Nobody thought Fernanda would get multiple sclerosis. Her friends didn’t. Her children didn’t. And certainly, Fernanda didn’t. Even her oncologist, whom she had consulted about a tumour, and who was the first to notice something odd in her movement, thought she might have been drinking. She was 39 when the diagnosis was confirmed, 15 years […]
A while ago, I received an invitation from the Bali Sports Foundation to coach some up-and-coming teams in Asia that have taken up wheelchair rugby. Rugby has been a relatively new phenomenon in various South Asian countries. Consequently the players do not have many opportunities to develop and better their game as individuals or as […]
I recently ventured overseas for a family wedding to Vanuatu, where you could say, I encountered some logistical hurdles. I’ll start from the beginning… I had a 7am flight to Vanuatu with a connecting flight through to Sydney, with an expected layover of just under 2 hours. Being the intelligent readers you all are, you may […]
As the National Disability Scheme (NDIS) rolls out across Victoria, more and more people need to learn and understand how this will affect them. To assist with this, AQA is providing free NDIS workshops for participants that are new to the scheme, as well as those that are about to roll over to a new plan. These […]
“Dave, there’s an opportunity going that might be up your alley” said Pete on the phone. “Really, what is it?” I ask suspiciously. “There’s a spot going for a 7-day trip sailing on a tall ship.” “A tall ship ay? They’re not very wheelchair accessible.” “Yeah, but this one is. It was built by the […]
People with disabilities, and particularly those with a spinal cord injury (SCI), are vulnerable to the extremes of weather in Australia, whether in winter or summer. These extremes can be a real danger since the body has a reduced ability to regulate temperature. As the weather cools down, we have put together some tips and tricks […]
The Bachelor of Health Sciences Rehabilitation Counselling degree at La Trobe University provides students the opportunity to complete placement in the final year. Students have the chance to apply the theory based learnings they obtained from the degree within a practical setting of their choice. I discovered the Australian Quadriplegic Association (AQA) through a friend, […]
In May this year, my wife and I decided to take a brief break from city living and head to the hills with our little Westie, Lily. We wanted to spend the night away, just to break our routine, hence chose the Dandenong Ranges, which is approximately an hour east of Melbourne, depending on the […]
The planning meeting for the Women with SCI Network was held at SPAN Community House in Thornbury on Saturday the 16th of December 2017. It was a well-attended meeting of women living with spinal cord injury (SCI) from across Victoria who brought along plenty of enthusiasm and ideas. The group discussed hosting guest speakers on topics such as physical and mental […]
Nazim Erdem in conjunction with Parks Victoria and spinal cord injury organisations, Spire and Independence Australia is reminding Victorians to think before they jump or dive from piers and jetties this summer to minimise the risk of spinal cord injury. At the age of 20, Nazim Erdem dived off an Elwood pier into shallow water in an effort to impress some […]
