As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, the Board of the United Spinal Association’s Northeast Ohio Chapter would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our chapter members. We’re thankful to celebrate another year of building our chapter’s membership and support for the SCI community in Northeast Ohio.
SCI Forum Recap
In September, we attended MetroHealth’s 27th annual Spinal Cord Injury Forum, an educational conference designed to support the SCI community. Our chapter’s president, Megan Hammond Nechols, planned this event in partnership with the MetroHealth Spinal Cord Injury & Rehabilitation team. Thanks to their hard work, this year’s SCI forum featured a broad variety of session topics ranging across navigating air travel as a wheelchair user, healthcare updates from a nursing perspective, and adaptive surgery and technologies. After a break from in-person events due to the pandemic, this year’s forum offered an opportunity to convene and share informational resources with individuals living with SCI, their friends and family, and organizations serving the SCI community.
Thank you to keynote speaker Joci Scott from the LA Rollettes Wheelchair Dance Team, who concluded the forum with reflections on SCI representation in Hollywood. After a plane crash resulting in a T12 injury, Scott is making a name for herself as an actress, singer, dancer, and content creator in Los Angeles – you can follow her along her journey at her website or by following her instagram page. If you weren’t able to attend, recordings of the 27th annual SCI Forum are available here.
We were honored to table this event along with other exhibitors, including Adaptive Sports Ohio, Coloplast, Convatec, Hollister, Inc., Canine Companions – Northern Ohio Volunteer Chapter, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, MetroHealth Gerson Center Vocation Services, MetroHealth Smoking Cessation, and the NORSCIS Research team. We hope to see you there next year!
Thanks to all who supported our chapter in 2024!
In 2024, we had abundant opportunities to build community with our chapter members. After connecting with chapter members at Guardians games, performances at Cleveland Play House and the Cleveland Orchestra at Blossom Music Center, we would love to hear your feedback on how we can deliver an even better lineup for our Community Event Ticket Program in 2025. Please don’t hesitate to reach out about events you’d like to attend next year, or how we can make the program more accessible in the future.
This year’s Car Show & Cookout in June marked another success, and we can’t wait to host another one next year. If you couldn’t attend the car show in 2024, there are a host of resources available to help you navigate driving options following an SCI, including MetroHealth’s driver rehabilitation program, factsheets provided by the Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center, and USANEO’s blog. Recently, we’ve shared several blog posts with insights on transportation options for those living with an SCI. If driving isn’t an option for you, we’d love to connect you with opportunities to advocate for better state funding to enhance GCRTA’s paratransit services – stay tuned for learnings from a paratransit focus group study led by Northern Ohioans for Budget Legislation and Equality.
What’s next for our chapter in 2025?
After a busy year, we look forward to building our chapter’s capacity to serve the SCI community in Northeast Ohio. We are always looking for people to join our team and help us make a difference in the lives of those impacted by SCI. There are myriad ways you can contribute to our growth and impact – if you’re passionate about
supporting the SCI community and want to make a meaningful impact, we invite you to volunteer or take on a leadership role within our Chapter. Whether you’re interested in helping with our Peer Mentorship Program, Equipment Lending Program, or have ideas for enhancing our services, we welcome your input and involvement.
Your support and engagement are crucial in helping us continue to serve and empower individuals across Northeast Ohio. We’re still working to build a more inclusive, accessible community and create positive change for individuals living with SCI – and we couldn’t do it without you. Thank you for your ongoing support and dedication to our mission. We look forward to growing our membership and leadership team to continue serving the Northeast Ohio SCI community in 2025.
