As we reflect on the past year, the United Spinal Association’s Northeast Ohio Chapter would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to all who have supported us throughout 2024. Your dedication to building a strong, connected SCI community across Northeast Ohio has made this year truly special. Thank You for a Successful 2024 Fundraiser! A...Continue Reading

Researchers in the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Home and Community-Based Services at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab are looking for people who receive HCBS to pilot test surveys designed to evaluate the person-centeredness of their services. Participants will undergo a brief screening and consent call (Zoom or phone, unpaid) and will complete two or more 10-minute surveys...Continue Reading

by Kim Anderson, PhD What is SeePain? Chronic pain is something that, unfortunately, many people with SCI live with.  In fact, up to 80% of people with SCI develop some kind of pain within the first year of injury.  Chronic pain is pain that lasts for at least three months, and oftentimes it lasts for...Continue Reading

MetroHealth is thrilled to announce the return of its annual Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Forum, an educational and empowering event designed specifically for individuals living with spinal cord injuries and related disorders. The 2025 SCI Forum will take place on Friday, October 3, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM EST. Mark your calendars and...Continue Reading

It was August 2023.  I was out late with friends, having fun.  I turned down the wrong street, and my life forever changed.  There was a crowd standing outside in the street.  I was just driving through, and they started shooting at my car – with a bullet piercing my back. I am now paralyzed...Continue Reading

Sami Ullah, MDA medical condition called autonomic dysreflexia (AD) can happen to people who have had a spinal cord injury, especially if the injury is above the T6 level. It is marked by a quick rise in blood pressure that could be dangerous and needs to be treated right away. Here are some useful tips...Continue Reading

The Model System Knowledge and Translation Center (MSKTC) is a national center that helps facilitate the knowledge translation process to make research meaningful to those with Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, and Burn Injury. Last newsletter, we featured the Factsheet on mental health awareness.  This month, we wanted to feature a source on adaptive...Continue Reading

written by Don Johnston Brian is married with two children and worked at a plastic factory for 30 years.  He began experiencing significant back pain and eventually numbness in his limbs and issues with his balance at 50 years old.  After trying various treatments, an MRI revealed a narrow spinal canal compressing his spinal cord....Continue Reading

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...Continue Reading

By: Ashley Callaway At Metro Health, participants can be paid for volunteering in clinical research studies. Metro Health’s participant payment system is authorized by Greenphire clincards. Greenphire is a financial management company who support research sites with participant compensation. Over time our MetroHealth Research team has collected some helpful tips for cardholders to make your...Continue Reading