Monthly Archives: August 2008

Paraplegics cross country on special cycles to raise funds for medical research

THE OLDEST MEMBER of this small group of paraplegics is 65 but every single one of them is a powerhouse of upper body strength.

“It comes from 86 days of hand-pedalling across Canada,” Les McLaughlin said during a stop in Truro Thursday.

For the record, Mr. McLaughlin is 50 years old, the father of four and grandfather of four. The Brampton, Ont., man lost the use of his legs in 1999 after an accident on an all-terrain vehicle.

Sense of adventure, sense of humor survived crippling injury

Mike Utley went deaf in his right ear while having dinner in January. He was robbed of equilibrium and made so sick he had to seek a doctor the next day. He traded partial hearing for a nonstop fire alarm that still reverberates in his head.

This was nothing more than piling on for the former Washington State and Detroit Lions football player, left a quadriplegic nearly 17 years ago when the offensive guard suffered a spinal cord injury while slammed to the ground on a pass-blocking play.

The latest setback was another reason for Utley to feel sorry for himself, though that never happened.

ATLANTA (AP) — The tireless tongue already controls taste and speech, helps kiss and swallow and fights germs. Now scientists hope to add one more ability to the mouthy muscle, and turn it into a computer control pad.

Georgia Tech researchers believe a magnetic, tongue-powered system could transform a disabled person’s mouth into a virtual computer, teeth into a keyboard – and tongue into the key that manipulates it all.

“You could have full control over your Environment by just being able to move your tongue,” said Maysam Ghovanloo, a Georgia Tech assistant professor who leads the team’s research.

Jon Rydberg and Dan James will be representing their hometown of Oakdale and their country by heading to Beijing this September to compete in the U.S. Paralympics.

This is Rydberg’s second Paralympics and he will be competing in singles and doubles wheelchair tennis.

“It’s one of the coolest things you can do,” Rydberg said. “Representing your country, your state, everything like that. It’s a whole package deal.”

James is the coach of the U.S. Paralympic tennis team and Beijing will be the third Paralympics he has coached in. James echoed Rydberg’s sentiments about how it feels to be a part of the games.

Family, friends rally to help chef fight back from injury

It happened in an instant. Dave Hartung was driving home from work the day after Christmas when a car darted from the shoulder of Interstate 97 and across two lanes to reach a ramp to U.S. 50.

The vehicle smashed his car. While describing the crash to state troopers, Hartung now realizes, he was in shock. He went home to Severn and only in a few hours did he realize he was in pain, he said.

The Madame Lise Thibault Golf Tournament is in its eighth year

The sun was shining, the balls were flying and the chairs were rolling yesterday at the Fanshawe Golf Course Parkside Nine.

It was the eighth annual Madame Lise Thibault Golf Tournament, a three-person-per-team golf scramble for people with disabilities.

“The golf tournament takes its name from former lieutenant-governor of Quebec Lise Thibault,” said Mike Olizarevitch, golf pro at the club. “In a way that’s how it all started. I taught her lessons and showed her the course here, and she came down here to open it.”

In a stop on a nationwide tour, he encourages others with disabilities.
Wiggling a single toe was the impossible goal Aaron Baker dreamed about achieving in 1999.

Nine years later and more than 1,500 miles into his trek, Baker is pedaling a specially made, three-wheel bicycle across the country to show others what it means to beat the impossible.

“I’m crazy enough to ride a bicycle all the way here from San Francisco,” Baker said.

With more than 2,500 miles to go, Baker rode through Tulsa on Tuesday as part of his Rise Above Tour to speak to members at The Center for Individuals with Physical Challenges, 815 S. Utica Ave., a center that has helped people with disabilities in Tulsa since 1959.