Spotlight: Adam Gorlitsky

Adam Gorlitsky, age 32, became paralyzed after a car accident while he was in college 13 years ago. Since 2015, he has been using the ReWalk Exoskeleton (a device worn on the legs), which helps him stand and walk. The Exoskeleton made it possible for Gorlitsky to complete the Cooper River Bridge Run (a ten-kilometer event) close to home in Charleston, South Carolina, as well as the Portland Half-Marathon and the last six miles of other marathons, albeit slowly. Starting on March 22, he attempted to get to the end of the Los Angeles Marathon, which took place for other participants on March 24. Pain and sleep deprivation led Gorlitsky to stop after more than 28 hours during which he walked 17.2 miles, the longest distance covered by an American with the use of the Exoskeleton. Although he didn't complete the marathon, he said it was his greatest experience ever, and he plans to try another marathon in the future. Gorlitsky is the founder and CEO of I Got Legs (igotlegs.org), a nonprofit that gives people with physical disabilities opportunities to improve their quality of life through programs and grants. For more details on this story, go to https://www.postandcourier.com/columnists/paralyzed-adam-gorlitsky-of-mount-pleasant-calls-l-a-marathon/article_e5894626-4fd5-11e9-b1b8-5f417e83b561.html.

Adam Gorlitsky with the Exoskeleton

(image via igotlegs.org)

Participating in Sports Despite Cerebral Palsy

With March being Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and today being Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day, this is the perfect time to feature two young athletes with CP.

Miles Taylor, a photographer and graphic designer from Westminster, Maryland, is 24 years old and weighs just under 100 pounds. He began training as a weightlifter a year ago. After seeing a video of Taylor lifting twice his weight, Arnold Schwarzenegger invited him to demonstrate his deadlifting ability at the 2019 Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus, Ohio. The latest online video of Taylor shows him successfully lifting 185 pounds above his knees at the bodybuilding event on March 1. This is impressive considering the effect of CP on muscle tone. For more details on Taylor's achievement, go to https://www.muscleandfitness.com/athletes-celebrities/news/arnold-classic-2019-miles-taylor-who-has-cerebral-palsy-hits-185-pound.

Miles Taylor

(image via carrollcountytimes.com)

Austin Weaver, a nine-year-old from Belleville, West Virginia, has not let CP stop him from playing on his elementary school's boys' basketball team for the past few seasons. Weaver experienced a wonderful moment during the last game of the season more than a week ago. Near the end of the game, he had the opportunity to score a basket, which he was able to do on his second try with the help of his teammate Grayson Ford. As seen in an online video of this moment, Weaver's excitement and joy after scoring a basket is heartwarming as well as the display of sportsmanship by the other players. For more information and access to the video, go to https://www.inspiremore.com/austin-weavers-basket/.

Austin Weaver

(image via abcnews.go.com)

Spotlight: Thomas Panek

Yesterday, Thomas Panek, the president and CEO of the nonprofit school Guiding Eyes for the Blind, became the first blind person to complete the New York City Half Marathon. Three Labrador Retriever guide dogs named Westley, Waffle, and Gus took turns leading him to the finish line in two hours and 21 minutes. Although Panek started to lose his eyesight in his early 20s, he didn't want to stop running. He ran with volunteer human guides until 2015, which is when he developed the Running Guides program to train running guide dogs. Panek hopes his latest accomplishment will inspire other people with disabilities to achieve their goals. For more details on this story, go to https://people.com/sports/blind-man-finishes-nyc-half-marathon-with-three-guide-dogs/.

On a side note, today's Google Doodle honors Seiichi Miyake, who created the tactile paving slab (known as the tenji block in Japan) 52 years ago for blind people who walk around cities while tapping the ground with a cane. To learn more, go to https://www.cnet.com/news/google-doodle-pays-tribute-to-japanese-inventor-seiichi-miyake/.

Thomas Panek during the NYC Half Marathon

(image via goodmorningamerica.com)

March: Wheelchair Collection Month

The disability ministry Joni and Friends, which has declared March to be Wheelchair Collection Month, is sponsoring wheelchair collection drives all over the United States. (Melbourne is the only drop-off location in Brevard County.) There is a great need for wheelchairs; according to Joni and Friends' website, only 10% of people who need wheelchairs have access to them. Used manual wheelchairs (including those that can be easily repaired) are accepted along with other mobility equipment such as walkers and crutches. Wheelchair donations are tax-deductible. Volunteers participating in the wheelchair collection drives are known as "Chair Corps." Go to https://www.joniandfriends.org/support-us/donate-a-wheelchair/ to find the volunteer closest to you and schedule a pick-up or drop-off before the end of this month.

Joni and Friends' updated logo

(image via joniandfriends.org)

Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease

Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease is a rare medical condition in which a child's hip bone falls apart due to interrupted blood flow. Symptoms include limping and limited range of motion of the hip joint. Perthes disease can be treated by limiting physical activity, wearing a brace, or surgery; recovery takes two to five years. Children with this condition are less likely to have major hip problems later in life if they are diagnosed before age six. A week ago (two days before Rare Disease Day), actor and Entertainment Tonight co-host Cameron Mathison (who was diagnosed with Perthes disease early in his childhood) appeared on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? He donated his winnings to the Legg-Calvé-Perthes Foundation. For more information, go to https://perthes.org/.

Legg-Calvé-Perthes Foundation logo

(image via perthes.org)