Overcoming Disabilties Team Room

[brotherjim]

..One-armed veteran relishes moment after nice catch

AP – Sat, Jun 25, 2011
.........NEW YORK (AP) — Michael Kacer had been trying to put together a trip with his nephew, Isaiah, for a while, and something always came up.

It turned out to be worth the wait.

Kacer, a veteran who lost his left arm in a 2008 rocket attack in Afghanistan, is enjoying the spotlight after his terrific catch of a foul ball at Yankee Stadium on Friday night attracted national attention.

"Just like a wild roller coaster ride," he told The Associated Press in a telephone interview on Saturday. "Just a thrill."

Kacer, 29, of Scranton, Pa., was watching the game with his 13-year-old nephew when Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson fouled one back and to the right of the visitor's dugout during the first inning. The ball took a big hop and headed toward Kacer, who was sitting in the first row, with a railing separating him from a concrete concourse a few feet below.

"It was quite a stretch," he said. "I actually didn't think I caught it until I brought it back and realized the ball was in the hat."

Yup, Kacer brought it in and immediately handed the ball over to Isiah, a big Yankees fan who was attending his first major league game. Then he lapped in the praise from the impressed crowd.

"It was amazing," said Isaiah Kacer, who also lives in Scranton. "I figured they would cheer but I didn't think they would get as loud as they did for him."

It was only the beginning.

Video of the great grab quickly showed up on the web, and ESPN showed it on SportsCenter during its top plays segment — a surreal experience that left Kacer almost speechless as he watched with his glowing nephew.

"I was like 'Dude, this is unbelievable,'" said Kacer, a Pittsburgh Pirates fan.

Kacer is part of a team of wounded veterans in town to participate in Sunday's ninth annual Achilles Hope & Possibility 5 Mile Race through Central Park. The race features about 5,000 able-bodied and disabled runners from all over the world and is the signature event for Achilles International, a nonprofit focused on athletic opportunities for people with disabilities.

The Yankees game was part of a weekend of events for the veterans, who are rehabbing at Walter Reed Medical Center and rode a bus to New York on Friday. The group visited ground zero and the Statue of Liberty on Saturday.

Kacer and his teammates were recognized on the field before New York's 4-2 loss to Colorado on Friday night, receiving a loud ovation from the Bronx crowd of 46,028. Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher and manager Joe Girardi also came out to the mound to extend their best wishes.

"Really great guys," said Kacer, who had his picture taken with Swisher and Girardi.

Isiah Kacer found a spot in the lower level to grab some photos from the stands while his uncle was the on the field, and the two decided to stay in the prime seats until the ticketholders showed up.

That smart move put them in the right place for Granderson's foul popup.

"I thought I was going to catch the ball or go over the railing," said Kacer, who was in the National Guard for 11 years. "One of those two things was going to happen. Fortunately, I caught the ball."

___

Online: http://www.achillesinternational.org/

..

[brotherjim]

..LEON, Mexico (AP) — Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton has won the Nationwide Tour's Mexico Open, closing with a 7-under 65 on Sunday for a two-stroke victory over Richard H. Lee.

The 31-year-old Compton was diagnosed at age 9 with cardiomyopathy, an enlarging of the heart that hinders its ability to pump blood. Three years later in 1992, he received a new heart. That one failed in 2008, and the former University of Georgia star had another transplant.

Compton finished at 17-under 271 on the El Bosque Country Club course. He earned $126,000 to push his season total to $215,709, putting him in position to earn a 2012 PGA Tour card as a top-25 finisher on the developmental tour's money list.

Lee bogeyed the par-5 18th for a 69.

..

[brotherjim]

Tandem
For 25 years, Achilles International has provided disabled athletes with opportunities to engage in healthy athletic competitions and events throughout New York City. The Achilles Tandem Bike Program expands on the programs that Achilles offers and serves as a forum where disabled athletes can learn the skills needed to participate in quintessential New York events such as the Five Boro Bike Tour. Tandem cycling is a wonderful way for people with disabilities to exercise, have fun and bond with able-bodied friends or loved ones.

The Achilles Tandem Bike Program was inspired by Artie Elefant, a 63-year-old Achilles athlete who lost most of his vision due to retinitis pigmentosa over twenty years ago and was diagnosed with chronic lymphoncytic leukemia. In spite of these obstacles, Artie continues to train and compete in various endurance events, including marathons, triathlons, and bike tours with the assistance of volunteer guides from Achilles.

"I am a visually challenged 63 year old male, but nearly 20 years ago my loss of vision forced me to stop riding my bike," said Artie. "Thanks to Achilles' Tandem Bike Program, I am back on the road again enjoying the feel of the wind in my face and the open road. I am now able to create an entirely new set of memories and experiences, which is why tandem biking can be so great for a visually challenged person such as myself or any other person with adaptive sports needs.

There really isn't anything as rewarding as feeling the terrain of the road and the smell and sounds of the world as you ride through it. These are feelings that I have only recently rediscovered through the joys of tandem biking."

Achilles owns 10 tandem bicycles which are stored in Central Park, and it's program of bi-weekly rides will be available for Achilles members of all ages, fitness levels, and abilities. If you are interested in trying a tandem as an Achilles Member or as a volunteer guide, please contact Anthony Green anthony.green@concepglobal.com

[brotherjim]

I love these articles about people who will not let anything stand in their way.

Long distance grandma crosses her own track
Posted: May 11, 2011 04:34 am EDT
(By Jon Amtrup)Jeanne Socrates (68) isn’t like most other grandmothers. Last Friday she crossed her own track as she sailed in to Cape Town. Her first attempt on a circumnavigation alone ended on the beach only 12 hours from completion. Her next trip was more successful, but also included drama on the high seas.

It’s not only a few young guns that casts of and sails around the world. Grandmas with a taste for adventure also shows that there is a way for us all as we get older.

Jeanne Socrates is a retired British math teacher who in march 2007 set out from Zihuatanejo in Mexico. 15 months later she was just 60 nautical miles away from her starting point having sailed around the world. But it wasn’t meant to be and the boat ended up a on a steep surf beach and her 36 feet yacht Nereida was lost.

Such an incident would have broken most people, but Jeanne Socrates was determined to get back in to the sailing life. The boat had been her home since her husband died of cancer in 2003.

A massive effort from her and her friends resulted in the new Nereida. A boat of the same yard, Najad from Sweden, was commissioned and she was of again in June 2009. Her dream of sailing alone around the world started again

- On 10th March 2010, with repairs completed and new engine installed, I left Cape Town to continue heading east from South Africa to pass south of Australia, making landfall in Nelson, New Zealand, after 62 days at sea, and then on to Hawaii - well over 12,000 miles in total. It proved impossible to make San Francisco to start the Single-Handed TransPac Race in mid-June, but I did manage to meet the racers finishing in Hanalei Bay, Kauai, in early July, before heading north with the intention of re-starting my non-stop circumnavigation via Cape Horn early in October 2010, she writes on her homepage.

The meeting with the famous Cape Horn was to rough for the 68 year old as she got 70 knots of wind and giant seas. This is a lot more than sailors like Abby Sunderland and Jessica Watson got when they where in those waters. The conditions knocked the boat over and snapped the boom. She limped in to Ushuaia unassisted, and after assessing the damage she was uncertain if she would continue. But she preserved yet again, and managed to fix it all.

Friday 6th May she crossed her own track outside Cape Town. The Britt grandma had finally achieved her goal.

According to Sail World Jeanne joins a very select group of female sailors; of the some 260 sailors who’ve circumnavigated solo, fewer than 20 are women.

[brotherjim]

U.S. Soccer Team qualifies for 2012 Paralympic Games
US Soccer June 24, 2011



HOOGEVEEN, Netherlands (June 23, 2011) – The U.S. Paralympic Team qualified for the 2012 Paralympic Games in London with a 3-2 win against Ireland in the third and final Group D match at the 2011 CPISRA Football 7-a-Side World Championships.

With six points from the three group matches, the U.S. advances to the quarterfinals where it will meet Russia on Sunday, June 26, at 7:30 local time (1:30 p.m. ET).

U.S. forward Josh McKinney put the team ahead 1-0 in the first half, and then doubled the score in the second half by finishing a penalty kick after Marthell Vazquez was fouled. The U.S. went ahead 3-0, with Adam Ballou scoring what would eventually be the game winner.

But Ireland showed some spunk, scoring twice late in the game. The Irish almost tied but goalkeeper Keith Johnson came up with a huge save in the final seconds to secure the victory and earn Man of the Match honors.
Tags: Road to London, Soccer

[brotherjim]

Anjali Forber-Pratt . Home: Natick, Massachusetts

Anjali Forber-Pratt has competed in numerous competitions and road races and had a very successful Paralympic Games debut in Beijing. After winning bronze in the women's 400m T53, Forber-Pratt claimed another bronze as a member of the women's 4 x 100m relay T53/54.

Forber-Pratt is a doctoral student in Education, Policy, Organization & Leadership at the University of Illinois. She completed her undergraduate and master's degrees at the University of Illinois graduating in the top three-percent of her class. Forber-Pratt won a campus-wide leadership award and a departmental senior leadership award. She began competing nationally in wheelchair track in 1993.

Forber-Pratt co-authored an educational kids' coloring book about disabled sports titled, "Color Learn & Play: All About Sports For Athletes with Physical Disabilities."

In high school Forber-Pratt competed in downhill skiing and road racing. She enjoys listening to music, watching movies, rock climbing and scrap booking.

Major Achievements:

•2011: Gold medal, 100m (T53), Silver medal 200m (T53), 400m (T53) - IPC Athletics World Championships, Christchurch, New Zealand•2010: First place, 200m T53, 400m T53; second place, 100m T53; fourth place, 800m T53 – U.S. Paralympics Track & Field National Championships, Miramar, Florida
•2008: Bronze medal, 400m T53; bronze medal, Women’s 4 x 100m relay T53/54 – Paralympic Games, Beijing, China
•2008: Second place, 100m and 200m; third place, 400m – Meet in the Heat, Atlanta, Ga.•2007: Gold medal, 100m and 200m, Bronze medal, 400m – Parapan American Games, Rio de Janerio, Brazil•2003: Third place, 200m, 400m; Fourth place, 1500m, 800m, 100m – Junior National Wheelchair Games, Hartford, Conn.•2001: New England Wheelchair Athletics Association Junior Athlete of the Year
•1998: Two silver medals, bronze medal – Junior National Wheelchair Games, Bellevue Wash.•1996: Two gold medals, two silver medals – Junior National Wheelchair Games, Birmingham, Ala.•1993: Two gold medals, two silver medals, bronze medal – Junior National Wheelchair Games, Columbus, Ohio

[rosita]

Good luck to the USA Paralympic soccer team in the 2012 games!

[brotherjim]

Welcome to the team Francine! We are happy to have you row with us.

[brotherjim]

This is a very touching and heartwarming story. Reminds you what friends are for.
Jim

AURORA, Ill. (AP) — Lukas Verzbicas sat in silence, trying to absorb the news that Kevin McDowell, his friend and longtime triathlon teammate, had been diagnosed with cancer.

Finally, Verzbicas' stepfather spoke. Lukas had a choice to make. He could continue to focus on the running career that has shown such promise he was being hailed as the next great American distance runner even before he broke the 4-minute mile, something only four other U.S. high schoolers have ever done.

Or he could put his own dreams and plans on hold for those of his friend, returning to triathlon for one last summer in hopes of claiming the junior world title that Kevin would have been favored to win.

"I made the decision right away," Verzbicas said. "I feel like Kevin would have definitely won that medal, and it's really not fair what happened. If I could bring it to him, I have to do it."

___

Triathlon is McDowell's passion, has been since he took up the sport seven years ago. The bronze medalist at last year's junior world championships, he graduated high school early so he could train full-time. At an International Triathlon Union sprint event in Clermont, Fla., in March, he finished 10th, the fourth-fastest American.

He was a decade younger than many of the other top racers.

"I was on a high, excited about how the race went," said McDowell, who turns 19 on Aug. 1.

When he returned home, however, his mother noticed a lump on his neck. McDowell didn't think much of it, just as he hadn't thought much about how tired he'd been lately, how drained he'd been after training. He had felt great during the race, and figured any fatigue was simply due to the intense workouts he'd been doing to get ready for the season.

But his mother, a nurse, told him to go have it checked out. Doctors said it was nothing, a torn muscle, perhaps. Just in case, though, they did an ultrasound and told McDowell to get an MRI.

The next day, the teenager learned he had Hodgkin's lymphoma, a form of blood cancer. That lump in his neck was a tumor, and he had another in his chest.

The cancer was caught early, Stage 2, and his prognosis was — and is — good. But McDowell would need five months of chemotherapy. His season, barely started, was over. So, too, his dream of winning the junior title at the world championships, Sept. 10-11 in Beijing.

"It's just a little bump in the road," McDowell said. "At times it doesn't feel like a bump right now, sometimes it feels like going up a mountain. But in the end, I'll be able to look back and say, 'All right, this was just a little bump.'"

After getting the news, McDowell went up to his bedroom, wanting to be alone. But the enormity of what he was facing — and what he was losing — overwhelmed him, and he knew of only one place where he would find comfort.

"He got the news at 1. At 5 o'clock, he shows up for practice," said Keith Dickson, director of the Multisport Madness Triathlon Team, McDowell and Verzbicas' club team. "He told his team, 'Guys, I've got cancer. So let's go run.' So he goes and leads his team on a 5-mile run. Nobody was saying anything, they're just running behind Kevin."

While the news stunned all of McDowell's teammates, Verzbicas took it particularly hard. He and McDowell have trained side-by-side the past five years, one driving the other every bit as hard as he drove himself. As naturally gifted as they are — McDowell is the stronger swimmer, Verzbicas the better runner of course and they're about even on the bike — it's taken the other to make each the athlete he is.

"You can't have a bad day, really, unless you're both having a bad day," Verzbicas said.

The two have swapped places atop the podium since the very first time they raced. (Verzbicas won that time, though he admits he later discovered that he'd skipped a full loop on the course.) Verzbicas was the junior U.S. triathlon champ in 2008, McDowell in 2009. They finished 3-4 at last year's junior worlds, McDowell completing the sprint-distance course (a 750-meter swim, 19.03-kilometer bike ride and 5-kilometer run) in 52 minutes, 22 seconds, with Verzbicas a mere 14 seconds behind after being assessed a 15-second penalty.

But when asked if the two are rivals, Verzbicas recoils. Theirs is an individual sport, and each wants to win. But they take their role as teammates seriously, giving each other encouragement and counsel.

It's a complex concept, this idea of friendly foes, one that's hard to fully appreciate for anyone who hasn't watched the teens push and pull each other along.

"I never thought of it as a rivalry," Verzbicas said. "A lot of people think that. I really don't feel like it's that way. I think we're more teammates. ... Team brothers."

That's what made Verzbicas' choice so easy.

The 18-year-old had given up triathlon last October to concentrate on distance running, and already has an impressive collection of records. He won his second straight title at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships in December, only the third boy to win consecutive races in the event's 32-year history. He single-handedly won the team title at the New Balance Indoor Nationals in March, winning the mile, two mile and 5,000 meters.

On June 4, he shattered the high school two-mile record by almost five seconds at the Prefontaine Classic. A week later, he ran the mile in 3:59.71 at the Adidas Grand Prix, only the fifth U.S. high schooler — and first in a decade — to break the 4-minute barrier. He has a scholarship to Oregon, a powerhouse in collegiate running.

But McDowell needed Verzbicas, now more than he ever has.

"When he said what he was going to do, I was like, 'Wow.' It's a really nice gesture," McDowell said, his face conveying the awe and gratitude that words can't adequately describe. "To come back, it's a harder path and it's not what he had planned. It meant a lot. ... Now, in a way, I can still be a part of it and be a part of this whole process. So it helped a lot. It's something to look forward to, in a different way."

McDowell has chemotherapy every other Monday, and is often accompanied by one of his teammates. The two-hour treatments sap his energy for the next three or four days, but by Friday or Saturday he is back at practice, trying to push Verzbicas as he always has.

The workouts make him feel better physically and will make his return to competition easier. But it's the camaraderie with his teammates that helps most, allowing him to feel as if his "old" life is not that far away.

"Right after I was diagnosed, I met this girl who was fighting breast cancer," McDowell said. "She said, 'Keep living your life, don't curl up in a ball. Try and stay normal. Even if sometimes you don't feel good, still go out, go do something. Try to stay as normal as possible and don't curl up away from everything and feel sorry and be like, Why? Why?' Because it's not going to help."

Watching him hang on Verzbicas' back wheel during bike training, it's easy to forget McDowell is sick. He's lost 10 pounds, but triathletes are lean and sinewy by nature. He shaved his head when his hair began to fall out, but lots of elite swimmers and bikers go bald in hopes of reducing resistance and saving a second or two.

The only obvious sign McDowell has cancer is the chemotherapy port, a walnut-sized lump beneath the skin on the right side of his chest that's visible when he's in the pool.

"You wouldn't really believe he has cancer — except for the bald head, really. He's still training and doing everything with us," Verzbicas said. "It makes me look at what I have to do. He reminds me that I cannot give up. I'm not only doing this for myself, I'm doing it for others, as well."

Despite his previous success in triathlon, this is no easy undertaking for Verzbicas. He had been devoting his entire focus to one sport, and now he's had to switch to another. And not just any other sport, but one that crams three very different disciplines into one.

Triathlon demands an athleticism and versatility like few other sports, and getting back into it requires more than simply hopping back on the bike or into the pool.

"It's really tough to keep going," Verzbicas acknowledged. "But in the end, I just look at the big picture. I'll look back if I quit like, 'What have I done?' But if I complete it, then it's a big deal. So I've got to get through it."

He resumed triathlon training in March, put it aside in May to get ready for his June track meets, and then picked it back up after the Adidas meet. His first triathlon is July 10 in Edmonton, Alberta, followed by the national championships Aug. 7 in San Diego. Then it is off to Beijing in September for one last race; he is already qualified by virtue of his finish at last year's worlds.

Verzbicas and McDowell will go their separate ways after worlds, their individual sports taking them in different directions once again. Verzbicas will head to Oregon and resume his running career. McDowell plans to move to the new elite triathlon academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., following his final chemotherapy session on Aug. 22.

No matter where they are, though, they will always have a bond. And, Verzbicas hopes, a gold medal that will be both a token of what true friendship is, and a reminder that one would not be a champion without the other.

"Anything can happen, that's true. I'm not guaranteed a win," Verzbicas said. "Everyone wants to win just as much, if not more, than I do. But I think I have an advantage, because I'm doing it for someone else."

[brotherjim]

From the SO blog---

Even with so much going on at the Special Olympics World Summer Games, we must not forget that 3.7 million athletes around the world are accomplishing Olympic-sized feats every day.

Two examples are Salihin Bin Sinai from Singapore and Herith Suleiman from Tanzania who joined a team of eight hikers to climb Mount Kilimanjaro earlier this month.

Salihin was the first Special Olympics athlete from Singapore to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, and one of an elite few Special Olympics athletes who have ever made the climb.
Long-time Special Olympics supporter Michael Dee, led the team up the mountain, which stands at nearly 6,000 meters above sea level. Together, they reached the Mount Kilimanjaro summit in five days, braving cold temperatures, harsh terrain, loose rocks and mild altitude sickness.

After returning home, Salihin received a note from the President of Singapore, congratulating him on his feat. I think I speak for millions across our movement when I echo President S.R. Nathan’s congratulations to Salihin and Herith on this enormous achievement!

Read more about their journey here: http://blogs.channelnewsasia.com/kilimanjaro/.

[brotherjim]

Hanna Lagerqv ist

from Sweden spends most of her time in a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy, but her Special Olympics sport – equestrian – is acting as a physical therapy tool for her, according to Patricia Meegan, a volunteer physical therapist and athletic trainer helping at Healthy Athletes during the World Summer Games.

Because the horse’s body is both wide and warm, it is helping to loosen the muscles in her lower body and holding on to the horse is helping her develop upper body strength and conditioning. When Hanna visited the Healthy Athletes FUNfitness venue, she amazed the volunteers there by being able to walk and even run for short distances. “When she runs, surprisingly, it is actually much more fluid than when she walks,” Patricia said.

Still, Hanna has limited flexibility and movement in her legs and ankles, both due to her condition and spending so much time in a wheelchair. Patricia showed Hanna and her coach some exercises that will help.

“The exercises will make her more comfortable, and as she gets older, will ensure that her physical condition does not get worse,” Patricia said. “If she can work at work, she can become more flexible. She is not destined to stay like this. Her life is a process of recovery, and she can get better – just look at what she can already do.”

Hanna’s coach, Ulrika von Knorring, said she is also constantly impressed with what Hanna can do. “They told her parents at birth that she would never walk, so seeing her here is great.”

And getting better. The day after she visited Healthy Athletes, Hanna won a silver medal in the team relay event. “Hanna had a really good time,” Ulrika said. “Everything is perfect for her."

[brotherjim]

Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine
Achilles has two chapters at Rusk. The Brain Injury Day Treatment Program at NYU Medical Center’s Rusk Institute for Rehabilitation Medicine helps people with Traumatic Brain Injuries train and compete in marathons. Achilles also has a chapter with the physical therapy department of Rusk. Several members from both programs attend NYC Chapter workouts and have completed marathons. Please check out this great article!

[brotherjim]

Sixteen U.S. athletes set to compete at final UCI World Cup event
U.S. Paralympics July 05, 2011

Twelve U.S. athletes are set to compete at the final UCI World Cup event, July 8-10, in Baie-Comeau, Canada. This is the third event in the Para-cycling Road World Cup series and will feature nearly 400 athletes from 25 countries.

Time trial races will be held on Friday, July 8, with road races being contested on Saturday and Sunday, July 9-10. More information and the complete schedule can be found on the official event website, http://coupedumondebaiecomeau.com/index ... /home.html.

U.S. athletes competing in the event include:
Monica Bascio (Evergreen, Colo.)
Matt Bigos (Cardiff by the Sea, Calif.)
Muffy Davis (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Mike Farrell (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Allison Jones (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Vincent Juarez (San Jose, Calif.)
Sam Kavanagh (Bozeman, Mont.)
Greta Neimanas (Chicago, Ill.)
Steven Peace (San Diego, Calif.)
Anthony Pedeferri (Camarillo, Calif.)
Clark Rachfal (Annapolis, Md.) and pilot Dave Swanson (Tucson, Ariz.)
Oz Sanchez (San Diego, Calif.)
Matt Updike (Denver, Colo.)
Karissa Whitsell (Eugene, Ore.) and pilot Lisa Turnbull (Springfield, Ore.)
Justin Widhalm (Colorado Springs, Colo.)
Anthonzy Zahn (Riverside, Calif.)

[brotherjim]

Esella Yeh, 2
Dublin, CA


My name is Esella and I am two years old. In December 2010, just weeks after my second birthday, I was diagnosed with Oligo-articular JIA. At the time I had a very swollen right knee, and then my pediatric rheumatologist also discovered a swollen finger on my right hand. A couple weeks later, I had to be put under anesthesia so I could have a cortisone injection in my knee. This was so scary. I did not like the anesthesia and cried for hours afterwards. The good news is that it looks like it worked! I can now run and jump and DANCE (my favorite thing to do) again!

[brotherjim]

This morning during my walk, I saw a HUGE snapping turtle walking on the side of the road heading for a pond. I used my walking pole to measure his shell and it was 32 ". One of my brotherinlaw's Jack Russells was with me and he skedaddled home after a hiss and a snap.