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NEW ISSUE

August NM Online Now

Travel through time to Cuba with three wheelers on a mission to experience all that Havana has to offer, and bring a new sport to Cubans with disabilities. ► Learn how to start a peer support group from leaders with unique styles and goals. ► Check out the latest vehicle models for conversion. ► Understand the damage your bladder meds are — and aren’t — doing to your brain. ► Get to know the cool places and warm people of Scotland.

TRENDING NOW

The Most Extreme Wheelchair Ever?

Ripchair 3.0, a 1,250-pound tank-like vehicle that you drive from your regular power or manual wheelchair, caught the eye of someone at Autoblog, a site that “obsessively covers the auto industry.” Excited about construction-grade hydraulics and a 60 percent climb rate? Join almost 13 million other viewers who have watched Autoblog’s cool 50-second video about this off-road chair, which NM reviewed in November.

Adults with SMA Question Teen Jerika Bolen’s Decision to End Her Life

14-year-old Jerika Bolen, who has type 2 spinal muscular atrophy, has announced her decision to discontinue the use of breathing assistance. She has entered hospice care, and will receive morphine if she goes through with her plan to cut off her nighttime breathing device at the end of August. Most media coverage has been supportive of the teen’s wish to die, noting her severe pain. The disability community, however, recently weighed in on newmobility.com, angry that more isn’t being done to treat Jerika’s pain, depression and suicidal thoughts. “If this was a nondisabled girl the same age who wants to end her life for similar reasons, would we be so quick to support it?” asks one adult with SMA. Be sure to read the comment section for a challenging and nuanced conversation about this controversial topic.

PRO TIPS

Bracket Turns Kids’ Scooter into Power Device for Manual Wheelers

The Pop n’ Drop is a mount that attaches to a commercially available electric scooter, converting it into a power source for a manual wheelchair. Once the bracket is attached to the scooter, you can pop a wheelie and drop your footrest tubing into the slot, lock it in place, and take off in your new power chair. Designed to work with rigid chairs that have standard 3/4 inch tubing, the Pop n’ Drop is $325. Scooters start at about $100.

What You Need to Know About Bladder Cancer and SCI

The risk of bladder cancer for people with spinal cord injuries is 15 times higher than that of the general population, and it’s higher for people who use indwelling catheters. That sounds scary, but the cancer is still rare, even among people with SCI, and there are some preventive measures that can be taken.

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