With generous support from Coca-Cola, United Spinal launched our Work Readiness program to support wheelchair users through their employment journey. Through weekly meetings, participants learn how to craft a compelling resume, prepare for interviews, navigate benefits & accommodations, and leverage technology. Greg Houck, an international wheelchair rugby player and a C5-6 quadriplegic, reflects on his experience. As an entrepreneur for the last 30 years, Greg has never had an official resume or experience with interviews. “It was the first time I’ve ever had to do a resume because I’ve a ..read more

United Spinal Association is forging partnerships with policymakers, airlines, and other key stakeholders to make convenient and safe flying for people with disabilities possible. The following developments are possible because of everyone who shared their stories as part of our relentless push towards equality, which has also won us important gains in the civil rights landscape. United Spinal Association is working with United Airlines to make flying easier for wheelchair users. Thanks to updates to its booking software, United Airlines will offer us the opportunity to sort and select fl ..read more

During our first-ever Giving Week, we are sharing impactful stories from wheelchair users. United Spinal is proud to be a part of Cheryl Jacobs’ journey to success. “As a wheelchair user, I don’t know where I would be without United Spinal. They take each and every one of my concerns seriously and advocate on our behalf to ensure that we are included in this world, and we can enjoy it as much as any able-bodied person,” she says.  Here is her story. Meet Cheryl Jacobs, Ph.D. She is a wheelchair user, a sister, a daughter, and a scientist. “I have always loved science and always been a sci ..read more

TandemStride announces the official launch of its purpose-built peer-to-peer platform, dedicated to supporting individuals and their families following a traumatic injury. United Spinal Association will be part of their peer network alongside the Trauma Survivors Network (TSN), Amputee Coalition and Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. This will offer users a nationwide collection of resources and trained peers with lived experience. The power of peer support Millions of people experience trauma each year in the United States. TandemStride aims to create a robust community built on a found ..read more

The Brooke Ellison Community Visionary Award honors a wheelchair user who advances the fields of technology or business. Awardees exemplify civic engagement and social responsibility ideals — especially regarding the disability community. United Spinal Association will present this inaugural award at its 2024 Strongwheeled Together conference. Brooke Ellison was United Spinal Association’s Vice President of Technology and Innovation. She led the Tech Access Initiative, which collaborates with members of the technology sector and disability community to innovate inclusive technology. World-Clas ..read more

In this day of information overload, finding the most accurate and updated information is not easy. NASCIC and our principal members are trying to understand and then overcome the information gap experienced by people living with SCI, but we need to hear from you first. This survey is an effort to better understand the health information sources people use and value as well as the health information needs and gaps among the SCI Community. We are seeking input from people with SCI lived experience including those living with SCI, family members, spouses & partners as well as caregivers. The ..read more

Thanks to generous support from Byram Healthcare, United Spinal will distribute New Beginning Backpacks to over 100 hospital partners. They are filled with tools and resources to help people overcome the unique challenges of living with a new spinal cord injury or disorder. “Often, the New Beginning Backpack program serves as a tool that individuals may overlook until they find themselves in need. It may quietly occupy a corner of their room until the transition home occurs and they are inundated with inquiries, unsure of where to seek answers,” says Matt Castelluccio, United Spinal’s VP of Co ..read more

BREAKING NEWS: Together, we are making real progress in our fight for wheelchair users to fly safely and with dignity. The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a proposed rule on February 28. The rule aims to improve the air travel experience for people with mobility impairments. Comments are due May 13. Most importantly, DOT needs to hear from you. Here are some points to highlight in your comments: Better training requirements to stop physical injuries and wheelchair damage, and Prompt return of wheelchairs and mobility devices and prompt repair or replacement of damaged wheelch ..read more

There is no such thing as “being grandfathered in” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. However, some businesses may be covered by something called “safe harbor.” To make it even more confusing, a business may comply with government guidelines but still be in violation of the ADA. Our ADA Expert, Marsha Mazz, is here to help you make sense of it all.  Do you have an accessibility-related question you’d like answered? Subscribe to our United Spinal Newsletter, hit reply, and Marsha will happily answer it for you! It started with a question: Why aren’t more buildings accessible? Ale ..read more

Meet Linda Norah-Davis, an attorney and the United Spinal Association of Houston Chapter Advocacy Coordinator. When she was 18, she was hospitalized for a spinal cord tumor that resulted in an SCI. She received a few months of physical therapy in her home state of Louisiana but was never referred to rehab. Over 30 years later, she decided to go to TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas, for rehabilitation. It was a life-transforming decision. “My experience with TIRR, a Spinal Cord Injury Model System, changed my life tremendously,” says Linda. She shared why increasing funding for SCIMS, the ..read more