Fw: The Abilities Buzz

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From: Abilities Expo <klara@...>

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Sent: Thu, May 20, 2010 12:42:30 PM

Subject: The Abilities Buzz

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May 2010

Abilities Buzz

Dear Buzz Subscriber:

Abilities Expo New York Metro starts tomorrow, Friday, May 21 through Sunday,

May 23 and it is going to be an amazing event. If you are driving (or public

transportation) distance from the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center in Edison,

New Jersey, be there! Visit www.abilitiesexpo.com/newyork for all of the

details. Don't keep this to yourself...please forward this e-newsletter to your

family, friends and colleagues.

Email us at klara@... if you have any questions relating to

disabilities. We will address all of your questions and will post some answers

in future issues of the Buzz.

Feature

Wheelchair Super X -- A New Sport is Dawning

A 1997 snowboarding accident introduced hot shot athlete Trevor " Trevair "

Snowden to life as a wheelchair user. Since then, Trevor has introduced the

world to his version of life on wheels, Trevair-style. He shattered world

records in extreme adaptive sports. He invented the Trevair chair, a lightweight

manual wheelchair with superior suspension for the very active rider. And, now,

he's launched an entirely new sport for people with disabilities, the Wheelchair

Super X.

The Wheelchair Super X is a wheelchair motocross course complete with twists,

turns and bumps which can be navigated using a either power or manual

wheelchair. It made its debut with rave reviews at Abilities Expo in Los Angeles

and will be back for an encore performance at Abilities Expo New York Metro on

May 21-23 at the New Jersey Convention & Expo Center.

" Wheelz " Fotheringham called the fledgling sport " hardcore, " high praise

from the Guinness record holder for the first 360 wheelchair backflip. (read on)

FeatureProduct Spotlight: The Beamz Interactive Music System

Beamz by Beamz Interactive, Inc. will be featured in The Siegal Group booth at

the New York Metro Abilities Expo on May 21-23, 2010.

Plato said that music " gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to

the imaginations, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything. "

Now, though the magic of The Beamz Interactive Music System, the power to create

beautiful music is in the hands of people with varying levels of ability, from

kids to grandparents and everyone in between.

This instrument is shaped like a " W " with 3 horizontal beams of light on each

side. Each beam controls a different instrument, rhythm or sound effect. By

breaking the path of the beam, you trigger streams of musical notes and unleash

the musician within. The beauty is that it always sounds great--the output is

always harmonious no matter how you choose to play the Beamz. (read on)

Feature

Access to the Jersey ShoreBy Santina Muha

Santina is an Abilities Expo Ambassador as well as the Communications Associate

for the National Spinal Cord Injury Association, a journalist, a model and the

first contestant to use a wheelchair on " Who Wants to be a Millionaire? " .

From the Real Housewives of New Jersey to the Jersey Shore to Jerseylicious,

New Jersey is getting a lot of press lately. With the upcoming Abilities Expo

taking place in none other than the Garden State, as an ambassador and a NJ

native, as well as a wheelchair user since the age of 6, I would like to share

some tips on how to survive as a roller at the Jersey Shore.

Boardwalks are bumpy, and so if you take a stroll, I recommend you do not wear

flip flops or loose fitting flats. They will fall off before you can get to the

bumper cars. Gladiator shoes that strap in the back or sneakers are your best

choices on warm days.

The clubs and bars in NJ get a little crowded (okay, a lot), especially in the

summertime, so if you are old enough to hang out in these places, I suggest you

purchase a cup holder for your chair. (I got mine at the Abilities Expo five

years ago!) Before that I held my drink in my hand, which made it hard for me to

push myself around. Even worse, as people would bump into me I would spill

everywhere! (read on)

News

Ms. Wheelchair America, Long May She ReignBy Galbraith

is the Abilities Expo Education and Events Director and also provides

consulting services for other disability organizations.

The Ms. Wheelchair America pageant is a competition unlike any other beauty

pageant. The woman who wears the crown is chosen based on her advocacy,

achievement, communication and presentation. It is a true test of inner beauty,

rather than a focus on the typical notion of external attractiveness. The

pageant provides an opportunity for women who just happen to be wheelchair users

to successfully educate and advocate for the more than 54 million Americans

living life with disabilities.

The reigning Ms. Wheelchair America works to open doors for people with

disabilities. She promotes awareness on many issues which include eliminating

both architectural and attitudinal barriers, and educating the able-bodied

public of the achievements of people with disabilities.

On August 29, 2009, the remarkable, committed and passionate Ms. Wheelchair

North Carolina Brogan was crowned Ms. Wheelchair America 2010. (read on)

News How One Man's Disability Helped Get the World Moving

At the age of six, Ralph Braun was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy and told he

would not live to see his 13th birthday. Today, more than 60 years later, Ralph

Braun is the CEO of BraunAbility, the largest manufacturer of

wheelchair-accessible vehicles in the world and a real-life example of how

success comes from personal strength, self-reliance and never saying " I can't. "

In his newly released memoir, Rise Above, Ralph tells his inspirational story of

triumphing over a physical disability and working to improve not only his own

mobility, but bringing independence and mobility to others. Ralph has achieved

immense success capitalizing on the age-old axiom: Necessity is the mother of

invention.

When Ralph needed a way to get to work, he created a motorized, three-wheel

scooter, and in no time at all orders started to come in for the " Tri-Wheeler. "

Although the Tri-Wheeler allowed Ralph to travel to and from work on his own,

the frigid Indiana winters were not conducive to outdoor travel. Yet again,

Ralph had a solution: equip an old mail carrier Jeep with hand controls and a

hydraulic tailgate lift. (read on)

News

Could You Be the Key to Helping Amputees Walk?

Many people with lower extremity limb loss (amputation) have difficulty walking,

even after rehabilitation. To further assist amputees, the Department of

Physical Therapy at Stony Brook University Medical Center is conducting a

training study and needs amputees to walk on a treadmill so that they can their

progress.

According to M. Lamberg, PT, EdD, Clinical Associate Professor of Physical

Therapy and lead investigator, the purpose of the study is to see if a large

amount of walking practice on a treadmill can reduce some of the difficulty

amputees experience.

The study requires participants to attend 15 sessions over 10 to 12 weeks with a

total time commitment of 13.5 hours. There is an initial testing session that

includes an assessment of the participant's legs, balance and walking abilities.

The entire program includes 12 treadmill training visits that take place three

times per week for four weeks, a post-training testing session one week after

completion of the training, and a follow-up testing session four weeks after

completion of the training. (read on)

We welcome your questions and comments. Please email them to

klara@....

For more on Abilities Expo, call (310) 450-8831 x130 or visit

www.abilitiesexpo.com.

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