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Small beginnings We discovered Boccia when my daughter Elizabeth was 8 years old. She has C.P. and wanted to compete like her sisters and brother. Elizabeth could not throw the ball beyond the V line in her first year of playing. She did not win a game, but she made friends and had a desire to improve. Elizabeth went to her first Nationals in 2006 and again did not win a match, but she scored a point! Since then Elizabeth has won 2 National Championships, completed an under grad degree and is working on a Masters of Social work. After several years off, she placed 3rd at the 2016 USA Boccia Nationals in the BC1 Class. Handi Life makes the Best Boccia Balls in the world! When I started coaching Boccia in 2005, it was difficult to get Handi Life boccia balls in the US. Issues with international money wires, cost of shipping, import duties, and custom brokers all presented huge hurdles for the individual customer. I met the founders of Handi Life Sport, Jens and Kirsten at Para Pan games in 2011. They are a family business out of Denmark and have been promoting Sports for All for 25 years. Handi Life is also leading provider of Sound Balls for visually impaired. I simply asked if they had a US Rep? They did not and we started working together. Boccia is growing in the world Boccia became a Paralympic Sport in 1984. It is played all over the world and the competition is amazing. 2016 USA Boccia Nationals had 75 athletes competing. We anticipate 120 plus in 2017! With Grants from the Veterans Administration and Neilsen Foundation, USA Boccia has held clinics and tournaments across the country, promoting the sport, training athletes and equipping coaches.

One Hand Hello my name is Laly and I was born without my right hand. Two years ago I could finally accept myself as I am (it's an incredible sensation). My disability is my appeal. I am currently a licensed driver and a badminton player. I also use a black prothesis made from 3D printing.

מעולם לא שאלתי למה זה קרה או למה דווקא לי מכולם, כי אני מאמין שזה לא באמת משנה שמי שי רלר. אני בן 35 וגר בנתניה, ישראל. לפני 12 שנה נפצעתי קשה בתאונת אוטובוס במהלך טיול לנפאל. כתוצאה מכך, נשארתי משותק כמעט לגמרי מהצוואר ומטה ונזקקתי לכיסא גלגלים. בשלב זה החלטתי שאנסה לממש את כל התוכניות שלי למרות הפציעה והתחלתי ללמוד לתואר ראשון בכלכלה ותואר שני במנהל עסקים שסיימתי בהצטיינות. היום אני עובד כאנליסט בחברת תקשורת. האמת, מעולם לא שאלתי למה זה קרה או למה זה קרה לי מכל האנשים, פשוט כי אני מאמין שזה לא ממש משנה. בחרתי לתת משמעות טובה וחיובית לחיי. אני מטייל להנאתי בארץ ובחו"ל, בזוגיות כבר 3 שנים, קובע מטרות וכובש פסגות בדיוק כפי שעשיתי בהר בנפאל. בארבע השנים האחרונות אני חולק כמה שיותר מהחוויות שלי. "אל התהום ובחזרה" הוא שם ההרצאה שלי, שמטרתה העיקרית היא לעזור לאנשים להבין את כוח החשיבה החיובית, האופטימיות, האמונה וכוח הרצון ולהבין שאנחנו יכולים לעשות הכל! בואו לבקר באתר האינטרנט שלי: www.shaireller.co.il. I never asked why it happened or why it happened to me of all people, simply because I believe it does not really matter My name is Shai Reller. I am 35 years old and I live in Netanya, Israel. Twelve years ago I was badly injured in bus accident during a trip to Nepal. As a result, I remained almost completely paralyzed from the neck down, and confined to a wheelchair. At this point, I decided that I would try to fulfill all my plans, despite the injury and I went to learn my BA in Economics and MBA in business administration which I graduated with honors. Today, I am working as an analyst in a telecommunications company. The truth, I never asked why it happened or why it happened to me of all people, simply because I believe it does not really matter. I chose to give a good and positive meaning to my life. I travel for pleasure at home and abroad. I receive and give love in a partnership which is now 3 years strong. I determine goals and conquer peaks just as I did in the Nepal mountain. In the last four years, I share as much as possible about my experiences from the recent years. "To the Abyss and Back" is the name of my lecture in which it's main goal is to help people understand the strength of positive thinking, optimism, faith and will power and to understand that we can do everything! Come visit my website: www.shaireller.co.il.

My Story On July 1, 2007 I was in an automobile accident at the dunes in Pismo Beach, I was injured at a C-4 level leaving me a quadriplegic, but after a year of hard work I am able to push my own chair! I went back to school and got my AA in business and have a full life, full of family, a boyfriend, and a wonderful dog that never leaves my side. From what I hear and what I strive to be I'm in positive spirits and try to always keep a smile on my face. I'm dealing with some medical issues right now but as soon as I'm healed I plan to get a job and continue with my next goal which is driving.

I am thankful for being able to live up to my dreams My name is Oliver. Raised in Vienna, I already discovered as a child my passion for traveling the world, immersing in different cultures and learning new languages. I started to study history, languages and translation, which has brought me to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Scotland. Over three years ago, all my plans were suddenly changed and put to a halt, so it seemed. Over night, I could no longer walk or move my legs and I felt like a child in a surreal world that could be changed only in almighty dreams. Yet such changes did not happen and the neurological effects of the myelitis did not fade: for the rest of my life I would be forced to use a wheelchair. In the end, things did change somehow and I quickly realised that showing presence and participating in life would be the only means of survival. I started to resume traveling and learned new languages (Dutch and Spanish). And I have turned my passion into a new job: I have set up my own business as a translator and editor, started to write articles on accessible travelling and engaged in travel photography. Today, I am happy and – for all the occasional setbacks in life – I am thankful for being able to live up to my dreams. I would not like to change my life with anyone else: I am the true me, perhaps for the first time in my life.

My family has always encouraged me to not let my disability stop me. My name is Brittney, and I'm 22. I was born with spina bifida, and before I was born, doctors said I would be paralyzed from the neck down and unable to move, talk and communicate. Today, I'm only paralyzed from the knees down, and independent with a wheelchair. My family has always encouraged me to not let my disability stop me, and I've been clog dancing (like tap) since I was six. My grandma is the director of our group, and I can't thank her enough for being willing to help me adapt clogging and providing me with the opportunities dancing has brought my way. I'm preparing to preform in a national clogging showcase over Thanksgiving for my third time, and I'm so thankful for how I've been blessed through clogging! You really can do anything if you put your mind to it and are surrounded with support.

Who am I? Hi. I’m Miguel Longo, I'm from Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. I was born without any bones of the knee to the foot in my right leg and so the doctors preferred to amputate my right leg. It was amputated when I was about 2 years old. I started to use a prosthetic leg in 1998, was a leg that did not bend, much like dolls legs. I grew up using this type of prosthesis until my nine years when I got the SUS gift (which is a national public health program in Brazil) a better prosthesis. I practiced many sports before I start the surf, practiced football, swimming, badminton, skate and finally arrived in the surf, swimming I practice today, but I can say that my favorite sport is undoubtedly the surf. I started surfing in 2013, the same year as I entered college (Fundação Centro Universitário Estadual da Zona Oeste - UEZO) and was very good, as people began to take an interest in sport and the disabled person because I spoke to them about this. I currently surf with a prosthetic leg or knee. ADAPTSURF I did not get to surf alone, I learned to surf with a very special people! The ADAPTSURF provided me with all that magical moment of my life! Let us know a little about ADAPTSURF. Founded in 2007, ADAPTSURF is a non-profit association that promotes the social inclusion of people with disabilities or reduced mobility, ensuring equal opportunities and access to leisure, sport and culture, through direct contact with nature. Our proposal is to develop and disseminate adaptive surfing, fighting for preservation and improvements in the accessibility of beaches. We believe that the surf can be an excellent tool in the social, cultural and environmental issues because it is a healthy sport, democratic and full interaction with nature. My wins in the surf In 2013 I was honored as the ADAPTSURF revelation of the year. In 2014 he competed in the National Surf Circuit Adapted on the beach in Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro. I was second in the category S2 (surf knees) losing to the surfer Paulo Ricardo turned the battery on his last wave. In 2016 I won my first adapted surfing championship, was at the Circuit Adaptsurf 2016 organized by ADAPTSURF and the Surfing Federation of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FESERJ), I was champion in category Stand winning the last wave by only 0:02 points difference! In the category S1 competed against two great surfers and was in second place! Losing to the surfer from Florianopolis, Robson Gasperi. But got the last wave leaving the third place to second place, overtaking the founder of the Adaptsurf Henrique Saraiva, a big idol for me, a great surfer who already competed in the ISA WORLD SURFING CHAMPIONSHIP ADAPTIVE! I was very happy with my results and I thank God for all this. I apologize for bad English, but I had to share my story with you all. A big hug.

Time is on our side, and it waits for no one! On the night of February 24th, 2004 I was shot by a stray bullet! It's a freaky story on how it happened... The bullet went through someone else's arm then came out and got me in the neck. Skip a few years later I decided to put some of my biggest fears behind me. On July 2, 2015 I held nothing back. No thoughts about being doubtful, not having any nerves or fears! While being up so high, smelling the refreshing air and looking down as I was about to jump on God's amazing creation! I soon realized that no matter what, I have a hand in creating my own destiny. At that moment I knew that I was still developing into something great and seeing things differently. Time is on our side, and it waits for no one! So I've learned to keep it moving- It's NOW or NEVER!

Born this way September 13, 1987 I was born and doctors told my family that I would never walk or be an independent individual because of my Spina Bifida. It wasn't long until I was walking with the aid of leg braces and eventually seeking an active lifestyle. My mother took me to a sledge hockey practice and my life was forever changed. The athlete life Right away I became obsessed with sports. For a few years I was playing sledge hockey, wheelchair basketball and also being a track and field athlete. I wanted to be competing all of the time. My passion for sport got the attention of College coaches in the United States and I was then competing with the University of Alabama and winning a national championship. I returned from my time in the USA and was quickly approached by someone connected to the Canadian Women's Sledge Hockey team and invited me to try out. I made the team that season and I have continued to play for Canada since then. I train five days a week at the Wheelchair Basketball Canada National Academy as a development carded athlete. My passion for sport is stronger than ever and I dedicate every day to becoming a better athlete and making my country proud.

Universal Design with Fashion in Mind Our company, BILLY Footwear, is the brainchild of two Seattle locals: Darin Donaldson and myself, Billy Price. Our focus is on shoes that are fashionable and promote universal design, meaning they both appeal to and work for everyone. After breaking my neck from a three-story fall in October of 1996, I became paralyzed from the chest down and lost the ability to move much of my body, including my fingers. Daily tasks that I took for granted, such as putting on clothes, became much more difficult. Throughout the years I found clothing companies that catered to the adaptive community and I also learned tricks for getting dressed more easily given my function level. That said, the one piece of clothing that always eluded me was shoes—I could never find a pair of shoes that I felt were both attractive and that I could put on independently. Thus began my eighteen year solution journey... but the solution I was seeking for my own challenges grew into something bigger—it became a mission to get shoes to everybody and ensure the shoes were both stylish and functional. I did not want to wear shoes that screamed "adaptive". Our shoes utilize universal design techniques, which incorporate zippers that go along the side of the shoes and around the toe, allowing the upper of each shoe to open and fold over completely. Thus the wearer can place his or her foot onto the shoe footbed unobstructed. Then with a tug on the zipper-pull the shoe closes and secures overtop the user's foot. It's simple. It's easy. Yes, our shoes have adaptive characteristics, but we would hardly call them "adaptive" in the traditional sense of the word. "Adaptive" refers to a niche market. And although we can satisfy the adaptive market we are not constrained by it. Our customer target is everyone! We are all equal. And by design, our shoes embody that belief. The term, "universal design" is used all the time in the construction of homes and city buildings, referring to environments that accommodate all parties. Why not apply the same term to fashion? Add some stylish flair and bam, our shoes work for the masses. Universal design with fashion in mind—it has a good ring to it, don't you think?

Congenital Nevus Is Not Contagious And It's Rare I swear I got used to people staring at you, the comments behind our backs, the sad fact is that no matter how much we talk about inclusion and acceptance, the one who is different remains excluded and will always draw attention. Sometimes it is even amusing. But it is hard for me when people are just mean. How can someone laugh about you, my beloved son? Erezi, the easiest thing was to burst on that mother, laughing at her young daughter's insulting remarks about your unique look (things I can't even put in writing). I swear that at that moment I felt as if I would squash her face (and much more). But you just smiled, took my hand, and just kept on walking. A magical touch you have my child, it's a fact that instead of me wanting to strangle her, I have decided to show everyone that I am so proud of you and your many dots. Especially that dot which is really close to your beautiful eye that manages to see all the goodness in this world and disregard all other. To sum up... it is important to me that people all over the world will know that there is a name for it. it is called Congenital Nevus and satellites sometimes it comes with NCM. It is not contagious, and it is rare. There are brave children and adults who are challenged by this rare disease all over the world. And to you dear mother, if this post reaches you just know that I choose to forgive you, not only because it is the days of forgiveness of Rosh Hashana but because of my treasure that teaches me everyday how to be a better person. I wish I were you!

You can either control it or let it control you My name is Harry. I'm 21-years-old from Manchester England and I was born five weeks early at 3lbs with a radial clubbed hand meaning my hand bends inwards. I also had the thumb amputated at a very young age due to lack of bones and have Klippel-Feil Syndrome in my neck meaning six of my eight discs are fused together. However, none of it prevents me from doing anything physical. I grew up in an MMA family where I was taught to keep moving forward with a strong mentality. Through a strong mentality and the right people around me, I have since travelled across the pond to teach MMA/wrestling to limb-different children at summer camps for NubAbility. I now also run DisabilityIsAbility.com, sharing my stories and many others in the community. Disability is a gift; a test of all kinds. It's a psychological play - you can either control it or let it control you.