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A Chapter of the United Spinal Association
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Meet Our President
Monica Blaauw, MS, OTR/L, CKTP, is President of the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois.
Monica has been an occupational therapist for 11 years . Eight of those years have been spent working with the spinal cord population. She is a Master Clinician at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital with a specialty of Spinal Cord Injury. She created and facilitates "Lives in Motion" the SCI resource group at Marianjoy. She has also taught courses on Spinal Cord Injury and Post Acute Care as well as courses on Kinesio Taping.
Since joining the SCIA Board of Directors in 2010, Monica has worked diligently on behalf of the organization, for the sake of people with spinal cord injuries. Whenever a job needs to be done, "yes" comes very easily from Monica. She has served on many committees and brought scores of colleagues and friends to benefits; works on Board Development; serves as a Team Leader for Beyond Boundaries; oversees the board activities and helps assure that the daily activities of SCIA run smoothly.
Monica is generous with her time and talents and she is just fun to be with!
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Mobility Expo
Tinley Park Convention Center
Saturday, November 14, 2015 10 am-4 pm
SCIA Winter Benefit
It's 5 O'Clock Somewhere!
February 20, 2016
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1996 Dodge Ram
Full size
conversion van
Accommodates 2 wheelchairs & 3 ambulatory people
No hand controls.
Power lift
Just over 100,000 miles
Contact Victoria in Chicago
773-264-2419
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FREE Invacare bed!
3 years old and has a remote, comes with a gel mattress and an air mattress with a fixed pressure pump. Great shape! Must be picked up in a Chicago suburb. Contact Kim.brown3@comcast.net
or 630-632-1055
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Interested in getting
more involved with
SCIA?
Become a member of our association!
Are you Spinal Cord
injured?
Membership is
free to those who are
spinal cord injured.
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Beyond Boundaries
On September 11- 13, 2015, Beyond Boundaries participants enjoyed a weekend full of exciting events. Seven teams and over 60 people from five hospitals, including RIC, Schwab, Christ, Marianjoy, and Van Matre-Health South, participated in events such as kayaking, rock climbing, camping, and hand cycling.
First time participant, Louis Meno, (C6 Quad), had this to say about the experience, "
We only made it up for the day but definitely worth the trip; as someone with a relatively recent injury it was a great way to check out different adaptive equipment in a casual environment (i.e. hand cycle, kayaks) but the best part is just getting to meet and hang out with others - you haven't lived until you've experienced breakfast tacos with Jorge and Jose! It's easy going and laid back, yet well organized and there's plenty of support when needed. I loved having the opportunity to try out a kayak! Thanks to all the volunteers and therapists that attended!"
Beyond Boundaries works in conjunction with Adaptive Adventures and takes place in Mississippi Palisades Park. It is a limitless outdoor adventure. Each year team members share inspiring and motivating stories from their weekend.
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Take Our SCIA Survey
As part of their graduate studies in business psychology, a small group of students at Elmhurst College is doing a survey for the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois (SCIA.) This is an excellent opportunity for us to learn if the greatest needs of people with SCI are what we think they are. It is also an opportunity for you to share your thoughts about the organization.
This survey can be completed in a just a few minutes. Just go to the website below and tell us how best SCIA can serve you.
Your participation will really be appreciated. Thank you!
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An Incomplete Wheelchair Is No Wheelchair
An incomplete wheelchair is unusable, unsafe, and a blow to your mobility and independence.
Medicare is trying to make incomplete wheelchairs the norm for recipient wheelchair users with severe disabilities.
United Spinal Association has issued an updated position paper on Complex Rehabilitation Technology and an Action Alert. For more information click
here.
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Pet of the Month
November's pets of the month are Lee Krizka's three dogs. Merlot is Lee's current service dog, even though he is blind he is a dedicated companion and still works with Lee at Advocate Christ Hospital, visiting patients. Java is in service dog training. He is working hard to one-day fill Merlot's shoes. And Riley is just cute.
Lee and her husband Karl, who works as a PT Assistant, live with Merlot, Riley and Java. Lee does many injury prevention programs for SCIA. She enjoys talking with the PT and OT students and is a big hit with senior citizen groups when she does presentations on prevention of falls. Merlot travels with Lee to her injury prevention programs and is very popular!
Merlot Riley Java
Send us a picture of your dog (or cat) and we will post a pet of the month in our newsletter.
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Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers
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Hello from Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers,
Helping Hands service monkeys provide increased independence as well as companionship to adults living with mobility challenges at no cost to our recipients.
These past few months we have been very busy with applicants and our recent placements in California, Maine, and New York. Next month we're looking forward to another placement in California. We're now in our 4th quarter and we're seeking appropriate candidates for placements in 2016.
So please keep us in mind when you're thinking of referrals for your patients.
I would be more than happy to send you some of our videos to view as well as brochures which you can provide to your patients and families.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss a potential referral please
email
or call at (617) 787-4419 x 130.
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Champaign Area Events
Here are a few events taking place in the Champaign-Urbana area:
Wednesday, November 4, 2015-
National Depression Screening Day from 12:00-1:00pm in room D-244 at Parkland College. Questions, contact Jennifer Klatsky at
jklatsky@parkland.edu
Monday, November 16, 2015- Healthy Living During the Holidays, from 6:00-7:00 at PACE, Inc (1317 E. Florida Ave, Urbana).Contact Dylan Boot at
dylan@pacecil.org
Saturday, November 21, 2015- 2015 International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day from 10:00-1:30 at Parkland College Student Center. For more information contact Marilyn Ryan at
mryan@parkland.edu or Dennis Cockrum at
dcockrum@parkland.edu.
Monday, December 21, 2015- Managing Emotional Well-Being, from 6:00-7:00 at PACE, Inc (1317 E. Floida Ave, Urbana) Contact Dylan Boot at
dylan@pacecil.org
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Study: Fall Prevention in Wheelchair Users with SCI
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is conducting a research study to examine ways to prevent falls in individuals living with SCI who primarily use a wheelchair for community mobility. Participants will be compensated $102 for participation and $50 for travel over 50 miles. To qualify you must be SCI, be at least 1 year post onset, over 18 years old, main mobility is a wheelchair, have a history of falls, ability to transfer either with moderate assistance or less, able to sit upright for at least one hour, not pregnant, and understand and read English.
If you are interested in learning more about the study and participating, contact Dr. Rice at ricela@illinois.edu.
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It's Holiday Shopping Season and You Can Support SCIA!
Are you an Amazon shopper? Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your purchases to Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois whenever you shop
AmazonSmile. Visit
www.smile.amazon.com/ch/36-3149036 and select SCIA as your charity of choice. Its easy and won't cost you a penny!
SCIA is a member of the Community Health Charities of Illinois and the Combined Federal Campaign, an employee giving program. Campaigns are currently going on, so ask anyone you know who works for the federal government, including your mail carrier or anyone in the military, to consider designating SCIA as the recipient of their contributions. Our ID number for federal government employees is 48552.
Remember SCIA when making any memorial contributions or honoring birthdays, weddings, graduations, or other special occasions.
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Exercise Machine Looking For Feedback
This company is looking for feedback from potential patients, spouses, caretakers, family members .... as well as users of rehab and exercise equipment compared to our machine. They welcome opinions on what features of the machine you think bring most benefit and value and maybe others that should be added.
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SportsAbilities
SportsAbilities is all about getting relevant information to people with disabilities whether that means access to resources, events to help people stay active, or news articles. There national calendar has events from all over the country but you can find out about specific events in your area by visiting the website and clicking on your state under the calendars tab.
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RIC Adaptive Sports Program
The RIC Adaptive Sports Program offers eleven different sports programs. They offer Archery, Boccia, Cycling/Road Racing, Wheelchair Basketball, Golf, Sled Hockey, Wheelchair Softball, Wheelchair Rugby, Military Sports Program, Caring for Kids, Junior Competitive Sports and Rock Climbing.
These programs are open to anyone with a disability.
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SCI Support Groups:
For those who are injured and their families. The more the merrier!
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Advocate Christ Medical Center
4440 W. 95th Street
Oak Lawn, IL 60453
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
5:00 pm
Rehab Gym - Room 026S Ground Floor
Contact Mercedes Rauen at SCIA
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hosptial
26W171 Roosevelt Road
3rd Floor Gym
Wheaton, IL 60187
Tuesday, November 17, 2015 6:00-7:30 pm
Topic TBA
Contact Monica Blaauw for meeting dates and locations
SCI Support Group Rockford IL
Van Matre Rehab Hospital
950 S. Mulford Road
Rockford, IL 61108
Outpatient Gym
Meets the second Wednesday of each month @ 6:00pm
Decatur Area Group!!
S.C.I.P Support Group
Heartland Health Care Center
444 W. Harrison Ave
Decatur, IL 62526
217-419-8855
For November group info contact
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Hope Clinic Support Group
3137 Woodward St
Springfield, IL
5:30- 7:00 pm
Report from Christie Davis on the Working To Walk Science and Advocacy Symposium
Contact Christie Davis for more information
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The SCIA newsletter is an informational resource only. SCIA neither endorses nor recommends services provided by any of the sources listed therein.
SCIA Newsletter edited by Kimberly Houston. |
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