| |  | |  | A Special Thank You to Our Supporters Travis Roy Foundation
Craig H Neilsen Foundation
Lenny Zakim Fund
Cummings Foundation
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| | | Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (DEIAB) statement can be found here. |
| | Join Us in Welcoming Thalita to the SCIboston Team! |
| Thalita Teixeira Social Media Coordinator Thalita oversees SCIboston’s social media accounts, creating content and growing social media presence. Thalita became involved with SCIboston after an accident left her with a spinal cord injury and led her to find and join our weekly support groups. Thalita enjoys painting, reading and spending time with her husband and service dog, Bruce. We are so excited to have Thalita joining us. She will be bringing our social media presence to the next level with fun, educational, and exciting content. If you don't already follow us on social media you can find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube at @sciboston. Contact: thalita@sciboston.org |
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| In this newsletter you will find: -
Welcome Thalita Teixeira to the Team -
Conceivable Fundraiser Announcement -
Upcoming Events! Power of Art Gala, Christmas Virtual Meetup, and Giving Tuesday -
Travis Roy Legacy Grant Program -
Advocacy -
Peer Mentor Spotlight: Sindy -
After Dark Relaunch - SCI Transition Program - Hear How The Program Helped Rory
- *NEW VIDEO* SCIboston YouTube - Adaptive Sports and Fitness
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Support Groups - Resources
- Thomas E. Smith Paralysis & The Workplace Webinar
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We rely on donations, sponsors and grants to fund our peer programs. If we made a difference in your life or that of someone you love, consider a donation to allow us to continue to assist others as we assisted you. SCIboston is recognized by the IRS as a not-for-profit 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your donation is tax deductible to the full extent of the law. |
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| Due to the length, the end of this newsletter may get cut off by some email providers.
To read it in its entirety we suggest viewing it in your web browser. |
| | CONCEIVABLE FUNDRAISER SUCCESS! |
|  On November 8, 2024, the Conceivable Gala/Book launch was held as a fundraiser for SCIboston. All aspects of the event blew us away. Over 250 people attended the event, and over $50,000 was raised!! The raffle and auction items were amazing, the DJ made people want to dance, and the food was delicious! We are so grateful to Tom and Sue Salvemini, David and Andrea Lowy, and Ed Turner for supporting SCI Boston. Thank you to everyone that attended the gala and donated. Your generosity allows us to continue our mission to reach, inspire, support, and empower individuals with spinal cord injury. If you would like to donate and/or view the full gallery of pictures from the event, click here! A message from Tom: Wonderful Friends, David, our support team, and I would like to extend our profound and humble thanks to everyone that made donations or attended Friday evening’s gala for Spinal Cord Injury of Boston at the DoubleTree. Please accept our apology for a lack of seating and long food and drink lines. We were “wall to wall” with over 250 guests that made the night a bit of a blur, but still nothing short of amazing as we were engulfed in a sea of incredible friends and family that made the night spectacular. Early on, David and I originally set a goal of raising $10,000. With donations flying in, we soon raised our goal to $15,000, then again to $25,000. Because of everyone’s gracious and kind support, by Friday night’s end we destroyed all of our goals and took in an estimated $50,000. All proceeds will be going directly to Spinal Cord Injury of Boston, SCIboston an organization that does such great work for the disabled community. Thank you to the business community, SCIboston, and all the people that graciously backed this event. It would not have been possible without your kind and generous support. If you would like to pre-order a copy of Conceivable or purchase a copy of Band of Gorillas please contact me at: salveminitom@gmail.com |
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| | Upcoming Events Flyers are clickable. |
| | Tuesday, December 3rd is Giving Tuesday – A Day to Give Hope! SCIboston, is a community of individuals and families affected by spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D). From the moment of injury, we provide hope, guidance, and support through our nationally recognized Peer Visitation Program. Here’s what makes us unique: - Our peer mentors are individuals who’ve successfully navigated post-SCI/D life, helping the newly injured and their families adjust and thrive.
- We’ve supported thousands of people over the past 30 years, proving that life after SCI/D can be meaningful and fulfilling.
- We offer all services at no cost, relying entirely on donations, grants, and sponsors.
Every dollar you donate helps us:
 Provide one-on-one support for newly injured individuals
Empower families to navigate life after SCI/D
Show that anything is possible This Giving Tuesday, you can help us continue our mission in three ways:
1. Create your own fundraiser on Facebook or Instagram using their "Add fundraiser" option.
2. Donate directly to SCIboston here.
3. Share on social media that you are choosing us on this giving Tuesday and encourage others to support us. You can copy and paste the above information to tell your followers more about us. |
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| | SCIboston's Travis Roy Legacy Grant Program SCIboston is excited to announce the continuation of its quality of life grant program for individuals with a spinal cord injury or disorder and has renamed it The Travis Roy Legacy Grant Program. To read the full press release click here! Our Grant Program assists individuals with a Spinal Cord Injury or Disorder (SCI/D) who demonstrate a financial need. These grants can help assist with obtaining either Durable Medical Equipment or Vehicle Modifications up to $5,000. Examples of Eligible Items: Upgrade and maintenance of wheelchairs, home ramps and lifts, computers, commodes, standing frames, shower chairs/benches, vehicle hand controls, wheelchair locking systems, and more. To learn more about the eligibility requirements, what our grants cover, and to fill out the application click the button below! |
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|  November was Caregiver Awareness Month! There is an opportunity with NPR to share your caregiving experience as part of a series on the mental health challenges of adult caregiving. Send them your story here! To receive advocacy updates and action event from us, sign up for advocacy emails here! |
| From United Spinal: Regarding our work on our SecureRide Coalition: https://unitedspinal.org/secureride/ where we are developing an automated wheelchair securement prototype for ground transportation for wheelchair users, we are looking for: Dates: Friday, December 6, 9am ET to 1pm ET OR
Tuesday, December 17, 9am ET to 1pm ET
Location: 18 New England Business Ctr, Andover, MA 01810 – fairly close to the NH border There is a cafeteria area on the ground floor, with a conference area in the back where you will meet the company PSI Corp, https://www.psicorp.com/ who is working with us on this project. Building image below, entrance is in the middle and parking is off to the left of image. There are no steps into the building, with accessible bathrooms next to the conference room. If you are interested, please email abennewith@unitedspinal.org by close of business on Tuesday, December 3, 2024 with your name, updated email address and direct phone number along with your preferred date and time for the demonstration. Thank you for your support and interest! Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Alex Alexandra Bennewith, MPA
Vice President, Government Relations
202 556-2076, ext. 7102
abennewith@unitedspinal.org |
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| Name: Sindy Injury Level: T11 Incomplete Year of Injury: 2009 Sindy sustained a spinal cord injury at the age of 19 due to a motor vehicle accident. Bilingual in Spanish and English, she holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Management with a double concentration in Entrepreneurship and Marketing. Sindy has great knowledge of spinal cord injury-related topics, including returning to school and work, IV filters, pain management, working with personal care attendants (PCA’s), and specifically for lengthening the achilles tendon. In her free time, Sindy enjoys music, dancing, attending concerts, hand-cycling, and strolling along the Charles River. Her experience and drive have helped her navigate her injury while maintaining an active and fulfilling life. |
| Looking to Connect with a Peer Mentor? Are you or a family member looking to connect with one of SCIboston's trained peer mentors? Many people find it helpful, reassuring, and hopeful to talk to a mentor about adjusting to life after a spinal cord injury. Topics of conversation could include getting back to work or school after a sci, adaptive sports, relationships and intimacy, bladder and bowel management, and more. We match individuals with peer mentors based primarily on gender, injury level, age, interests, and family life, amongst other considerations. SCIboston's mentors also lead many of our virtual support groups, as well as attend them to provide support to others. If you'd like to hear more about the program or wish to connect with someone, please contact SCIboston's Peer Mentor Coordinator, Diane, at diane@sciboston.org to learn more today. Click the HERE to watch a video from our Peer Mentors! To learn more about our other Peer Mentors click HERE! |
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| SCIboston has Relaunched the After Dark Groups! The first month of the After Dark group relaunch was very successful with great group turnouts. If you are looking for a safe and supportive Space to discuss all topics related to SCI, including intimacy, sex, and relationships. Please attend which ever group is the best fit for you. This month: December 4th - Women’s Group (for women who have a partner with SCI) Meets the 1st Wednesday of each month @7pm EST December 5th - Women’s Group (for women with SCI) Meets the 1st Thursday of each month @7pm EST December 19th - Men’s Group (for men with SCI) Meets the 3rd Thursday of each month @7pm EST For more info and zoom links, go to www.sciboston.org/groups |
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|  | Watch Stacie and Rory tell their story at our recent gala HERE. |
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Spinal Cord Injury Transition Program Stacie Selfridge - TRANSITION PROGRAM LIAISON Stacie oversees SCIboston’s SCI Transition Program, which aims to assist individuals who live in nursing homes to get back to living independently. Stacie brings twenty-plus years of knowledge and experience as an Occupational Therapist to our SCIboston community. We are pleased to announce the SCIboston Spinal Cord Injury Transition Program has had some great successes during it's first two years and we want to continue helping individuals with their independence. Do you know someone with an SCI that is living in a nursing home? We are looking for new candidates who are motivated to move back into the community. Please contact info@sciboston.org for more information or to recommend a candidate. |
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| Our YouTube Channel  Have you missed one of our recent Saturday Education Series Presentations or one of our virtual community events? Did you know that we upload them to our YouTube channel? We have presentations on: Hollister Products and Insurance Reimbursement Nutrition and Metabolic Changes with SCI/D Cooking with Arash Returning to School After SCI Adaptive Driving And so much more! Click the button below to check them all out! |
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| Virtual Support Groups Join us for one or more of our virtual support groups that meet your needs as an individual, family member, or significant other affected by a spinal cord injury or disorder (SCI/D). Our many virtual groups offer opportunities for open discussion, support, and resources. Younger Adult Group Women's Group Newly Injured Spanish Group After Dark Groups Family Groups SCI/D Discussion Group And many more! Click the button to access more information and the zoom links! |
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Resources Our resource page was curated by our staff with information provided by our mentors, group leaders, and other members of the SCI community that includes information about: Caregivers
Getting Back to Work
Housing, Sports & Recreation
Complex Rehab Technology
Transportation
and so much more! Click the button below to check them all out! |
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|  Paralysis & The Workplace Date & Time Dec 11, 2024 01:00 PM EST Description Join us on December 11, 2024 at 1:00pm ET for the first of a series of discussions around this topic. Facilitated by TESF Executive Director & COO, Sarah Merrefield, the goal of this discussion is to highlight the key learnings and takeaways from a summer internship we helped facilitate. Panelists include: Thomas Smith - Co-Founder & President, TESF Helen Topor - EVP Human Resources, Salem Five Denna Laing - J.D. Candidate, Suffolk Law School Ahead of the event, we will share a brief survey to best tailor the content to your interests, as well as a resource document highlighting this case study as background. We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday December 11th!
To register click here! |
| | | Did you miss a newsletter? All our past newsletters can be found here: |
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| SCIboston
2 Rehabilitation Way | Woburn, Massachusetts 01801
(617) 952-5643 | info@sciboston.org |
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