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The Stand Up and Play Foundation is Above Par for Adaptive Sports

Nancy DeVault
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The Stand Up and Play Foundation is Above Par for Adaptive Sports

Following injuries stemming from military combat and a car accident caused by a drunk driver, Anthony Netto found himself wheelchair-bound. Once an avid golfer, his friends urged him to get back into the game with adaptive gear. “Many golf courses think SoloRiders are [enough to be] ADA compliant but they are not truly adaptive for all. In fact, they are completely inadequate for a paraplegic like me because there is not proper belting,” Netto states. “We need to stand up to play and there was nothing on the market to do that that was suitable.” So, the self-proclaimed “stand-up guy” ─ pun intended! ─ developed a solution: the paramobile (also known as the paragolfer), a robust three-wheeled chair designed to tackle rugged terrains and allow individuals with mobility disabilities to safely achieve standing positions. He discovered that the innovative equipment lead to a higher level of independence and self-esteem.

Upping the Adaptive Golf Game

The revolution inspired Netto to launch the Stand Up and Play Foundation, aimed to help wheelchair users stand up to participate in sporting, artistic and other activities, or even just experience the empowerment of looking at one eye to eye. The volunteer-run endeavor presents paramobile recreation events ─ such as golf tournaments ─ to let all stand up and to raise funds to donate chairs to individuals, golf courses fitness centers and hospitals and/or rehabilitation facilities. In 2016 alone, the Stand Up and Play Foundation raised over $1 million. “We’re very proud to say that, last year, the foundation gave 53 chairs and that was through the help of various sponsors [including Carl’s Jr. and Hardees with Stars for Heroes], foundation activities and partnering foundations [like The Independence Fund].”

“The paramobile allows me to enjoy so many of the outdoor activities that I lost. I can play golf again, go to the beach with my grandchildren and use it in many places where I cannot walk. In a sense, it has given me back my legs.”  -Anthony Netto

Fairways for warriors golf team member using adaptive golfing chair and equipment
Courtesy of Fairways for Warriors

Supporting Veterans with Disabilities

The organization is driven to support veterans. Tom Underground, founder of Fairways for Warriors, a Kissimmee-based nonprofit dedicated to providing a better quality of life to wounded service personnel through golf, says his partnership with the Stand Up and Play Foundation has taken hope, healing and camaraderie among wounded veterans to a whole new level ─ literally! Netto believes that outfitting veterans with paramobiles can, ultimately, fight the alarming rate of suicide among combat warriors. The first Floridian to have a paramobile, Thomas Michaud, a retired police chief who became disabled with multiple sclerosis, is also working to aid veterans. Michaud spearheads an annual Veteran’s Day fundraiser at his local course, Legends Golf & Country Club in Fort Myers, which has generated funds to donate a paramobile to a veteran for the past five years. He simply wanted others to experience the life-changing benefits of the paramobile as he did. “The paramobile allows me to enjoy so many of the outdoor activities that I lost. I can play golf again, go to the beach with my grandchildren and use it in many places where I cannot walk. In a sense, it has given me back my legs,” he says, of the device that’s granted him access to adventure, like on the Appalachian Trail, and everyday living, such as landscaping.

How to Score the Paramobile

Want to try a paramobile? Visit standupandplayfoundation.org to search the online database of paramobile-equipped sites, including 16 in Florida and 120 worldwide. The Stand Up and Play Foundation also coordinates paramobiles for loan for traveling individuals to, for example, play golf on vacation! “We should have 100 chairs in Florida, but we don’t yet,” says Netto, which is why he hopes people will become advocates for the paramobile simply by encouraging local sites to obtain one and/or host fundraisers (with donations to be matched by the foundation). Aside from golf, the Stand Up and Play Foundation has helped people enjoy skeet and trap shooting, fly fishing, trail walks and much more. Some users also rely on the paramobile to maintain careers, such as “farmers, horse breeders and people who work outdoors.” As is often the case with disability-related tools, the paramobile comes with a lofty price tag ($22,500 and up), but the benefits are priceless.

The paramobile promotes circulation and digestion, stretches tendons and ligaments, reduces spasticity and prevents bone density problems and other secondary complications, according to Netto. “Bedsores can cause infections and even death,” he says, but the paramobile offers an “active standing therapy.” And, of course, the priceless satisfaction of restored self-esteem. “I feel like I am able to live again [with the paramobile] and be a father to my children. My son and I can play a round of golf together and there is no disability because of the paramobile,” proclaims Netto, who believes the mission of the Stand Up and Play Foundation and its goal to motivate advocates and users is why he survived his traumatic injuries.

Best Florida Destinations for Travelers with Disabilities

Nancy DeVault
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Best Florida Destinations for Travelers with Disabilities

Beach Bound…

Key Largo, the northernmost island of the Florida Keys, is committed to making ‘island time’ tick for all individuals with mobility, vision, hearing and other disabilities. Start planning with the Florida Keys tourism website (fla-keys.com/accessibility) for information on resorts, eateries and attractions.

Motivated by his own mobility challenges, Captain Mick Nealey operates Tranquil Adventures, a Key Largo-based eco-sightseeing operation specializing in trips for the disabled. “I had polio when I was two [years old] so I’ve used crutches most of my life and expect to eventually be in a wheelchair,” Nealey says. “I don’t want to get stuck at the dock… or leave anyone else there!” His water vessels are equipped with coast guard approved safety equipment, wheelchair ramps and accommodations for 6 people (2 in wheelchairs). Customize full-day or half-day tours of boating, fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, tiki bar relaxation and water access thanks to a modified captain’s chair lift. With support of sponsors, Nealey can offer free trips to individuals in wheelchairs who need financial assistance thanks to Vets on the Water, The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, The Woody Foundation and Home Depot.

Also make a splash in Key Largo by swimming with dolphins at the fully-accessible Island Dolphin Care Center; or with an aqua aerobics class at the Jacobs Aquatic Center, a pool complex equipped with ramps and lifts.

Worried about beach accessibility? “Beach wheels” have special tires that don’t get stuck in sand! According to a recent USA Today report, 35 of Florida’s state parks offer free beach wheelchairs, as do several beaches, including the Gulf Islands National Seashore Beach, Briggs Nature Center Beach, Honeymoon Island Beach, Sunny Isle Beach, Sandy Key ParkBeach, Oxbow Eco Center Beach, Jetty Park Beach and beaches managed by the Osceola Ranger District, Hernando County Government Center, Okaloosa County, BrowardCounty, Charlotte County, City of Miami, the Conservancy of Naples and the Naples Parks and Recreation Department. To find beach wheels at your destination, contact the city tourism/recreation department.

Blooming Adventures…

Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota is a peaceful oasis of greenery blooming with over 20,000 colorful plants throughout a 15-acre ADA-compliant site. “The elevator lift is in the Ann Goldstein Children’s Rainforest Garden, leading to the treetops of the banyan trees which overlook a waterfall area,” says Mischa Kirby, Director of Marketing & Communications of the Gardens. “We also offer a phone tour, which has about 10 stops for guests to call in at their leisure to learn more about the plants and history of the property. This is offered in Spanish and English. The entry/exit to the Conservatory ─ our tropical display glass house that features a rotating exhibition of plants ─ is accessed through automated doors,” she says, noting that wheelchairs are available at no charge on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Further south on the west coast of Naples, take the Nature’s Peace Guided Tour, a free narrated program hosted by the Alzheimer’s Support Network and sponsored by CREW Land and Water Trust. Offered monthly, persons with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers can explore the Bird Rookery Swamp on a short stroll on a hard-crushed shell trail and boardwalk to see flora and fauna.

According to Florida Hikes, there are endless opportunities – listed at floridahikes.com/accessible-trails – to explore wildlife on wheelchair-ready trails, like boardwalks, paved surfaces or firm natural paths. Go wild!  

Family kayaking in Florida Swamplands for an accessible outdoor adventure

Educational Excursions…

For an out-of-this-world experience, head to the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Titusville. Take flight with simulators, astronaut encounters, views of Space Shuttle Atlantis and exhibits highlighting space history and technology. Time your voyage to coincide with the rumble of a rocket launch! Tour buses, the IMAX Theatre and other attractions are wheelchair accessible (wheelchair and scooter rentals available). Plus, for hearing and vision aids, KSC offers closed captioning, audio devices, American Sign Language interpreters and more.

Need a day trip destination? Several museums in Central Florida and nearby Tampa are autism-friendly. Some options include The Florida Aquarium (which offers break areas and earplugs to help with noise management), Dinosaur World (offering an online guide for parents of autistic children) and the Glazers Children’s Museum (hosting Sunshine Sundays with lights and sounds turned down and sensory-adapted tools/programs).

For more ideas, please visit the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association (fdoa.org) for a searchable portal of other hands-on recreation venues. And share your favorite Florida destinations with us on Facebook!

Ease Travel Planning

Simplify logistics with the help of these accessible travel experts:

– Accessible Journeys has created wheelchair accessible vacations, tours and cruises since 1985 for slow walkers, wheelchair travelers and their families in an effort of “making the world more accessible.” (800) 846-4537 | accessiblejourneys.com

– Adaptive Adventures provides progressive outdoor sports opportunities to improve the quality of life for individuals with physical disabilities and their families, with skiing, snowboarding, climbing, cycling, dragon boat racing, kayaking, paddle boarding, rafting, sailing, water skiing and wakeboarding. Events are held nationally, with a focus in Colorado and the Greater Chicago / Milwaukee area. (877) 679-2770 | adaptiveadventures.org

‍– Barcelona Zero Limits is a travel agency specializing in inclusive tourism to make Barcelona, Spain accessible for all by offering accessible hotels, activities and adapted transportation. (+34) 938 640 275 | barcelonazerolimits.com

– Flying Companions is a worldwide travel assistance company accompanying senior travelers, persons with disabilities, people with travel anxiety and children who benefit from companion and/or chaperone services to simply airport logistics and beyond. (888) 350-8886 | flyingcompanions.com

‍– FlyingWheels Travel defines itself as the first (established in 1970) and most experienced travel agency for people with physical disabilities, chronic illness or difficulty walking, presenting accessible tours, cruises and companions. (877) 451-5006 | flyingwheelstravel.com

– Hand in Hand Outdoors, based in Utah, serves veterans as well as underprivileged and disabled persons with outdoor activities to enhance lives through education, experience and participation in fishing, boating, shooting and camping. (801) 592-7809 | handinhandoutdoors.com

– The Guided Tour provides professionally supervised vacations for adults with developmental challenges with a goal to provide a growth-producing experience for special needs travelers, in which they are able to travel and socialize independently of their families. (215) 782-1370 | guidedtour.com

– Wheelchairtraveling.com is an online community sharing resources, reviews, guides and tips about accessible travel with a goal to empower people with limited mobility and their loved ones to access and experience the world of adventure and leisure travel. wheelchairtraveling.com

Yoga Therapy is Flexible to Fit Everyone with Adaptability

Nancy DeVault
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Yoga Therapy is Flexible to Fit Everyone with Adaptability

Michelle Brusseau was only 16 years old when a blood vessel tore in her brain, causing the stroke that impaired her speech and ability to walk. Among other therapies, four years ago, Brusseau, now 30, began yoga therapy at Elevate Yoga Center in Orlando with Ella Duke, a yoga therapist who specializes in instructing individuals with ADHD, autism, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, muscular dystrophy, stroke and other disabilities.

“I needed a form of exercise that revolved around stretching,” Brusseau explains. “Yoga was made for stroke survivors! I find myself to be a lot more limber, [plus] it helps with my mental well being and it increases my stamina.” Brusseau is not alone; many individuals with disabilities are significantly benefiting from yoga therapy.

Thanks to personal encounters with a diverse yoga student population, including individuals with chronic conditions, Dr. Amanda McCune, a yoga instructor and physical therapist, proclaims: “I became an advocate for adaptive fitness and recreation, which led me to explore yoga-related [medical] research.” She discovered that science supports yoga therapy. “I found studies suggesting that yoga and mindfulness practices — i.e. guided relaxation, breathing activities, etc. — are effective in improving balance, range of motion and strength, while also reducing anxiety, depression and stress and/or stress-related conditions like blood pressure.” Yoga therapy, as defined by the International Association of Yoga Therapy, is the process of empowering individuals to progress toward improved health and well-being through the application of the teachings and practices of yoga.

People in a seated yoga position during a class. Yoga is good for ADHD, autism, and many other disorders.

Brusseau is a member of the Bcenter, a nonprofit organization for stroke survivors and their families. During a recent Bcenter support group meeting, she empowered fellow survivors with a yoga demonstration and informative chat alongside Duke.

“Yoga helps stroke survivors, among many benefits, with (1) balance and (2) weak or tense muscles. We can work on balance postures and on releasing muscles with a goal, for example, to build back confidence if a fear of failing is there [because of weakened muscles],” states Duke, noting that goals are always personalized. “Warrior 2 is my favorite because it stretches me and it’s the most advanced pose I can do,” Brusseau says, though she modifies many stances to match her body’s needs.

Yoga props ─ such as a block, bolster, blanket, chair (especially for wheelchair users) or aerial hammock ─ offer added support to safely achieve poses while maintaining healthy alignment. “Props can help people relax and feel more confident to explore yoga,” says Dr. McCune; Duke agrees: “When we come into a resting posture using a prop, we are not only working on flexibility – for example, butterfly pose with your feet together and knees separated to release the hips– but these restorative postures kick in a relaxation response to balance the nervous system, lift the immune system, enhance digestion and set the body up for deep healing.” Healing that, according to Duke, impacts the mind, body and soul. “Yoga provides physical benefits with movement; social aspect through the community of a group class or one-on-one with a yoga therapist; and, in some cases if the student wants to take it there, a spiritual aspect to find inner strength and inner peace. That can be very powerful and grounding.”

Yoga therapy is flexible – pun intended – to match individual needs and goals! “Yoga doesn’t see your disability as an obstacle but rather an opportunity. Yoga is not [solely] for the strong or flexible; it is for the willing. So, as long as you are willing, there is a teacher willing to help you find your own practice.”

Note: Before beginning any exercise, including adaptive fitness, talk to your healthcare provider.

Wired to Activate for a Cure for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

Nancy DeVault
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Wired to Activate for a Cure for Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

“I must have pinched a nerve,” thought then 24-year-old Jeffrey Hamilton, now 55, of immense tingling following a basketball game. Six months later neurologists gave Jeffrey a diagnosis: multiple sclerosis (MS), a degenerative “immune-mediated” disease of the central nervous system (which is made up of the brain, spinal cord and optic nerves) with onset typically in adults between ages 20 to 50, although individuals as young as 2 and as old as 75 have developed it.

To help others understand how MS interrupts the flow of information from the brain to the body, Hamilton comparative explains a compromised fuse box and its impacted output. “The fuse box is my brain full of billions of nerves and the conduit is my spinal cord full of nerves. The [connected] toaster [for example] is my foot, the lights are my legs and so on. The corruption in my brain is the immune system,” he describes the affects MS has on the brain and its functionality. For decades, Hamilton has worked toward three goals: “(1) I want to help people living with MS. I facilitate three positive support groups: the Osceola, Orange and downtown A.N.T.S. This acronym stands for ‘A Natural Tough Self-Starter.’ If you have MS, you have to be tough and self-start every day.  (2) I want to help find a cure. (3) I want to walk my daughters down the aisle without assistance,” he declares. To achieve these, Hamilton supports the National Multiple Sclerosis Society by funding research through Walk MS, coordinating logistics for Bike MS, serving as an activist and more.

Jeffrey Hamilton puts Congresswoman Kathy Castor through 'the MS Experience' to demonstrate challenges
Jeffrey Hamilton puts Congresswoman Kathy Castor through ‘the MS Experience’ to demonstrate challenges.

The progression, severity and specific symptoms (ranging from numbness to blindness and paralysis) of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but the National Multiple Sclerosis Society is working to find answers to ‘end MS forever.’ “The MS Society offers a ton of resources and programs ─ whether it’s the group, community or individual setting ─ to serve people living with MS, but we have a lot of efforts that impact greater good. That’s where our advocacy efforts overflow to impact individuals of all disabilities and not just those living with MS,” said Kinsey Stewart, Program Manager for the organization’s North Florida chapter.

Photo: Jeffrey Hamilton puts Congresswoman Kathy Castor through ‘the MS Experience’ to demonstrate challenges.

Stewart says the organization’s activists, who are primarily volunteers living with MS including Hamilton, meet with legislators to address different aspects of the disease and build awareness about what life with any disability can be like. “We shine light on challenges that elected officials sometimes don’t know that their constituents are facing,” she says. Aside from physical and mental challenges, people encounter ‘access to medication barriers.’ “Some insurance companies have required patients to fail a cheaper drug first before approving a more costly than more appropriate medication,” says Stewart on why the organization has lobbied for the Right Medicine, Right Time Act. “We want medical decisions, including which medication is appropriate, to be decided by patients and providers and not insurance companies,” she adds. MS activists are also advancing home modification tax credit legislation to provide financial assistance. Stewart said such credits would ease prohibitive expenses but also help prevent injuries and falls.

The cause of MS is still unknown – scientists believe the disease is triggered by an as-yet-unidentified environmental factor in a person who is genetically predisposed to respond. To learn more about MS or to join the fight, visit NationalMSSociety.org.

MS FACTS

·      MS affects more than 2.3 million worldwide.

·      More than twice as many women than men have MS.

·      MS occurs in most ethnic groups, but is most common in Caucasians.

·      The average annual cost of living with MS exceeds $57,000 per person with lifetime costs of more than $3.7 million.

Volunteers participate in the MS Walk.

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Empowering America’s Heroes to Begin New Ventures

Nancy DeVault
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Empowering America’s Heroes to Begin New Ventures

Dr. Michael H. Morris and his team founded the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program (VEP) in 2009 at Oklahoma State University, and it has expanded to include programs at the University of Florida, University of North Dakota and UniversityTennessee Chattanooga. “We have launched various ventures targeting people who operate under conditions of more adversity and, as a military veteran myself, we felt that veterans are part of a community that could: (A) Benefit from rigorous experience to succeed in entrepreneurship and (B) Were especially deserving given the price they paid for our freedom,” Morris explains.

VEP provides an innovative training opportunity for veterans interested in starting a new venture as a means to financial independence. It is structured with hands-on learning, personalized interaction and mentoring. Veterans tend to be more likely than nonveterans to start businesses, according to VEP, despite having higher barriers to entry. “Veterans obviously are committed to a mission, comfortable with hard work, demonstrate tenacity and overcome obstacles (certainly in a warfare context). Integrity is everything. So, if you look at values associated with military service, they go a long way towards effective success in entrepreneurial start-ups,” Morris said. VEP recognizes the unique challenges of its participants including, but not limited to: 1) adapting to living with a service-related disability; 2) transitioning from military to civilian life. “In military context, things are orderly and, while that type of thinking helps the veterans in business, entrepreneurship can be chaotic, nonlinear and uncontrollably,” affirms Morris.

“The greatest joy I get is finding ways to connect the dots for them to be successful. Motivation and encouragement helps to change lives!” – Dr. Michael H. Morris

VEP is free for selected veterans with service-connected disabilities. “We don’t want them to spend a penny because we want them to focus entirely on their venture,” Morris says. “We want them to have an amazing experience but it’s not a free lunch. We have an expectation for participants to start something or improve what they have.” VEP consists of three training stages: 1) Five weeks of online self-study, plus group critique opportunities. 2) Eight-day campus boot camp filled with business workshops and more, followed by professional pitches. 3) Five months of mentoring.

“The course happened at the right time [for me]. Fate… mandated by god,” declares veteran Jose “Joe” Perez, a participant from the inaugural class. “I wanted to leave our family business to go out on my own despite the bad economy at the time. The instructors and the curriculum are among the best to help build a framework for any venture,” Perez said. He and fellow classmates learned about business concepts, business plans, funding, marketing, accounting, operations, human resources, legal issues and more.

Delegates from the National Entrepreneurship Program
Delegates from the National Entrepreneurship Program

Veteran Leanne E. King participated in 2013 as a new business owner. “The program offers an incredibly rare and special opportunity to personally tap into the knowledge of Dr. Morris and various successful mentors,” says King, who credits VEP with enhancing her human resources consulting firm, SeeKingHR. She now returns to “give back” as a mentor by facilitating VEP’s HR sessions. “The greatest joy I get is finding ways to connect the dots for them to be successful. Motivation and encouragement helps to change lives!”

VEP has an impressive success rate of 70 percent; whereas, according to Forbes, traditionally 9 out of 10 start-ups fail. How? Morris says anyone can be successful with the right plan and support as VEP offers. “We want vets that have a passion and can stick with it and hope the community will offer referrals for ideal candidates. Entrepreneurship can be a viable path for veterans looking to find their way,” he says. Approximately forty veterans will be accepted into the next VEP class at UF; however, applicants who do not obtain a slot may be selected for a partner site. Find more information at warrington.ufl.edu/VEP or call (352) 273-0330.

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Go Baby Go: A Driving Force for Mobility

Nancy DeVault
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Go Baby Go: A Driving Force for Mobility

Physical therapy experts at the University of Central Florida and other collegiate institutions proclaim that modified off-the-shelf toy cars can drive meaningful mobility opportunities for infants and young children with disabilities. Since 2015, Dr. Jennifer Tucker, a forward-thinking member of UCF’s PT faculty, has directed this playful initiative through Go Baby Go, a national, community-based research, design and outreach program ─ founded in 2012 by Dr. Cole Galloway at the University of Delaware ─ that provides accessible, inexpensive and common-sense solutions for kids with limited mobility.

Go Baby Go aims to promote early, independent mobility through research, advocacy and education. By adapting a battery-operated Fisher Price toy vehicle, Tucker and her team of volunteers grant children with disabilities age-appropriate fun that they may not otherwise experience. The organization employs “go tech” designs which means, says Tucker, “Readily-available technology is used to combine affordable low-tech and high-tech innovations to achieve out-of-the-box creative solutions. It’s about making technology more accessible for individuals with impairments.”

To date, UCF’s Go Baby Go program has custom-built over 50 chairs! “Our initiative is mostly grassroots with application referrals from healthcare partners and local families,” says Tucker. Thanks to donations, sponsorships and volunteer experts and layperson, there is no cost to obtain a car for eligible families (except travel expenses if applicable to recipients who reside outside of the Greater Orlando area).

Go Baby Go typically hosts two workshops a year (in addition to smaller pop up events and individual builds) and attends research conferences to outfit children with custom cars and to educate community stakeholders on the need and methods. Each application is accessed by a pediatric physical and/or occupational therapist to ensure proper adjustments. Next, volunteers, including students from UCF’s doctoral of physical therapy and engineering programs, make the impactful car tweaks. “We change the foot pedal control to a switch on the steering wheel. To work a foot pedal, you need a certain level of motor control and strength, so we remove that element to redirect the control to the steering wheel. This allows the child to experience mobility through a better-positioned control point that they can use with their hands or tummies,” explains Tucker.  “We also fit the cars with added structural and postural support. For example, to help a child sit upright, we can provide an additional chest strap and build a frame around the car.”

Clare McCann, an Orlando mom, attended a lecture led by Go Baby Go at the 2016 National Down Syndrome Congress Convention to learn about research findings that might benefit her daughter Katherine, who has Down syndrome and was facing mobility and developmental issues. “One of the things I loved about some of the research Go Baby Go presented was that having the ability to move oneself around ─ as opposed to being pushed in a stroller or on something else ─ helps with brain development, coordination and other skills. So these cars are particularly valuable to those who don’t otherwise have the ability to move themselves around… i.e. my Katherine,” Clare said, who admits to being happily surprised at how quickly Katherine has improved now that she is a driving force of her own mobility. “I believe that having the car has been a contributing factor to such [rapid] growth and development. She’s now crawling, pulling to standing and getting into lots of things.”

McCann is thankful that the Go Baby Go program is invested in researching mobility issues and delivering practical, affordable solutions for families. “We have benefitted greatly from this program and are very thankful for all that they do. It has improved Katherine’s quality of life and enabled her to move and keep up with her sisters in a way she wouldn’t otherwise be able to,” McCann declares.

“The drive for exploration through movement & mobility is a deep part of being fully human.”  -Cole Galloway

Tucker stresses that the Go Baby Go cars are not designed as therapy tools but rather used for mobility-related participation and social engagement; although the simply tech adaptions have, adversely, delivered therapeutic benefits, such as increased trunk strength from positioning with postural control. Go Baby Go currently modifies two Fisher Price 6-volt models ─ Lightning McQueen & Frozen ─ and hopes to expand to offer larger car models for older children. Visit ucfgobabygo.org to nominate a child or to support the effort. Go Baby Go also spearheads other mobility projects, such as the Knights on the Go Café, a harness-equipped kiosk that serves as a therapy-based worksite for individuals with traumatic brain injuries (as featured in the January/February issue of AmeriDisability Services Magazine).

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Arming the World with Bionic Heroes

Nancy DeVault
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Arming the World with Bionic Heroes

Albert Manero graduated from the University of Central Florida’s doctoral engineering program in December 2016. And his resume already boasts a nonprofit CEO title and recognition as a world-renowned mechanical inventor. Following a cold call request from Orlando mom Alyson Pring in 2014, Manero and his classmates embarked on a “summer project” to build a prosthetic limb for her son Alex who was born without most of his right arm. The conversation opened Manero’s eyes to “a blind spot for children’s prosthetics and disability technology. Because children grow so quickly, replacing any type of disability tech can be cost-prohibitive.” Families also encounter frustrations with insurance barriers and equipment limitations (such as battery power and fit). “Kids are often told to adapt on their own. We want to flip that paradigm and give kids confidence through something that can grow with them,” Manero explained.

With the support of sponsors like Stratasys (a 3D manufacturer that donated supplies), Manero and his team “worked late nights after class to figure out how to make electronics work” with inexpensive off-the-shelf materials and the campus 3D printer. The result: They developed the world’s first 3D printed bionic arm! It works without an elbow (unlike other 3D printed prostheses) and cost only $350 to print ─ far less than the $40,000 that prostheses traditionally cost ─ but proved to be priceless. “It helps me to hold paper, my tray, my pencil and lots of other things… like giving hugs,” young Alex said in an interview with Huffington Post of his customized, “body-powered” arm.

That success ─ followed by a flood of equally worthy requests ─ encouraged Manero to launch Limbitless Solutions, a nonprofit organization manufacturing personalized, affordable bionics and solutions for disabilities. “We’re blending art and engineering together in an effort to make something beautiful that kids want to wear and give them the chance to show off that they are more than just the loss of a limb,” Manero said. Pairing his love for “Iron Man” and newfound mobility strength, in 2015, Alex got a new superhero-themed arm delivered by Limbitless Solutions and celebrity Robert Downey Jr., who played the Marvel character! Yes, the creation is fun for kids but, more importantly, has superior functionality and adaptability. “Children will outgrow certain components and we do have to scale some parts. But we are able to with trivial material costs at that point because it is just refining the plastic with the same electronics,” assures Manero.

Thanks to sponsorships and contributions, Limbitless Solutions donated every custom-constructed arm thus far, which has benefited more than 20 families. Still in its infancy stage, the organization is focused on developing a stable, growth-oriented nonprofit infrastructure to meet the demand of families. “We are also trying to improve STEM education (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics). We send engineers into the classroom to show children what they can do with technology and 3D design,” said Manero, who engaged undergraduate students in his senior project at UCF: Project Xavier. Now patent-pending, it is another innovative, low-cost advancement that uses face muscle actuated wheelchair technology. “Project Xavier could help people with ALS, traumatic brain injury (TBI), MS and many others disabilities who can’t use a joystick. This would give them back the freedom of mobility to enhance quality of life,” Manero describes of his vision to instill hope from passion. “Our team found that people [with disabilities] were not being listened to, so we are excited to listen to what they need; and, as engineers, we love to solve those problems to make lives or tasks easier.” Learn more at www.3DHope.com or www.limbitless-solutions.org.

 

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