what this could mean for the future. There may also be a sense of relief that comes with a diagnosis, which can allow families to access the support they need.…
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Reeve Summit 2022 Keynote Leon Ford Finds Grace by Acknowledging Pain
By Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation On November 11, 2012, during a routine traffic stop Leon Ford an innocent Black man, was shot by the police leaving him paralyzed from the waist down. Every day is now a reminder of the day that the Pittsburgh police officer’s prejudices toward Ford, after mistaking him for a…
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Travel is Now More Accessible with the Winnebago Roam
By Michelle Colvard, Abilities Expo Ambassador Our family loves traveling—but travel always carries a few extra challenges due to my use of a wheelchair. For those of us who use wheelchairs, travel requires a lot of logistical coordination. Air travel can be difficult due to the inaccessibility of airplanes. When I fly, I must be…
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The Phoenix Pre-Show Party Begins at Ability360 with Hollister Incorporated
As the Abilities Expo rolls into Phoenix, we cordially invite you to a pre-show party featuring Community Advocates Gina Schuh and Madonna Long! Join your friends at Ability360 on Thursday, September 8th, for a community get-together as Gina shares her journey of discovering creative outlets during the pandemic. Her passion and talent have led her to excel…