This is a guest post on the EasyStand Blog by Susan Maus, quadriplegic and co-founder and president of Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP).
Working 2 Walk is just a little more than two weeks away. The event is organized by a small group of volunteers, all of whom are impacted directly by paralysis and spinal cord injury. Now entering its fourth year, outside of Washington, DC for the first time this year, the event has earned a reputation as one of the premier events in the nation specifically geared towards spinal cord injury survivors and their families. Working 2 Walk also provides a unique mechanism for cure researchers and rehabilitation professionals to disseminate information to the public.
Past Working 2 Walk attendees have this to say when asked what they like most about the event:
“Summary of where research and clinical trials are today and where they are heading”
“Camaraderie and very informative. Speakers spoke in understandable language”
“Hearing firsthand from the scientists working on a cure for a paralysis”
“Positive attitude of speakers and their desire to find a cure”
“That it brings so many of us together”
“Meeting other families, a lot of information I didn’t know about that I can use now”
“An outlet to become an advocate”
“Learning new information from wonderful sources”
“The speakers at the symposium. The advocate’s portion was extremely helpful”
I have personally attended every year of the event. I see the excitement when individuals realize they can make a difference in influencing the advancement of curative therapies. The event also has a lot of fun sprinkled in with the work. Just feeling “normal” with dozens of other people in attendance who use a wheelchair for mobility is a great feeling. For a couple of days, I’m not the anomaly in the crowd.
For more information on the event, please visit the W2W website at www.working2walk.org. Grants to cover the registration fee are still available. Please apply online under the registration tab on the web site.
Working 2 Walk 2009 - A spinal cord injury and paralysis cure research and advocacy event co-hosted by the Sam Schmidt Paralysis Foundation and Unite 2 Fight Paralysis.
August 27th-29th in Chicago, IL
Susan, we are excited to exhibit at the show next week, network with all the attendees, and the great line-up of exhibitors and speakers!
Thanks, Jackie. We are thrilled to have Easystand at Working 2 Walk as an exhibitor. Standing is so important for maintaining health and maximizing recovery. Among the registrants, we are expecting nearly sixty participants who use a wheelchair for mobility. I am really looking forward to meeting everyone.