Life Possible with a Disability

Mike Swinford has been Chief Executive Officer at Numotion since July 2014. Numotion is the leading provider of mobility solutions in the Complex Rehabilitative Technology (CRT) industry. Numotion has led the way in transforming the CRT industry through innovative customer solutions and advocacy at the State and Federal levels. Mike is also a Trustee with the Committee for Economic Development, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, business-led public policy organization that delivers well-researched analysis and reasoned solutions to our nation's most critical issues. Prior to Numotion, Mike served as the President and CEO of GE Healthcare Services, a $5B business unit of GE Healthcare. He joined Numotion after a highly successful 22-year career at GE Healthcare. He led the development of new growth platforms for the $5B global services enterprise that expanded service reach and capabilities. Mike was named an officer of the General Electric company in 2011. He held various operational and commercial roles throughout his career leading through various business cycles from start-ups to turnarounds. He is passionate about improving healthcare access and inclusion for people with disabilities and is very active with several advocacy initiatives and associations including ALSA and the MDA. Mike also created the Numotion Foundation dedicated to funding other 501(c)3 organizations that serve the disabled communities across the United States.In this episode, Mike tells us about what Numotion does both internally and externally to promote diversity and inclusion.Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

In episode 49 of the Life Possible with a Disability Podcast, I interviewed the Executive Director of the Numotion Foundation, Justin Richardson. Justin oversees day-to-day operations, fundraising, and grant distributions for the Numotion Foundation. He is responsible for developing and maintaining national and local partnerships and donor and Numotion employee engagement with the Foundation.Due to a spinal cord injury sustained in a 2003 diving accident, Justin has been a manual wheelchair user for twenty years. As a sixteen-year veteran of the seating and mobility industry, he has deep perspective and experience as a former Numotion operations manager and communications, customer experience, and advocacy leader. Before joining Numotion in 2012, Justin worked as an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP)/Regional Manager in North Carolina and as a regional leader in the aquatics industry.The mission of the Numotion Foundation is to support people and causes that work towards enhancing the lives of people with disabilities in communities of common interest. The Numotion Foundation's vision is to Engage employees and supporters to donate funds and provide a centralized, coordinated, and compliant gateway for distributions on behalf of Numotion to advocacy groups, policy influencers, and charitable programsNumotion contributes to the Foundation with a portion of the proceeds from each new wheelchair sold. Additionally, the Numotion Foundation is dedicated to engaging employees and supporters to donate funds and provide a centralized, coordinated, and compliant structure for distributions on behalf of Numotion to relevant charitable organizations and programs.If you would like to donate or have a disability-related non-profit and want to apply for a grant, go to www.NumotionFoundation.org. Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

My guest for Episode 48 is Pooja Viswanathan who was named one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Women and BMO Entrepreneurs for 2021. Pooja is the founder and CEO of Braze Mobility and is backed by Founder Institute, Techstars, Google for Startups, and AARP Innovation Labs.Braze Mobility is a company that manufactures sensors for mobility devices. It's not cameras. Our technology is blind spot sensors, obstacle detection systems, proximity sensors, proximity alarms, and alerts.The Braze Mobility system does NOT detect drop-offs, soft material, or objects out of view of the sensors. Legally blind customers often use our sensors in conjunction with a white cane to navigate outdoors.Braze devices support your right to drive your wheelchair by enhancing your spatial awareness while leaving you fully in control. I hope you learn something new that will help a fellow wheelchair user.Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

Renee Tyree is a pharmacist, a Paralympic gold, silver, and bronze medalist living in Phoenix Arizona. Renee has been a wheelchair user for 40 years and in the last few years has gotten her first service dog, Ki Ki. In this episode Renee talks about why she decided it was time for a service dog and the reservations she initially had about needing assistance. After researching organizations that train service dogs and match them with people, Renee chose the non-profit organization, Canine Companions. If you want to learn more about Canine Companions go to their website, canine.org. Follow Kiki and Renee's adventures on Instagram @MissKikiSmiles I hope you enjoy this episode!Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

RJ Adler is the Director of Growth for Wheelpad. WheelPad is a company centered around those who desire choices when faced with injury, disability, or chronic health complications. They believe you should have the choice to remain at home to heal and live. They are proud to offer tiny home style accommodations with true universal accessibility, ready to adapt to your home and property, and to any lifestyle change.RJ has spent an exciting marketing career that spans fundraising at The Keewaydin Foundation, his boyhood summer camp, and Community Organizing at SunCommon, a solar energy company. A keen interest in accessible housing has driven him to WheelPad where he aims to help more people live independently. RJ lives in Berlin, VT, where he enjoys going outside, dancing, and playing music.For more information go to https://www.wheelpad.com/Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

Abi Winchester is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in Dallas, TX. She will graduate in April of 2023. In the final semesters of her occupational therapy degree. She has been working to complete her Capstone project which focuses on client advocacy during the process of getting new equipment in order to reduce the instance of equipment abandonment. Please reach out to me via email at karenfroy333@gmail.com if you want copies of the resources Abi created for clinicians to avoid custom wheelchair abandonment.In this podcast Abi interviews me about my wheelchairs in the past. What I liked and did not like about my custom wheelchairs.Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

Jen Lyman's passion lies in ensuring that individuals with complex cerebral palsy have the opportunities to actively participate in meaningful experiences that promote self-expression, optimal health, lead to lasting friendships, and that are challenging, fun, inclusive and demonstrate to others that those with disabilities should not be excluded. She is the parent of teenager, Bower, who has complex, quadriplegic cerebral palsy, including visual and communication impairments. He is a healthy, happy New Orleanean who loves festivals, working out, eating sushi, swimming, school, and so much more.Prior to the birth of her son, Jen's academic training and career path were focused on breaking down barriers to participation for those with disabilities. With a career background both in therapeutic recreation and in case management serving children and adults with developmental and psychiatric disabilities, she has worked in a variety of inpatient, outpatient and community settings, coordinating care and promoting social, recreational and leisure activity participation.Jen serves as volunteer coordinator of the Cerebral Palsy Collaborative, to advocate for cerebral palsy research funding at national level. She the past Chair of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine Community Council and she serves on the board of Camp Dream Street. Jen holds an M.S. from University of Florida's College of Health and Human Performance in Therapeutic Recreation, has a certification in Conductive Education, and is a certified yoga instructor with a specialty in yoga for brain injury.  She lives in New Orleans with her husband, Chris, Bower and their golden retriever Everest.Her is the link to one of the CP Foundation's websites.https://www.yourcpf.org  Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

Ian Ruder is a writer, Editor in Chief, and people connector. He prides himself on bringing a well-rounded, people-first approach to his work. As the Editor of New Mobility, Ian ensures the voice of people with mobility-related disabilities is authentically represented in all their content. A wheelchair user, Ian is a passionate advocate for his community and derives great pleasure from meeting and working with his fellow wheelchair users. With over 13 years working for United Spinal Association, Ian has cultivated an extensive network of influencers, advocates, and outstanding, knowledgeable wheelchair users.Before his time with United Spinal, he worked as a freelance reporter in the Pacific Northwest, covering everything from rib eating to motor racing to local ballot initiatives. He has extensive experience writing on long forms and blogs. Ian has also worked as a copy editor and designer.Below is the link to New Mobility Magazine. If you join United Spinal Association you can get a free subscription to New Mobility.https://newmobility.com/ Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

Dr. Mitchell Tepper, author of Regain that Feeling: Secrets to Sexual Self-Discovery, brings a lifetime of first-hand experience with chronic conditions and disability to his work as a Sexuality Researcher, Educator, Counselor, Coach and self-proclaimed Prophet of Pleasure.  He has a PhD in Human Sexuality Education from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master's in Public Health from Yale. Dr. Tepper worked on ground-breaking research on orgasm in women with spinal cord injuries with world-renowned orgasm researchers Drs. Beverly Whipple and Barry Komisaruk. Over the last 15 years, Dr. Tepper has turned his attention to helping wounded veterans and their partners navigate intimate relationships. His new documentary, Love After War: Saving Love, Saving Lives, tells the stories of intimate partners who have won the battle for love. Website: Drmitchelltepper.comDocumentary: http://Loveafterwar.orgNew Day Films: https://www.newday.com/films/love-after-war-saving-love-saving-lives (educational/community licensing) Book: https://www.amazon.com/Regain-That-Feeling-Self-Discovery-Relationships/dp/1505444993/ Social Media:https://www.facebook.com/doctortepperhttps://www.facebook.com/LoveAfterWarhttps://twitter.com/DoctorThttps://www.instagram.com/drmtepper/ Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

In Episode 41 I interview Michele Lee who currently works for Cruise Marketing, Inc., the first self-driving ride share service. Cruise prides themselves being a company that puts safety, sustainability, and inclusivity first!  Cruise currently transports hundreds of in the San Francisco area and will be expanding to Austin Texas soon.Michele is a passionate advocate for people living with a disabilities living in Chicago. In 2003 Michele was in a car accident that resulted in a C5/6 complete spinal cord injury. Michele uses a power wheelchair for mobility.Michele realized shortly after becoming a wheelchair user the world has a long way to go when it comes to accessibility and decided to do something about it. Michele is a member of the United Spinal Technology Assistance Group, which is where we first met. Michele explains her role with Cruise and the project they are working on to put the first driverless accessible car on the roads. A lack of accessible transportation is one of the biggest problems the disability community has today. Michele and Cruise are working to make the world more disability inclusive! I hope you enjoy!Michele Lee is a Senior Public Affairs Manager focused on Accessibility at Cruise, a self driving car service. In this role she cultivates relationships with key advocates, community organizations, and experts representing the full diversity of the disability community to build a more accessible AV service. Michele is quadriplegic and has used a power wheelchair for almost twenty years after a spinal cord injury from a motor vehicle accident. Combining a professional background in corporate and nonprofit organizations with a long passion for disability rights advocacy she is working towards an equitable accessible transportation future.                                     Cruise website: https://getcruise.com/Cruise Accessibility: https://getcruise.com/support/accessibility/Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

Chelsie Nitschke is 30, flirty, and thriving in Nashville Tennessee. At 18 years old with dreams of being a soldier in the United States Army. In 2011, on her way to basic training on day her car stopped working while on the interstate and while sitting in the undrivable car Chelsie was struck by another car. The car accident caused Chelsie to sustain a C4/C5 spinal cord injury, leaving her paralyzed from the neck down. Without a career path in mind Chelsie started college at Tennessee State University. She graduated with degrees in Sociology and English in 2020, with thoughts of going to grad school. However, she acquired her first job since her injury, tutoring and teaching chess, at an elementary school in Nashville, just this year. She is discovering new passions and goals for teaching to add to her list of “loves”. This includes pop punk concerts, reading books and fashion.Chelsie found out about the Fashion is 4 Every Body Fashion Show, lead by Alicia Searcy in Nashville and started volunteering for the nonprofit organization years ago. This year Chelsie was asked to be a model and she loved the experience. Chelsie's love of color and an edgy sense of fashion shined as she rolled down the fashion is 4 Every Body this year.Thank for Listening! Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @LifePossibleKR. Here is my Linktree! https://linktr.ee/lifepossiblekr If you are enjoying the content or have feedback send me a message. I would love to hear from you! Karen

Mark Raymond has a deep-rooted history of serving the community. Building on the legacy of his grandfather, A.P. Tureaud, Mark has played a vital role in advancing various equity-centered efforts across the Greater New Orleans area and beyond. From renaming historic streets and landmarks in New Orleans to creating a more accessible and robust rehabilitative health infrastructure in the Gulf South, Mark's aptitude for cultivating relationships and driving coordinated, healing-centered change has been vital to the advancement of those most disadvantaged. This is the link to the Split Second Foundation, https://www.splitsecondfoundation.org/ Mark's commitment to fighting for justice and equity started as a child but was intensified following a shallow diving accident in 2016, in which he damaged the vertebrae by the base of his neck and lost the ability to walk. For Mark, this life-changing experience illuminated the reality of disparities in access, and there were very few community resources to turn to for help. His new disability and lack of support ultimately pushed him to advocate for millions of others by transforming the split-second that led to his injury into a life filled with awareness, hope, and action.He founded Split Second Foundation to make people aware of a growing population of individuals impacted by disability, advocate for their rights, fund cutting-edge research, and provide clear-cut steps to immediately improve their quality of life.To date, Mark's impact on inclusive health and human services, as well as justice-driven policy work, has been substantial. Mark was able to open Split Second Fitness, which is the first inclusive gym in Louisiana, with an intentional focus on people living with paralysis, amputation, or other neurological conditions that impact mobility.He also serves on several federal, state, and local boards and commissions to represent and advocate for people living with disabilities. Notably, Mayor LaToya Cantrell appointed him to the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) New Orleans Board of Commissioners, where he holds the positions of Vice-Chair and Chairman of the Finance Committee overseeing the planning, implementation, and execution of the agency's $109 million budget.Recently, RTA introduced the first two Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant streetcars on the historical St. Charles streetcar line.Mark's work within the community and through SSF has earned him numerous awards including:*Gambit's “40 Under 40”*New Orleans Magazine's “Ones to Watch”*Millennial Change Makers Award*Xavier University's “40 Under 40”

Ali Ingersoll has been living with paralysis from the chest down since 2010. In addition to maintaining her blog about life with paralysis Quirky Quad Diaries, Ali is a diversity and inclusion specialist and consultant and a perpetual advocate for the paralysis community. She was Ms. Wheelchair North Carolina 2022 and recently won Ms. Wheelchair America 2023. Ms. Wheelchair America is not a beauty pageant, but a competition based on a female wheelchair users history of disability advocacy and her ability to articulate her platform. Ali recently came up with the idea to have her friend Billy simulate life as a quadriplegic for an evening out on the town. Although Billy could ever fully know the difficulties a quadriplegic, she had him fit for a power wheelchair and they had an interesting experience!Billy Warden is a writer, TV and events producer, band leader and co-founder of the marketing firm GBW Strategies.  His clients have included Facebook, Dole Food and Uber. As an executive producer with E! Entertainment Networks, Billy worked closely with Joan Rivers and the team that popularized the celebrity fashion reviews. Billy's journalism has appeared in The Los Angeles Times, FastCompany.com, and Our State Magazine among others. His long-running indy glam rock band, The Floating Children, continues to record and perform. Hear about Ali and Billy's adventure and read the article Billy wrote about their adventure! Ali Ingersoll profile in Walter: https://waltermagazine.com/current-issue/new-heights-disability-advocate-ali-ingersoll/Ali Ingersoll & Billy Warden "Night on Wheels": https://waltermagazine.com/noted/a-night-on-wheels/

Mike has provided Complex Rehabilitation Technology Equipment (CRT) and assisted clinicians and case manager in achieving great outcomes for their clients for 30 years.  Mike was among the first group of mobility professionals to sit for the RESNA ATP credentialing exam in 1997 earning his ATP (Assistive Technology Professional) credential.  Mike has been a registrant of NRRTS (National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Suppliers) and maintained his CRTS (Certified Rehabilitation Technology Supplier) certification since 1994.  Mike has served as President of NRRTS's and remains active within the organization as current Review Chair for Region C.  Mike was awarded the Simon Margolis Fellow Award for having made long standing and significant contributions to NRRTS and the CRT profession.  Mike has served on the RESNA Professional Standards Board as Chair and served on the complaint's resolution committee.  Mike has been an active member of the Kansas City Chapter of CMSA for over 25 years.  Mike has assisted case managers and consumers in obtaining custom wheelchairs and seating systems and maintains a strong passion to ensure all goals are met and best outcomes are achieved.Mike has presented nationally to equipment providers, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists and Case Managers on Complex Rehabilitation Technology.Mike continues to be a strong advocate for Complex Rehabilitation Technology education and for a client centered approach to providing Complex Rehabilitation Technology equipment to consumers.  Mike is currently the Vice President of National Accounts for Numotion and can be reached at mike.seidel@numotion.com 

My name is Alicia Searcy, and I am the Spashionista. I live in Nashville, Tennessee, and was born with Cerebral Palsy. I'm wheelchair or walker dependent because CP affects my balance and ability to perform tasks that require fine motor skills such as typing and fastening small buttons. Growing up my mother, who was a model in her youth, was very critical of my body shape and weight. Because of this I struggled between bouts of anorexia and weight gain for most of my life. For many years I simply gave up on myself and my appearance. As a result, and because of my disability many people treated me as if I couldn't think for myself. They would speak to the people around me but not directly to me. My desire to change the way people perceived me led me to pay attention to how I was presenting myself in public. I basically gave myself a makeover and it made a world of difference in my interactions with others. It gave me the confidence to self-advocate and a passion for using fashion as a means of self-expression.In 2012, I googled “disabled fashion blogger” and there weren't any listed. So I started Spashionista (short for spastic fashionista), one of the first fashion blogs by a person with a disability on the internet, to address the need for disabled representation within the fashion industry.I'm also the co-founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Fashion is for Every Body. Our mission is to challenge stereotypes and change lives using the transformative power of fashion. We use fashion as a language to promote body-positivity and self-esteem while seeking inclusion for adults of all ages, sizes and physical abilities within the fashion industry. To learn more about me and my upcoming fashion show, listen to this podcast!

As the Chief Program and Policy Officer for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Regina Blye oversees operations of the National Paralysis Resource Center by developing and delivering programs that provide the critical services and resources that help people build healthy, independent lives.Regina sustained a C6-C7 spinal cord injury at the age of 10. She brings over two decades of disability policy and advocacy experience, making the move to Reeve to work more directly with people living with spinal cord injury and paralysis.Prior to starting with Reeve, she led the Independent Living Services program at the Administration for Community Living (ACL), monitoring compliance with the Rehabilitation Act and overseeing 155 federal grantees. Before that, as executive director of the Texas State Independent Living Council, she expanded independent living initiatives across the state. Her work has affected thousands of individuals and families living with disabilities and was recognized by President Barack Obama with a 2011 appointment to the United States Access Board, serving as Vice-Chair.Regina earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Mass Communications Studies at West Texas A&M University and a Master of Public Affairs at the University of Texas at Austin.

April Ballentine survived the unthinkable: a domestic violence attack that left her with paralysis. In 2013, April was attacked by her partner. "I was hunted down," she explained. The individual shot her multiple times. April was rapidly transported to the University of Kentucky's trauma unit. "Police officers and the K9 unit guarded my door in the ICU," April recalled. April has spent the last nine years navigating life with paralysis. Today, a new opportunity with the same hospital that saved her life gives her renewed hope for a bright, healthier future. April currently works for the Lexington Sheriffs Department helps others who have experienced domestic abuse.April is a member of the Numotion Customer Advisory Board. The Customer Advisory Board is a forum of diverse individuals who share direct customer insights with Numotion regarding experiences and perspectives, as well as provide ideas and guidance resulting in lasting positive change at Numotion and the CRT industry. The University of Kentucky has allowed April to try a ReWalk exoskeleton, a cutting-edge robotic device that will enable people with paralysis to stand and walk again. "The University of Kentucky medical team saved my life," explained April. "Now, nine years later, they are bringing the technology here that will allow me to walk again." April has been training with a personal trainer and has improved her upper body and core strength. Walking with the Rewalk system has also improved April's overall health and mental well-being.To bring this life-changing possibility within reach, her community has started a medically verified fundraising campaign with the nonprofit Help Hope Live. If you want to learn more go to https://helphopelive.org/campaign/20338/ Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and all funds raised will be managed by the nonprofit to cover verified medical and related expenses. Help Hope Live verifies the medical and financial needs of every patient.

Leah Holderbaum, OTR, CBIS, ATP received both her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Science, and Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Eastern Kentucky University. Leah has 10 years of clinical experience, which began with Kettering Health Network in Ohio at the NeuroRehab and Balance Center. Leah expanded her career to Texas in 2012, as an occupational therapist on the Spinal Cord Injury Team at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation-Dallas, where she served as the clinical specialist. While at Baylor, Leah facilitated a national research study, in conjunction with the University of Pennsylvania, regarding compliance with intermittent cathing. Leah has developed and instructed continuing education courses on the therapeutic management of the spinal cord injured patient, and the distinct role of the OT in bladder management, and has provided lectures at Texas A&M, the University of St. Augustine, and TWU on SCI. Her webinar entitled Clean Intermittent Cathing:  An Interdisciplinary Approach to Best Practice launched nationally in 2020. Currently, Leah is serving on a national expert panel regarding establishing a standard protocol for clean intermittent cathing. She developed a passion for education, and bladder management as the Clinical Specialist on the SCI team, based on knowledge and experience with quality of life improvements with patients, which earned her the acclaimed status of “Cath Queen”. Leah was recently published in the 2nd edition of the WOCN Core Curriculum, and is also contributing faculty at the University of St. Augustine for the Occupational Therapy Department.Leah currently works for Numotion as Medical Supply Account Manager, where she has the opportunity to share her love for bladder management, and promote quality of life and independence for customers she encounters.65646454yt

In 2007 Heidi McKenzie was in a traumatic car accident that left her a T4 paraplegic at 21. She keeps a positive attitude regarding her injury, and she lives every day to the fullest with a smile on her face. Heidi has a clothing design business called Alter UR Ego, where she designs jeans for other people in wheelchairs that are both functional and fashionable. Heidi also sells the most adorable t-shirts. The mission of Alter UR Ego is to make it possible for those with disabilities to be able to express their “alter-ego” through fashion while breaking down social barriers.Heidi is a graduate of Morehead State University with a bachelor's degree in Small Business Management. She is Ms. Wheelchair Kentucky 2012, where she served as an advocate for those in wheelchairs traveling the US sharing. Heidi credits the Ms. Wheelchair America organization for introducing her to other female wheelchair users and the confidence to empower others.Heidi now works for SpinLife, part of Numotion as a merchandising associate providing people with mobility equipment to live their daily lives. She is also a member of the Ms. Wheelchair Ohio Program Board, empowering women female wheelchair users to be advocates and keep rolling forward! You will love her like I do!https://alterurego.co/

Kathleen Zimmerman is a Numotion customer I met through social media. Kathy was the director of a national nonprofit for nearly 30. She was the Director of National Promotions & Events in the fundraising department and raised 7M annually. She was dealing with a variety of sponsors and vendors across the country.Born with Dwarfism, Kathy refers to herself as a little person. As a little person, she never considered herself disabled, but suddenly in 2016, she became a person with paraplegia, paralyzed from the waist down due to surgery. Kathy has found the combination of these two diagnoses quite difficult. Kathy and her husband have found that advocacy is the best way to improve accessibility and improve their ability to live a fulfilled and happy life.Kathy is currently advocating for the NY Assembly Bill A2563 during the 2021-2022 Legislative Session. This bill "Requires full family service restroom facilities in public buildings.” The passage of NY Assembly Bill A2563 could help Kathy and others in New York if it is passed. Kathy hopes this bill passes in New York, spreads to other states, and helps people with disability across the country. You can find the link to the proposed legislation below.  https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2019/A2425 Disability Advocacy is crucial to improved accessibility, and our voices are always stronger together. I hope Kathy's story inspires you to advocate for people with disabilities in your community.

Learn about urban planning and Universal Design with Steve Wright -- a writer, blogger and marketer -- was born to communicate about urban and architectural design for a living. The native of Akron, Ohio earned his first paycheck as a journalist before he was old enough to drive.Rather than going to a theme park or the beach, he begged his parents to go on vacation to Toronto and other great urban centers of architecture, design, art, culture, history, dining and walkability.As an award-winning journalist at the Columbus Dispatch, he started as the large newspaper's first full-time popular music critic. Soon, he created the growth and development beat to inform readers of the impact of the built environment on their daily lives.Wright moved to Miami in 2000 with his wife of 25 years, a wheelchair user and nationally-recognized expert on the Americans with Disabilities Act.After developing a successful boutique public relations firm focused on architecture, urbanism, transportation, design and town planning, he was recruited into public service.For nearly a decade, Wright served as the Senior Policy Advisor for all urban affairs for the Chairman of the Miami City Commission.He also has published more than 6,000 professional articles, most of them focused on the built environment. Before launching Steve Wright Marketing Communications, he served as the Marketing Manager in the world headquarters of Arquitectonica. He worked as the Business Development Manager for a transportation engineering firm. He also is the creator of the world's only blog focused on urban issues, travel and wheelchair access.

Jill Houghton is President & Chief Executive Officer of Disability:IN, the leading global nonprofit organization for advancing business disability inclusion and equality. Her more than 25 years of diverse leadership experience driving disability inclusion was ignited by challenges she experienced having a learning disability.Ms. Houghton leads a team of talented and diverse individuals, including people with disabilities, who are working to build an inclusive global economy that enables people with disabilities to participate fully and meaningfully. Their work has empowered over 400 leading brands to advance disability inclusion and equality through groundbreaking programs including Inclusion Works, the Disability Equality Index, the CEO Letter on Disability Inclusion, NextGen Leaders, Supplier Diversity and Disability-Owned Business Certification and more.

Susan Johnson Taylor, OTR/L is an occupational therapist who has been practicing in the field of seating and wheeled mobility for 40 years primarily in the Chicago area at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Wheelchair and Seating Center (now the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab). Susan has published and presented nationally and internationally. Susan is both a member and fellow with RESNA. She is currently a member of the Clinician's Task Force and the RESNA/ANSI Wheelchair Standards Committee. She is a Certified member of the International Society of Wheelchair Professionals. Susan joined the Numotion in 2015 and is the Director of Training and Education. Susan and I discuss the roles that the Occupational therapist, Physical Therapist, Assistive Technology Professional, and most importantly the customer play in configuring and ordering a new custom wheelchair

Chris Johnson has been a certified Assistive Technology Professional since 2006 and has been an employee of Numotion since 2010. Prior to the early 90's there were no standards, certifications, or qualifications for the employees that fit people with custom wheelchairs. Chris talks about the history of Assistive Technology as a profession and how you can learn more about joining this industry.Chris makes reference several times to the organization that set the standards for Assistive Technology Professional, they give the certification exam and provide continuing education. Go to RESNA.ORG for more information on ATP certification.NRRTS (National Registry of Rehabilitation Technology Supplies). NRRTS is the organization that certifies suppliers, Certified Complex Rehabilitation Technology Supplier, (CRTS) .Go to NRRTS.ORG for more information.Another equally important organization is NCART (National Coalition for Assistive and Rehab Technology). NCART members are the suppliers, manufacturers, and other organizations involved in Complex Rehabilitation Technology (CRT) products and services. NCART's mission is to educate and advocate to protect access to CRT. Go to NCART.US for more information about what they provide to the CRT industry.Chris is passionate about helping people with disabilities through his work as an ATP. If you would like to ask Chris any questions you can email him at Chris.Johnson@Numotion.com

Josh Basile, a C4-5 quadriplegic, lives in Maryland and is a trial attorney working in Washington, DC. In August 2004, while on his family's annual summer vacation in Bethany Beach, DE, Josh was picked up by a single wave and was slammed headfirst against the ocean floor. The impact shattered his fifth cervical vertebra leaving him paralyzed from the shoulders down.Soon after his injury, during his first year of outpatient rehabilitation at the Kennedy Krieger International Center for Spinal Cord Injury he became a passionate supporter of restorative therapies, which focuses on moving an individual's body both above and below their level of injury with the help of specialized equipment and techniques. Josh believes there will be a cure someday for those living with spinal cord injuries, hence Determined2Heal, and believes it's important to keep one's body healthy to meet science and technology halfway.Josh now practices law as a trial attorney with Jack H. Olender &  Associates where he fights for the catastrophically injured in medical malpractice and personal injury cases. His favorite activity these days is a sport he invented called Slingshot Golf, which opens doors for persons with physical limitations to competitively play golf.In this Episode Josh discusses the importance of mentorship in the disability community. He also talks about his role in the Numotion Customer Advisory Board (CAB). As a CAB leader Josh is helping to make improvements to the Numotion customer experience.

In this episode Scott Chesney and I discuss the technology Onward (@onwd.com) is developing bring back health and movement to people living with spinal cord injury. We discuss how to keep your body in shape for the purpose of health and increasing the change you can benefit from future treatments for SCI.Scott Chesney is a world-renowned motivational speaker and life coach who has presented to over 1.5 million people in 40 countries. Known as “The Commander in Change,” by his clients, Scott is navigator of life with paralysis for nearly 35 years after awakening to paralysis at the age of 15 from a sudden spinal stroke, Scott has amassed a resume of transformational experiences, powerful insights, and inspiring stories that cut to the core of the human spirit.He has become a nationally and internationally recognized workshop and keynote presenter, and his positive and inspiring messages have changed countless lives. His insights have been coveted and applauded by The United Nations, The Pentagon, The FBI, Fortune 500 corporations, sports teams, hospitals/rehab centers, associations, and K-12 schools.  Recently, Scott has joined Onward, a medical technology company developing and commercializing innovative therapies to enable functional recovery for people with spinal cord injury, as a consultant.  In addition, Scott is an Ambassador for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, a member of the Seton Hall University Leadership Advisory Council, a member of the Board of Trustees for The Knowles Foundation, and a member of the National Speakers Association (NSA).  

Katrina's main focus will be assisting in managing our leadership development programs, specifically Leading for the Teams. She will also be a key stakeholder in the implementation of Coaching & Change Management training to the org and in the design, development and implementation of additional HR L&D initiatives.Prior to joining Numotion, Katrina served as a Career Transition Coach, Sr. Instructional Designer and Training Consultant, where she coached professionals to obtain the best opportunities for their job search, to successfully managing, designing, developing and implementing various leadership development programs for leaders across the organization. Katrina's hobbies include novice vegetable gardening, reading, foreign films/shows, raising her son and daughter with her husband, as well as serving as an elected volunteer on the Board of Finance for her town. Helping others is a driving force of her personality and brings her great joy.

Located in Louisiana, Jill is the Director of Sales Operations in the Gulf South Region for Numotion. In her role, she works directly with Assistive Technology Professionals and clinical referrals to expand access to CRT and provide resources for navigating through the process. Jill has been in the CRT industry for 26 years and, during this time, has managed funding, billing, and medical documentation departments. Jill shares her knowledge about how different payers reimburse for custom wheelchairs and why the explanation of benefits can be so confusing. After years of working in the CRT (complex rehabilitation technology) industry, Jill's knowledge helped me understand what questions to ask and who to ask when ordering a new wheelchair.

In Episode 22 I talk to Luticha about how she has creates positive change when in comes to inequality with the realms of race, disability and sexuality. She breaks it down into actionable steps, rather than just "creating awareness" about injustices on social media. Luticha André Doucette is the author of the groundbreaking book: Cultivating An Intersectional Mindset. She graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Bioinformatics where she developed protein surface prediction algorithms. After graduating, she was a Fellow at the University of Rochester where she worked in a genomics lab that focused on analyzing the venom of parasitoid wasps to develop new drug therapies for various diseases. In 2017 she authored a report on wage disparities across race, gender, and disability in Rochester and Monroe County in conjunction with the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative and in 2018 authored a follow-up report on employment barriers for disabled people in Rochester and Monroe County. She is a graduate of the Leadership and Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) Fellowship program and an AUCD Emerging Leader an inductee into the Susan M. Daniels Disability Mentoring Hall of Fame established by the National Disability Mentoring Coalition and the 2020 – 2021 Distinguished Alumni Awardee from the Rochester Institute of Technology. Luticha's research and writing has been featured in various publications such as Insect Molecular Biology, Toxicon, The New York Times, and Yes! Magazine. She is a former founding member of Rochester Accessible Adventures and she helped change the landscape, and attitudes, around inclusive recreation in New York State. She is the owner of Catalyst Consulting, which helps organizations, leaders, and advocates examine equity across race, gender identity, and disability in policies, practices, procedures, and relationships. In her spare time she is a fencer, cyclist and outdoor enthusiast. You can go to Luticha's website to learn more about the services her company offers.https://www.catalystconsultingassociates.com/our-team 

Nicole B. LaBerge, PT ATP is a Physical Therapist with 15+ years of experience working in a variety of clinical settings. She currently works at Hennepin Healthcare's Clinic and Specialty Center, which is part of the Level I Trauma Center in Minneapolis, MN. Her practice includes seating and mobility for adult and pediatric populations, with a focus in neurological rehabilitation and wound care. Nicole has presented at the State and International Levels, has had her personal research published and enjoys sharing her passion for patient advocacy, clinical outcomes and efficiency within a clinical setting. Karen and Nicole discuss the importance of standing for people with disabilities. We discuss what the data says about standing. We also talk about the functional and medical benefits of standing for wheelchair users.  Standing has kept Karen healthy as a wheelchair user for 34 years and Nicole's patient's have experienced the same benefits using standing technology.

Shortly after high school graduation, Jeff was in a car wreck that left him a T6 paraplegic. A year after his accident, he enrolled at Bowling Green State University. At that time, there had never been a person in a wheelchair on that campus. Jeff recalls being a 19-year-old still trying to figure out what had happened to his life. He transferred to Ohio State the following year and after a few years of figuring things out, he completed both an undergrad and graduate degree focused on social work, political science, and grassroots organization.After college, Jeff spent five years working in a men's homeless shelter. This is when he first heard of Spinlife - the company where he would happily work for the next 20 years.Jeff began working at Spinlife in December of 2000 when it was just the beginning. “A friend of mine told me he knew the owner, thought the company had great potential, there was an open sales position and another mutual friend of ours was currently as the other salesman. I was working as a supervisor for a men's homeless shelter but was looking to find something different and the entire concept of Spinlife intrigued me, so I applied for the job.”In his role of Product Specialist, Jeff said his favorite aspect of his job is the return customer. “I enjoy hearing their feedback on previous equipment purchases – how well they worked and what changes may make them perform better. I especially enjoy how their life has progressed since our last contact and what adventures are soon to come. Many of the return customers are like old friends. The most meaningful customers are those who have a new Spinal Cord Injury and need some life questions answered. They are genuinely happy to be able to talk to someone who is paralyzed and can share life experiences with them. The whole family becomes involved in the purchase as well as the discussion. I always feel like I made a very real and helpful connection with those customers.”In June, Numotion acquired Spinlife.com, the market leader in online retail Durable Medical Equipment (DME) for the aging population as well as people living with disabilities. Jeff believes that with this union, Numotion can lead customers to Spinlife who may not have any knowledge of them. “Numotion's credibility with person-to-person customers should help quell fears or concerns some customers may have with purchasing via the internet and the partnership should help motivate manufacturers to continue their progress in the development of new and better equipment.”If you would like to view products Spinlife has available or speak to a knowledgeable representative like Jeff go to spinlife.com. 

In this episode Barb Zablotney tells us about her experience as the first Torrid model with a disability. Barb explains how she helped the Torrid staff in Los Angeles understand what she needed for the set to be accessible. Barb also talks about how able bodied people at times don't understand what inclusion means and how important it is. We also talk about barriers to disability inclusion in the modeling industry. You can find Barb's informative disability content  on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tic Tok @therollingrainbow.

Katherine Klimitas was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, and has been a Numotion customer since she was a child. Katherine's ATP is Butley Mahler out of the Baton Rouge Numotion Branch. Artist, speaker, author, graphic designer, and just a few of Katherine's titles as an adult. Katherine was born with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, better known as Brittle Bone Disease. A power wheelchair is her means of mobility. Don't let her 2 feet, 7 inches tall stature fool you; she is a total powerhouse. By the age of 10 years old, she had already had broken 500+ bones, and she had never let any of her health issues slow her down. Katherine and her parents were not going to let her disease dictate her happiness in life. The Klimitas family is very close, and Katherine's parents would make sure that she found a vocation she enjoyed. Both of Katherine's parents were veterinarians and worked hard but loved their chosen profession and would accept nothing less for their daughter despite the limitations caused by her disability.During Katherine's senior year at Loyola, she started KAK Art & Designs. TheThe services offered at KAK Art & Design have changed since 2011 but still focus on two key areas: 1) expanding her reach and capabilities as a watercolor artist and 2) motivating others to contribute to their communities. Katherine continues to exceed her goal, which is to bring people joy with her work. She was recently featured on Nola.com and Adobe! You can find Katherine's beautiful artwork on her kakartnola.com, and her social media handle is also kakartnola

Caitlin Chasar is a thirty year old woman living with spina bifida.  She was selected as the 2022 Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania Titleholder.  Her platform is advocating for accessible recreation centers. Caitlin has been involved in wheelchair sports from the age of ten. She was recruited to play intercollegiate wheelchair basketball and helped start the first women's wheelchair basketball team at Edinboro University. She graduated with a Bachelor's in Communications in 2013 and then earned a Master's in Clinical Rehabilitation in 2017. Caitlin currently serves as the Executive Director of Bucks County Center for Independent Living. She considers herself to be a disability rights advocate. Caitlin is a member of Magee Rehabilitation 76ers Wheelchair Basketball team and loves participating in a variety of adaptive sports. We discuss hKate's disability, her advocacy passions, and how she became Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania 2022.

Erika Bogan is a motivator, disability advocate, adaptive athlete & lover of life, who has dedicated her life to showing people how to find their “new normal” after major life transitions, through sharing her remarkable story of choosing a limitless mindset after becoming paralyzed by domestic violence at the age of 21. She also is an adaptive CrossFit athlete and Spartan Racer, that continues to change people's perceptions about abilities by showing others how to live limitless!  In August 2009, Erika won the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2010. Throughout her year as the national title holder, she also starred for a full-feature length documentary, Defining Beauty, documenting her life and her journey to becoming Ms. Wheelchair America. She has spoken at the National Press Club, on behalf of the National Disability Institute, the North Carolina Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill, and is contracted with the University of Saint Augustine for Health Sciences, where she speaks each semester to first & second year physical and occupational therapy students.  Erika is also a Certified Master Mindset Coach and recognized disability advocate. She shares her personal experiences of how she was able to overcome traumatic experiences, by changing her response to difficult things she has faced throughout her life and her personal struggles with CPTSD and suicide ideation, in hopes of creating change to the negative stigma attached to Mental Health. Erika specializes in Cognitive Behavioral Techniques and Emotional Intelligence as a coach. 

Travis Davis was born with Cerebral Palsy and he explains how his diagnosis impacts him. Travis's experience is varied and includes teaching, marketing, speaking, event planning, writing, and work in the non-profit sector. Speaking about disability in various spheres including education, churches, sports, business, and relationships is part of Travis's passions. Travis did a TedX Talk about Education and Inclusion that has been viewed over 35 thousand times. Currently Travis is the host of a disability related podcast called "Off the Crutch Podcast". Travis and I discuss how opening up dialog with school aged children is one of the keys to disability inclusion in adulthood.

In this episode, Karen speaks to Jeff Cosentino, an Assistive Technology Professional (ATP) with Numotion in south Louisiana, and Blair Casey, the Chief Impact Officer for Team Gleason, about Numotion's new 5-year partnership with Team Gleason to be their Preferred CRT (Complex Rehab Technology) Partner. Team Gleason is Steve Gleason's charitable foundation. Steve Gleason played football for the New Orleans Saints and blocked a punt in the first home game following Hurricane Katrina in 2006. Steve's blocked punt led to a Saints victory, which lifted people's spirits across New Orleans. In 2011, Steve revealed that he had been diagnosed with ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis).  Steve started recording videos for his unborn son, Rivers, from the beginning of his diagnosis, and this eventually became a documentary called Gleason, which you can find on Amazon. Jeff is the ATP that helped Steve with his first wheelchair. Blair Casey was Steve's caregiver at that time, and this is where the relationship between Jeff, Steve, and Blair began.  Numotion and Team Gleason have collaborated for years, leading to Jeff Cosentino coming up with the idea for Numotion's ALS Council. The ALS Council is a group of ATP's and other Numotion employees who work on sharing information about the latest technologies being developed for customers living with ALS. This ALS council at Numotion led to the strategic 5-year partnership with Team Gleason to improve access and development of advanced equipment and technology to serve people and families living with ALS. Team Gleason provides critical equipment, technology, and life adventures for people living with ALS in the United States. As the Preferred CRT provider of Team Gleason, Numotion will work to provide technology services and solutions that ensure those with ALS continue living productive, purposeful and meaningful lives. Jeff and Blair explain some of the details of this partnership and throw in some humor as well.Here are the links discussed in the podcast:Gleason DocumentaryA Football Life: Steve GleasonTeam Gleason Assistive Technology LabGleason DocumentaryGleason NFL Films Machu Picchu (YouTube) Full VideoTeam Gleason/ Duck Dynasty Adventure 

Ryan Martin was born wit Spina Bifida and both of his legs were amputated due to complications with his diagnosis. Ryan found a way to succeed in wheelchair basketball and that lead to him traveling the world playing wheelchair basketball. Wheelchair basketball played an important role in Ryan's life and he wanted to give back to kids with disabilities which lead to him starting a non-profit, The Ryan Martin Foundation.  Ryan is also the inclusive Sports Advisor for CUNY (City University of New York) Athletics. Numotion and CUNY have created a partnership that Ryan discusses during the podcast.  It's a fun conversation, so check it out! 

Are you afraid to become a parent because of your disability? Have people made negative comments about you parenting with a disability? Some people made negative comments to me about having babies because I am paralyzed. In this podcast I interview my 24 year old middle child, Austin Roy, who talks about his child about his experience being raised by a wheelchair user. Austin explains his unique perspective on disability because he sees disability as a part of the human experience. Learn some of the techniques I used as a wheelchair user parenting small children.

I interview Jenny Smith, who sustained a C level spinal cord injury while practicing a  cheerleading at the age of 16. Jenny had to learn to live life again as a quadriplegic. Jenny is an advocate, peer mentor, and encourager for people living with spinal cord injuries. Jenny has a website, Jenntsmithrollson.com, where she writes funny and meaningful articles about living life as a wheelchair user. Jenny also recently published a book titled, Live the Impossible: How a wheelchair has taken me places I never dared to Imagine. Jenny and Karen talk about their shared experiences and what is very different about their spinal cord injuries. Jenny also talks about her experience with the Ms. Wheelchair America organization and what she learned as a result of that experience.

Dallas Crum's father started AMS Vans in 1998, inspired by a family that needed an accessible van for their daughter with severe Cerebral Palsy. Kip Crum, Dallas's father,  realized  that there were a limited number options for accessible vans and all options were very expensive. Vantage Mobility International (VMI) acquired AMS in 2017 and at that time AMS was the largest dealer of accessible vans in the country.  Dallas also talked about his wife, Faith, and their kids Ethan and Riley. Riley has a rare chromosomal disorder that impacts her both physically and intellectually. Riley can walk, but does have some deficits with balance and will need care for the rest of her life. Dallas and Karen discuss how disability impacts our lives both professionally and personally. Learn more about how to find hand controls and accessible vans get to know Dallas on a personal level.For more information go to www.amsvans.com or call 800-775-8267.

Meet David Thomas, an avid water-skier, founder of the non-profit Ski Dawgs and senior drafter for NASA. Doing tricks with his friends at fifteen years old, resulted in David suffering a C5 incomplete spinal cord injury.  David tells the story of how he built his own adaptive waterski and then how his friend talked him into starting a non-profit adaptive waterskiing program. The program is called Ski Dawgs and it's been a huge success in Louisiana.Adaptive waterskiing is a sport that people with all different levels of ability can participate. Another special part of the Ski Dawgs Program is that people hang out all day and we have lunch together. Making new friends with others who have disabilities similar to yours is always important for mental health.If you would like more information about Ski Dawgs go to:  https://www.facebook.com/skidawgs/

I interview Cody Verrett and Chris Collin who both work for Motion Composites and are devoted to disability advocacy. Chris is also a wheelchair user who sustained a spinal cord injury in a motorcycle accident in 2008. In this episode we discuss how Motion Composites became a company. We discuss carbon fiber, disability advocacy, advantages of hiring people with disability and  adaptive sailing. This episode is packed with great information for wheelchair user, their allies, therapists and anyone interested in complex rehabilitation. For more information about topics discussed go to:https://www.motioncomposites.com/en_us/productshttps://www.theimpossibledream.org/https://nrrts.org/https://www.ncart.us/https://unitedspinal.org/

In 2010 Ali Ingersoll was 27 years old living in her family home in the Bahamas when she broke in neck in a shallow water diving accident. Ali's neck fracture caused her to become paralyzed from the neck down and she is a power wheelchair user. Tenacious, adventurous, fun, intelligent, and persistent are just a few words that come to mind when I think of Ali. Taking charge of the process of obtaining her new wheelchair is something that Ali does very well! Ali researches everything about the process of obtaining new complex rehabilitation (custom wheelchairs). She has been successful in getting CRT denials reversed not only for her own wheelchairs, but guides others through the appeals process.  Learn more about Ali's fascinating life! You can check out Ali's stories, photos, and articles at  quirkyquad.com. 

Josh Turek was born with Spina Bifida and is a lifelong manual wheelchair user and a lifelong participant and advocate for adaptive sports. Josh is a gold medalist and 3x Paralympian in wheelchair basketball. He has played professional wheelchair basketball 15 years in several countries. Josh has represented the USA in 3 Paralympic Games in wheelchair basketball, winning a gold medal in Rio in 2916. This summer's Paralympics in Tokyo will be his forth and final Paralympic Games.  Josh has a BA in history and a Masters Degree in business administration.  Josh is currently an ATP certified Specialty Account Manager for Numotion in Omaha Nebraska. As well as a volunteer Director for the Ryan Martin Foundation which provides free adaptive sports camps for disabled children. 

Barb Zablotney is a manual wheelchair user and disability advocate and Karen discuss the importance of using models and actors with disabilities in main stream media. Barb won a contest recently and will be featured in Torrid's national holiday ad campaign. Barb will be the first wheelchair user Torrid has ever used in an ad campaign. How can people with disabilities increase visibility in main stream media? You can see more of Barb on her YouTube Channel, Rolling Rainbow. Follow her IG @therollingrainbow.

Warren Cleary was an expert skydiver who was injured in a skydiving accident. That did not stop him from skydiving, snow skiing, traveling the world, getting married or starting a family. Karen and Warren discuss how having a mentor who has experience in the activity you want to participate in will help you live your best "Life possible" with a disability. 

Karen and Justin are both wheelchair users that work at Numotion. While both have navigated relationships prior and post-injury, they discuss the differences to make relationships meaningful in and outside of the bedroom. They talk about how they portray their disability on dating  sites and discuss commonly asked questions about sex with a disability. Fun stuff, don't miss it!

In 2021 people with disabilities still don't have equal access to medical care. People with mobility impairments don't have height adjustable exam tables, x-ray machines or scales that can weigh a person that is unable to stand. In this episode we will discuss the laws and standards that are currently in place to protect access to medical for people with disabilities and what we can do to continue to make improvements.

Karen interviews David Linaker is a former Priest with the Church of England, Life Coach and Independent Celebrant living in Salisbury England. David was also raised with a grandfather who had a disability and worked in the largest spinal cord injury center in England. We discuss ways to adapt to life with a disability and improve your overall mental health.