Chloe Joyce and her little brother Ethan are more than just siblings; they are best friends. Chloe, born with spinal dysgenesis, has been a wheelchair user since the age of two. Ethan affectionately refers to himself as Chloe’s ‘protector.’ “My…
Maria is an artist and activist in the disability community. She acquired polio at a young age and has been a wheelchair user for most of her life. Read Maria’s poem titled The Older Sister to get a perspective on…
Maria is an activist and poet, and she's written a moving poem about the complex relationship among her mother, her sister, herself, and her disability. Growing Up Without A Mother You grew up without a mother because I stole her…
Maria is a disability rights activist and artist. She acquired polio at a young age, and has been a wheelchair user most of her life. In her moving poem titled Dancing in the Rain, Maria recalls her childhood years spent…
Social media can be a connection to a whole new world. Kristen, Andrea, and Monica met in an online support group for wives and girlfriends of quadriplegics. The three found comfort in each other as they shared similarities involving their…
A traumatic event can have a major impact on personal relationships. Seven years ago, Ali was involved in an accident where she sustained a spinal cord injury. Navigating friendships after her accident proved to be difficult as Ali realized the…
When a traumatic injury occurs, support from friends, family, and the community at large can make the difference between a heart-rending story and a story of recovery. Audrey’s son sustained an SCI in 2009 at the age of 15. In…
So much changes when someone experiences a spinal cord injury. And among those changes is a shift in family relationships. Parents, spouses, and even siblings often find themselves thrust into unexpected roles. "I think role shifts are the biggest change…
When a spinal cord injury happens, it affects more than just the person injured. Oftentimes, family members – and their relationships with each other – go through a change as well. Bernadette’s son Pat was injured at age 21 in…
Some time away from home not only provides a breath of fresh air, but also innovative ideas. Deaf advocate Lisa Loh, 29, was inspired to organise something to help improve the lives of those in the Deaf community in Singapore…