Parkinson’s, a neurodegenerative disease as we know is a progressive, incurable illness. It brings with it impaired balance and coordination, marked by trembling hands, arms, legs, face and stiffness of body. Back in 1998, Michael J. Fox announced he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s seven years earlier at the age of 30.
Prostate cancer is a disease that only affects men, and can be difficult to diagnose initially. Affecting the gland that is responsible for secreting the fluid that contains semen, it is also the second most common cancer diagnosed in men. It was estimated that over 230,000 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2013, and health care officials agree that understanding this disease is the best way to help prevent it from affecting the quality of your life.
The month of May signals the start of summer. As Lyme Disease Awareness Month, it also reminds us that we should be on guard to protect ourselves and our loved ones against this increasingly common bacterial infection. You can make good use of this month by learning more about Lyme disease and how it can impact your health and that of your family members. You can also learn what steps to take if you or someone you know suspect that you have Lyme disease.
April 15-19 saw the Kentucky Expo Center (KEC) in Louisville, KY as the host to the largest wheelchair basketball competition in the sports illustrious history. The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) was represented by nearly 70 teams across 5 different divisions in what was some of the most fantastic athletic competition around. Some twelve courts were laid down in the expo center with wheelchair hoops going on for nearly 4 days in what seemed like around the clock action. Vendors, fans, and athletes alike all showed up full of energy for what turned out to be a fantastic event.
The world met Lauren Hill. She was a college basketball player who realized a dream of playing for Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. The 19 year old achieved her goal while battling brain cancer.
On April 17-18, we hosted an event at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA, that we call Ability Olympics with the mission of showing how everyone can be an athlete. I work with Dr. Tom Moran on this event (he does weekly programming for youth with disabilities to stay physically active), and our goal has been simple: provide sport opportunities to people with disabilities because we did not have those opportunities growing up.
When we think of adaptive sports, also known as sports for people with disabilities, we usually think of wheelchair basketball, which not only has an international following, it’s also a Paralympic sport. However, basketball is not the only adaptive sport out there; there is also wheelchair rugby, Goalball for the visually impaired, cycling, and tennis, all of which are also Paralympic events.
As adults get older, they deal with various health and mental issues. As a caregiver or nurse, it is important to give older patients specialized, individualized care. Caring for an older adult becomes increasingly difficult without guidelines and practices to follow.
In a recent USA Today article the US surgeon general states that he will soon make a call to action for people to be walking. This of course includes all people even those with limb loss. More importantly all people with disabilities.
Two years ago was not that long ago. 730 days to be exact. Yet for some, two years can be a lifetime ago. For others it can be a life-changing moment. This was the case for Rebekah Gregory.
