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ABILITIES BUZZ
Keeping you abreast of current news and trends in the disability and senior markets
June 2005
Welcome to ABILITIES BUZZ 2005 , a monthly newsletter that keeps you updated on the latest news and trends in the disability and senior markets. In this issue we provide a report on how communities are banding together to provide extracurricular activities for young people living with a disability; we also review the House passage of the Stem Cell Enhancement Act. We report on the 2005 National Quad Rugby Championships; and we report on how new assistive devices are improving the lives of people living with a disability. This month we also feature a report from The Orange County Register that highlights from Abilities Expo/ Southern California, which took place from June 3-5 at the Anaheim Convention Center. It's not too late to register for Abilities Expo/ Metro Detroit taking place August 26-28 at the Novi Expo Center in Novi, MI. Visit www.abilitiesexpo.com for more information.
Read on for a synopsis of the latest industry news and trends. For complete text on any of the articles, email [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Athletes with quadriplegia take sports to the extreme with wheelchair version A report on the 2005 National Quad Rugby Championships and "Murderball" Release
The Boston Globe, on May 31, reports on the 2005 National Quad Rugby Championships, a game as fearless as its competitors. James DuBose, 33, who became a quadriplegic in 1992 when a deer cut in front of his pickup truck and he was thrown from the vehicle, is one of those athletes. Hustling for a loose ball, DuBose, playing for the Pasadena Texans, is clipped from behind. He flips his wheelchair and lands on his head. The game is stopped and DuBose is picked up by members of the staff. There is no hush from the crowd, because Broadbent Arena is empty. His teammates are totally unconcerned. They see this as an opportunity to catch their breath, make minor adjustments to their gloves, grab a gulp of water. DuBose refuses to come out; after all, this happens all the time. The players call it "Murderball " among themselves but they use another name in an official capacity so they don't terrify sponsors.
Welcome to the 2005 National Quad Rugby Championships. "I figure I've already got a broken neck, what else can happen?" said DuBose. According to league officials, at least 75 percent of the players incurred their spinal cord injuries in motor vehicle accidents, and there's an alarming number of young players who were gunshot victims. The game is played by quadriplegics in special wheelchairs with angled wheels and metal grills. Played on a regulation basketball court, it's a combination of football, basketball, hockey, and ''Ben-Hur." They don't have to wear helmets, but all players must be strapped in.
It is only fitting that the championships are held here in Muhammad Ali's hometown, because each athlete has the heart of a champion. Eight teams battle for a trophy. There is no prize money. To be eligible, players must have a combination of upper- and lower-extremity impairment. Three limbs must be affected. Before the tournament, each player is evaluated and given a classification ranging from .5 for the worst injuries to 3.5. Teams field four players at a time, and their combined classifications must not exceed 8. They use a regulation (but sticky) volleyball with a pseudo-blood-stained hand as a logo. They play four eight-minute quarters.
From the gyms of middle America to the Olympic arena in Athens, Greece, "Murderball" tells the story of a group of world-class athletes unlike any ever shown on screen. In addition to smashing chairs, it will smash every stereotype you ever had about the disabled. It is a film about family, revenge, honor, sex (yes, they can) and the triumph of love over loss. But most of all, it is a film about standing up, even after your spirit - and your spine - has been crushed. The film will be released in NY and LA on July 8, 2005 followed by a national release.
For more information visit www.murderballmovie.com
Communities band together to provide innovations for people living with disabilities Two New Jersey communities provide better accessibility to people living with disabilities
On May 15, the NJ Edition of The New York Times reports that two areas of New Jersey are working hard to change the perception of "fun" and "disability." In Hamilton, New Jersey, one of the most wheelchair-accessible baseball fields in the Northeast is taking shape. And, in Passaic, New Jersey, a hands-free pinball machine is making waves.
In Hamilton, the wheelchair-accessible baseball field is not wheelchair-accessible for the fans, but for the players. It's called a Miracle Field, and when it's completed this summer, said Greg Blair of the Hamilton/Washington Townships Sunrise Rotary, it will be the 15th such field in the country, and the first in the Northeast. It consists not of dirt and grass, but of a seamless synthetic material laid over blacktop, similar to a tennis court, so that a player in a wheelchair can roll around the bases, or one who struggles to walk can roam the infield without tripping in rough terrain.
The ''field of dreams'' cliches will no doubt be thick in the air then, but ''field of persistence'' is more to the point. The club found that the concept was one thing, paying for it another: the costs seemed prohibitive. But then the Rotarians connected with another local organization, the Hamilton Area Y.M.C.A., which had two things they did not: a large tract on Sawmill Road, and an organizational structure that could run the league, Special Kids Organized Recreation, which provides programs for the disabled. Kathy Rhead, director of Special Kids, said she hopes to have a fall and a spring league, with 100 children participating initially.
Speaking of reaching out, it has been three years since Ron Kochel and Gene Gulich of Passaic, NJ caused a stir at the Abilities Expo in Edison with their adaptive pinball machine, something they had developed almost as an afterthought (their main line of work being a glass-replacement business). It was a regular pinball machine that they had adapted so that it could be played by people with little or no hand use, via switching devices that could be flicked with the hand or the foot or even the head. Back then they had made only a few of the machines, but word has spread. Now, Mr. Kochel said, their company, U Can Do, has about 50 out in the world.
He is especially excited about two recent wrinkles: one of his machines has a cameo in an informational film being made by the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Resource Center, and he just received an order from the New York City public schools. The Reeve Center recently sent a crew to a private home in Mountainside to film a woman playing a U Can Do machine. And Mr. Kochel is preparing to deliver two pinball machines to a public school on Staten Island -- unusual, he said, because most of his sales have been to privately financed institutions or ones for adults.
Support for Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation Supports Act as a First Step Toward Unfettered Scientific Inquiry
The PR Newswire on May 23, reports The Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation (CRPF), the non-profit organization founded by the late actor Christopher Reeve and his wife Dana Reeve to fund research for cures and treatments for spinal cord injuries and provide resources for people living with disabilities, strongly supported passage of H.R. 810, the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act. The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, passed in the House with a vote of 238-194.
"H.R. 810 is an important first step in moving the country toward unfettered scientific research," said Michael Manganiello, senior vice president of Government Relations for the CRPF. "The bill would allow scientists access to stem cell lines derived from donated, unused embryos from in vitro fertilization clinics, vastly expanding the lines available for research." The current law only gives scientists with Federal support access to stem cell lines derived prior to August 9, 2001.
"The bill enjoyed broad bi-partisan support among Americans, with even Republican constituents favoring it by a 55 percent to 40 percent majority," Manganiello noted. "We hope that their elected representatives in Congress and the White House will recognize the will of the people by passing and enacting this legislation into law." "In addition to the immediate need to give American scientists the opportunity to work in this promising field with Federal support, there is a larger issue," said Kathy Lewis, president and CEO of the CRPF. "Inhibiting basic scientific research of any kind is unacceptable. It steals hope from the millions of Americans that are counting on the promise of scientific breakthroughs."
Medical Devices that are Changing People's Lives Breakthrough in assistive technology
On May 29, Medical Devices & Surgical Technology Week reports on a new medical device that is helping to improve the lives of those living with disabilities. Lisa's 4-year-old son Billy has Spinal Muscular Atrophy Type 1, a disease that has minimized his movement and muscle control, leaving him with just the slightest movement in his hands. After trying several very expensive alternative input devices and being disappointed with the results, Lisa found the SmartNAV from NaturalPoint. The SmartNAV is a hands-free mouse alternative that allows for complete control of a computer using only slight head movements or, in Billy's case, arm movements.
The SmartNAV can help a wide range of people, from those with physical disabilities like ALS and quadriplegia to those who are experiencing pain from repetitive strain injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Head tracking devices, like the SmartNAV, have been on the market for years, so while this is not a revolutionary new type of device, the price is. The industry standard price for head tracking devices is $1000, which does not include the software necessary for complete computer control. If a user wants the ability to perform an actual mouse click, that software will cost them extra.
The SmartNAV product line ranges in cost from $199 to $399, with the $399 model offering built-in dwell-clicking and on-screen keyboard for truly complete computer control. These prices allow families and friends to purchase the device without needing insurance companies or subsidies, which can be very slow or may not be available. Nearly 80% of SmartNAV purchases are funded personally without the need for grants or insurance companies. A common misconception is that because of the low price the SmartNAV is inferior to the $1,000+ head tracking devices. Reading through the product testimonials, one will discover that many users have replaced their older, more expensive head-controlled mice with the SmartNAV.
When asked how the SmartNAV delivers the same performance as competitors at a fraction of the cost, NaturalPoint's president Jim Richardson said, "When I was designing the SmartNAV I was driven from the perspective of what a user would need, including the need to be able to afford the device." This focus included incorporating cutting-edge technology that allowed Jim to eliminate the need for costly microchips by utilizing the power of modern computers.
Devices for disabled dazzle Abilities Expo showcases high-tech gadgets to help people move around.
Lisa Liddane a reporter for The Orange County Register visited the Abilities Expo/Southern California and wrote the following article on June 6th. Saturday was a different kind of "window-shopping" day for the Cabrals of Irvine. It wasn't for toys, clothes or candy. Instead, they came to look for ways to enable the Cabral kids to explore the world. Rick Cabral, 41, his wife, Laura, 40, and six of their seven kids were among the families at the Abilities Expo, an annual event showcasing the latest products that help the disabled with daily living. Up to 15,000 people were expected to attend the three-day event that ends today. "We're here to get ideas, then we talk about them with the kids' physical therapist," said Laura Cabral.
Four Cabral boys have an undiagnosed medical condition that mimics some symptoms of cerebral palsy. The children need equipment such as wheelchairs to get around. On the family's wish list: A wheelchair for Simon, 3. Standers to support Christopher, 12, and Michael, 14, in a standing position. And for Daniel, 10, a recumbent bike so he can ride like his brothers.
In another aisle, Dusty Brandom and his parents had their eye on the iBOT, a motorized wheelchair that can travel on grass, sand and gravel. It even descends a small set of stairs. "I like that iBOT's seat can go up and high," said Dusty, 12, who has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic condition in which muscles gradually deteriorate. "We like the iBOT because it can go up and down steps and enable Dusty to communicate with others at eye level," said Dusty's mom, Catherine Brandom, 42, of Newport Beach.
Other products included GameCycle, a machine with handlebars for an upper-body workout while the user plays Nintendo GameCube video games, and Akcess Fitness Systems, a wheelchair- friendly home gym.
About Abilities Buzz ABILITIES BUZZ is sponsored by Questex Media Group, producers of Abilities Expo. We encourage our readers to submit information on news and articles of interest that can be shared within the industry. Send story ideas to Amy Riemer at [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Our goal is to keep you abreast of the latest news being reported in the industry to improve the lives of people with disabilities, senior citizens, their families and caregivers - as well as healthcare and education professionals.
Following is the list of dates and locations for the four remaining Abilities Expos to be held in 2005: · Abilities Expo/Metro Detroit - August 26-28 at the Novi Expo Center in Novi, MI. · Abilities Expo/Chicago Metro - September 16-18 at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. · Abilities Expo/Northern California - November 18-20 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA. · Abilities Expo/Texas - December 9-11, 2005 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, TX
Seeking Speaker Proposals With four upcoming conferences in 2005, the Abilities Team is seeking proposals for speakers. Key areas of interest for 2005 include children with disabilities, hearing and visual impairments, respite care, feeding, and hyperbaric oxygenation therapy (HBOT). If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please visit our website www.abilitiesexpo.com, and submit a speakers proposal.
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