What's Happening: [Abilities Expo]

Description: [The Abilities Expo is returning to the valley this September! Access Your World – Find out how at Abilities Expo! Test drive the latest product & tech, conquer an all-inclusive climbing wall, consult experts from the disability community, push your limits with adaptive activities, network with your Expo family, and get the answers you need! Admission is FREE. Register here today!

The Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association will be providing transportation from Ability360 Center to WestWorld for the duration of the Abilities Expo. Space is limited. To sign up for transportation, click here.]

When: [Friday, September 8th from 11am-5pm, Saturday, September 9th from 11am-5pm, Sunday, September 10th from 11am-4pm]

Where: [WestWorld of Scottsdale]

Cost: [FREE]

September is National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month. Recent estimates show that 17,730 new cases of spinal cord injury occur each year in the United States. That's 54 cases per 1 million people.

It is important to spread awareness on SCI and advocate for the community. Ways to support during SCI Awareness Month:

1. Wear a green ribbon in support of survivors
2. Raise funds for research and educational efforts
3. Support and participate in local non-profts events and programs

Join us for our Meditation & Movement Virtual Class!

Next Classes:

Sep 6th & Sep 20th at 11 am



Where: Via Zoom Call

The intent of the class is to exercise and develop greater self-awareness and inner mastery. With the utilization of mindful and meditation exercises, people have the opportunity to experience greater self-knowledge, resiliency, and positive habit-forming exercises. Come for the experience. Stay for the FUN!

Sign up @ : www.ability360.org/sports/class-schedule/

Virtual Class Link:

Virtual Meditation and Movement Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87199163237?pwd=WUlLWHFjYXlTa2tNQ3J2MXYzc1NoZz09&from=addon

Meeting ID: 871 9916 3237

Passcode: 764454

Join the Arizona Spinal Cord Injury Association on Friday, October 6th, 2023 for our 8th Annual Push Forward Educational Conference, an all-day interactive conference for individuals with spinal cord injuries, family members, caregivers, students, and professionals. The conference is FREE to attend for consumers and one family member/caregiver. For additional family members, students, and professionals to attend, it is $40. 

Thank you to our Presenting Sponsors!

AZSCIA's Board of Directors Member, Sharon Malone, just went on the adventure of a lifetime in Cozumel, Mexico to go scuba diving. Sharon shares her experience below.

On October 24th, 2012, I was in a motor vehicle accident that left me paralyzed from the chest down (T5 complete). I have been doing adventurous things since 2014 including, skydiving, water sports, camping, hiking, and of course my favorite, scuba diving. My PT, Duane Blau was a certified buddy diver and he encouraged me to get scuba certified. When Ability360 offered a scuba trial at the adaptive pool at their facility in 2018, I took a leap of faith and went out of my comfort zone. With the help of the scuba team from Saguaro Dive Shop, I got certified in September 2019.

All I needed now was a beautiful location (Cozumel, Mexico) and my buddy diver Duane to come with me. Duane has been a part of the adaptive scuba organization called LifeWaters (www.lifewaters.org) since its inception. This group works explicitly with people with all types of disabilities not just SCI. People come from all over the country to learn how to scuba dive. Due to Covid restrictions, my first diving experience wasn’t until August 2021. It was the best seven days of my life. Even with Hurricane Grace hitting the island, I still got to do ten dives. On the first trip, there were four other people who were in wheelchairs but there were 12 people who came the week after I left. Both para and quads were among them along with MS, amputees, and other disabilities. Each with our own challenges, the divers are caring, and capable of handling us all. It was truly the best adventure I have ever taken in my entire life. It was all thanks to Duane for encouraging me to try it as well as being my buddy diver.

With a year gap, I was ready to get back to diving. On August 12-19th, 2023, I was lucky enough to return to Cozumel. I had returned to the beautiful, crystal clear waters that I remembered. New faces, new crew, new boats but, luckily the same Gigglin Marlin dive shop was there to host this dive with Lifewaters. This time around I knew what to expect. I was more prepared for traveling, more prepared for hotel accommodations and more prepared for the diving. I still am far away from being independent but I am slowly learning how to handle myself underwater. I did have a mask issue again as I had feared but after having to do it 20 times on our second dive, I got over that fear. This trip I was able to concentrate more on the beauty of life under the sea, than worrying about my equipment. I saw two nurse sharks. One was a face-to-face encounter which was the coolest experience I could ever of imagined. These sharks were not aggressive and were almost just enjoying being around us. He had swum away at one point, only to return once again. I know it sounds silly but I would have loved to have reached out to pet him just to let him (or her) know how much I enjoyed being around their world. I also saw several sea turtles, toadfish (only native to Cozumel), lobsters, crabs, puffer fish, and more… I even did my first night dive where I saw two eels and even more fish, crabs, and lobsters. That was an experience in itself. You go underwater at sunset but you come up when its pitch black except for the bright stars above you. On this trip, we also got to go to a sandy beach area where you are swimming with sting rays. I mean some HUGE sting rays. Luckily, I can only float so they aren’t touching my feet on the bottom of the water!! It was a nice and relaxing last dive before heading back to the States. At our farewell dinner, I won the most amazing hand-made wired wheelchair scuba skeleton that even had a regulator in its mouth so you knew it was a diver. I wanted that so bad last trip but didn’t win so it was even more special to get it this time around. Wishes do come true.

The benefits of scuba were still the same as my first time. I had less nerve pain, no edema in my feet or legs, my bowel program was more regular and my skin looked healthier aside from my burnt lips. Aside from my hair not cooperating with the humidity, all was great health-wise. Who knew that scuba could be such a benefit? Now let’s just lobby for Medicare to

cover that one instead of medications. Wouldn’t that be amazing? Any water therapy is good for you but scuba diving is so much more amazing even for someone like me who deals with anxiety.

In the end, I got to see new amazing people accomplish amazing things including myself. Once again, I overcame my doubts and fears of Scuba Diving with an SCI and I was able to enjoy the ocean and all its sea life. As I’ve said before, there’s nothing I can’t do I just got to do it in a different way. I also encourage people to try it as remember live for today as tomorrow is never promised. ------ Sharon Malone

That's How We Roll - SCI Support Group

This support group is based in Sedona, AZ. They meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month from 2pm-3:30pm.