The Illinois chapter believes it’s important to challenge newly-injured people to participate in activities they may never have done before — such as kayaking — in hopes that they will be open to other, more practical real-life challenges as well.

United Spinal Association Chapter Check-In: Illinois


Illinois Chapter: Roughing it for Rehab

The Illinois chapter believes it’s important to challenge newly-injured people to participate in activities they may never have done before — such as kayaking — in hopes that they will be open to other, more practical real-life challenges as well.
The Illinois chapter believes it’s important to challenge newly-injured people to participate in activities they may never have done before — such as kayaking — in hopes that they will be open to other, more practical real-life challenges as well.

A weekend spent roughing it in tents and sleeping by the campfire is probably not the first thing most people with new spinal cord injuries would think of when asked to think about therapy. But that’s exactly what makes Beyond Boundaries, a long-running outdoor adventure program organized by the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois, so successful, according to Joel Berman.

“When you have a life changing event you can lose hope, you can think that things aren’t possible, you can basically get in a bad place. The idea here is, before you start thinking about what you can’t do, let’s get you thinking about what you can do,” says Berman, the executive director of Adaptive Adventures, the organization that partners with the Illinois chapter to run the event.

Every September, teams from rehab hospitals around the Chicago area bring small groups of people with spinal cord injuries to scenic Mississippi Palisades State Park, located about three hours west of Chicago, for a weekend of outdoor adventures designed to push their boundaries. Teams consisting of therapists, medical professionals and volunteers help partcipants pitch camp, and then everyone embarks on two days of kayaking, rock climbing and hand cycling.

“It’s an amazing socialization opportunity as well as an opportunity to overcome some fears,” says Monica Blaauw, an OT at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, and the president of the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois.

Exposing newly-injured people to outdoor activities such as rope climbing can reinforce the message of rehab that anything is possible with planning, the right equipment and being open to new experiences.
Exposing newly-injured people to outdoor activities such as rope climbing can reinforce the message of rehab that anything is possible with planning, the right equipment and being open to new experiences.

“A lot of these people maybe have never kayaked or climbed or camped out in the wilderness — they’re from the city,” says Berman. “So here’s something they might have been afraid of as a nondisabled individual and you’re saying to them, take a chance, challenge yourself … that challenge, and overcoming it is where the impact is.”

Attendance has grown since the program’s inception in the late ’90s, and this year seven different hospitals brought teams consisting of a total of 23 wheelchair users. The Illinois chapter oversees the relationships with the various hospitals and the logistics of ensuring the right people know about and attend the program, while Adaptive Adventures coordinates and manages most of the physical activity and the events.

Blaauw says the people in chairs are not the only beneficiaries. “What I think is really interesting about this trip is it gives the therapists a chance to be in our patients’ shoes — where I can only use my arms for kayaking, or I can only use my arms for hand cycling — and it kicks your butt. It is so hard. It really shows you how much these individuals have to work and it puts it in perspective.”
Seeing the looks of accomplishment and empowerment on attendees’ faces keeps Blaauw and Berman coming back for more every year.

“They’re out in the woods, or they’re camping or they’re pushing through the grass [and] it’s exciting as a therapist to see them achieve their independence and see how far they’ve come. I’d do it just to see the look on everybody’s faces — that look of, ‘Hey I can do this!’” says Blaauw.

“These guys aren’t necessarily going to become kayakers, cyclists and rock climbers, but hopefully by camping and challenging themselves through an event like this they’re going to realize ‘If I can do this, I can do anything. If I can do this I can get a job again, I can have a family again. My life isn’t over because I am now in a wheelchair.’”

For more information on Beyond Boundaries, contact the Spinal Cord Injury Association of Illinois (www.sci-illinois.org) or Adaptive Adventures (adaptiveadventures.org).


Bill Bogdan with his youngest daughter, Madelyn.
Bill Bogdan with his youngest daughter, Madelyn.

Spotlight: Chicago

by Bill Bogdan

My Take
Chicago works hard to eliminate barriers and is constantly making improvements. The Chicago disability community is strong, loud and proud, never too shy to speak up and speak out. When it comes to disability rights, it is home to countless tireless advocates and leaders. Keeping us on our wheelie bars is the local ADAPT chapter, which recently celebrated 30 years of advocating and fighting for disability rights. Chicago is also home to the Disability Pride Parade, which unites the city, celebrates disability and marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Whether you are someone living with a SCI/D, a family member, caregiver, friend of someone with SCI/D or a healthcare worker, Chicago is a fantastic city with an enormous pool of resources at your fingertips.

Skinny on the City
As a wheelchair user for over 45 years, I have lived in the Chicago area my entire life. Chicago is a world-class city with endless possibilities of sites to see, places to go, things to do and great food to eat. Of course you can say I am biased, but Chicago is a dynamic city, a city that works, and very wheelchair accessible. I love it.

Getting Around
Chicago Crown Fountain Millennium ParkChicago is known as the windy city, and getting around the city is, quite fittingly, a breeze. Public transportation is operated by the Chicago Transit Authority. The CTA’s entire bus fleet is accessible to persons with disabilities. In addition, all of the CTA trains provide spaces for wheelchairs. Over 20 taxi companies operate accessible taxis in Chicago, and there are several private companies you can contract with if you are interested in more personal service. If you have your own vehicle, or are renting one, out-of-state placards and disability license plates are honored in Illinois when parking in accessible parking spaces at malls, grocery stores, etc., or when parked in on-street accessible parking spaces. However, out-of-state placards and disability plates are no longer valid for meter-exempt parking when parked at parking meters.

Places to Go
The Lincoln Park Zoo is free and a great place for a father of three young children (like myself) who is always looking for stuff to do and is on a tight budget. I’ve even found close on-street accessible parking spaces so I could park for free! The zoo is very clean, up-to-date and accessible, with ways to easily get up close to view the exhibits. My kids and I had no problems posing for pictures with our favorite animals — lions, tigers, gorillas and the polar bears. It is a short push from the lakefront and a great place to picnic.

Another great place to visit is Millennium Park, which offers some stunning architecture, beautiful gardens, accessible trails, and is home to the world famous sculpture Cloud Gate (the Bean). The park is also a short roll to the world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago. Cultural programs, free family activities and special events are offered daily. In the wintertime, you can ice-skate and enjoy a hot cup of cocoa against the wintery backdrop of the city.

Interested in world famous Chicago pizza? Try Uno Pizzeria, Gino’s East and Giordano’s.

Must See, Must Do
Chicago is the ultimate sports town. It is teeming with Chicago Blackhawks, Bears, Bulls, White Sox, Cubs, Fire, Sky and Wolves fans, and we live and die for our sports teams. Unfortunately, Northsiders have passed on without ever seeing a championship. That is unless you are fan of the 10-time world champion Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Chicago Cubs wheelchair softball team.

The RIC Adaptive Sports and Fitness program has partnered with the Chicago Park District to offer numerous adaptive sports, Paralympic programs, and recreational options. Dare2tri is another organization that offers opportunities for people with disabilities to get involved in paratriathlons across the country. In Chicago, sports rules, and being disabled is no handicap to participating.


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