| |  | | Our Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Access, and Belonging (DEIAB) statement can be found here. |
|  | Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Awareness Month is observed annually in September. This month aims to raise awareness about spinal cord injuries, promote education, share advocacy opportunities, and support research and advancements in the field. SCIboston welcomes you to join us at two upcoming, fun, and informative events (flyers below) to raise awareness about SCI. We also had a blast with an earlier-than-usual SCI Awareness Day at Fenway Park (recap below). An event that brings awareness of SCI to nearly 40,000 people in one day. We are also planning some fun and engaging social media posts. Follow us using the icons below to participate and help raise awareness about living with a spinal cord injury! |
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| In this newsletter, you will find: - The Stephen F. Riley Educational Memorial Scholarship
- August Event Recaps
- SCI Awareness Day at Fenway
- Upcoming SCIboston Events
- Spaulding Community Access Day
- SCI Awareness Day at The State House
- Advocacy Update
- Peer Mentor Spotlight - Caitlin R.
- Participate in SCI Awareness Social Media Posts
- Virtual Support Groups
- SCIboston's Travis Roy Legacy Grant Program
- Thank You to Our Sponsors and Supporters
- SCI Transition Program - Do You Know Someone In A Nursing Home?
- Resources
- Community Tidbits
- Caregiver Retreat
- A Promises Kept: Jerry Donovan's Mission to Help Others Thrive
- Disability Connection Podcast
- Commonwealth Beacon - What are your healthcare challenges?
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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. |
| | Este correo electrónico se puede traducir al español o al portugués utilizando el traductor de su cliente de correo electrónico, que se encuentra en la configuración de su correo electrónico. Si necesita más ayuda, podemos traducirlo por usted. Escríbanos a info@sciboston.org. |
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| Due to the length, some email providers may cut off some of this newsletter's content.
We recommend viewing it in your web browser for optimal reading. |
| | The Stephen F. Riley Educational Memorial Scholarship Applications are now open for the first Steven F. Riley Educational Memorial Scholarship, which will be awarded in January 2026. Thanks to the generosity of Linda and Stacey Riley, this opportunity has been created in Steven’s memory and offered through SCIboston to honor his perseverance and compassion. The scholarship supports individuals living with paraplegia or quadriplegia/tetraplegia due to spinal cord injury or disorder. Beginning in 2026, two scholarships will be awarded each year—one in the Fall and one in the Spring semester—to help recipients pursue higher education or certified training. The deadline for this first round of applications is October 31, 2025. For full details, eligibility, and application, click here. |
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| | SCI Awareness Day At Fenway Recap Thank you to everyone who came out to root on the Red Sox and to raise awareness of spinal cord injury on August 17th! It was a hot day, but that didn't stop us from having a blast. Thank you to Mary Cooper for organizing the event, her daughter, Hannah, and friend, Jenny, for helping at the table, and to everyone who contributed to making everything run smoothly! Thank you to the Red Sox for providing us with this opportunity to raise awareness and bring together so many people from our community. A big thanks goes out to the Thomas E. Smith Foundation for their help in planning the day and for joining us at the community table to further spread awareness! Congrats to Mary Cooper! She was honored with an on-field presentation as a Peer Mentor/Leader of the Pack. Mary is a long-time Peer Mentor, is the lead organizer for this event, and is an all-around amazing human being. Thank you, Mary, for ALL you do! The Red Sox also honored, for their Hats Off To Heroes on-field presentation, Captain Joshua Rosenthal, a long-time caregiver to his brother, who has a spinal cord injury. Thank you for your service, Captain Rosenthal! |
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| | Upcoming Events! Flyers are Clickable |
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| |  Have you seen the most recent Advocacy Update? Click here to check it out! Sick of being left out of all of the best advocacy events and news? Click here to sign up for emails! Looking for quick ways to get involved? Check out the opportunities below! Remember to personalize your message as much as you can! - Tell Congress to fully fund vital programs that benefit people with disabilities across the country, including the Paralysis Resource Center. Click here to send your message!
- Send the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation a short video describing what the Paralysis Resource Center means to you and what it would mean to lose it. Click here to share your story.
- Opposed to the cuts to Medicaid? Check out this action alert by Caring Across Generations which asks your senators to support the Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act. This bill would repeal the more than $1 trillion in cuts to Medicaid, Medicare, and the Affordable Care Act.
- The Spastic Paraplegia Foundation (SPF) is asking Congress to support legislation that would modernize ADA parking standards and make paratransit more efficient. Take action here.
- The ARC of Massachusetts is asking Governor Healey to protect certain MassHealth programs (such as the PCA program) from potential funding shortfalls. Protect MassHealth here.
Advocate Highlight: This past spring, REquipment’s reuse program was at risk of losing $500,000 – more than a third of their budget. However, thanks to the relentless advocacy of the disability community, these cuts were rejected and REquipment’s full budget was preserved. I would like to highlight one special advocate from our community, Janice Brodil, who took consistent, dedicated action. By repeatedly emailing her legislators, through the same kind of simple, direct outreach opportunities available above, she made a real impact. Her efforts were so powerful that her State Senator personally called to share the good news that REquipment’s funding had been saved. Read Janice Brodil’s full story: “Just Push the Buttons" here. If you have a similar story to share, we want to hear about it: vita@sciboston.org |
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| Mentor Spotlight Name: Caitlin Injury Level: T5 Complete Year of Injury: 1991 Caitlin sustained a spinal cord injury in 1991 at the age of 16 from a motor vehicle accident, which also resulted in a brachial plexus injury affecting the function of her left hand. She lives with her daughter and their dogs, and enjoys traveling, cooking, swimming, and playing board games and cards. Caitlin holds a master’s degree in social work and thrives in her role as a team lead for the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. With experience in spinal cord injury-related topics such as women's issues, returning to work and school after injury, and advocacy, Caitlin is dedicated to supporting others navigating similar challenges. |
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| 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. SCIboston Peer Mentors have completed SCIboston and United Spinal Association Peer Training Program, completed HIPPA training, passed background checks, and are, in many cases, certified Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital volunteers. 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. To learn more about our Peer Mentor program click here to watch our Saturday Education Series about it. |
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| September is SCI Awareness Month The month aims to educate the public about the impact of spinal cord injuries and the importance of supporting research and advocacy efforts while also celebrating the resilience and accomplishments of individuals living with SCI. Would you like to participate in our SCI Awareness Month social media posts by sharing your experiences to inspire others? Would you be ok with giving a short blurb via video or just in your own words? Keep it short! 20 seconds max if video & 2 sentences if only words 1. Share a struggle of having SCI: Examples: Pain, depression, loneliness, muscle spasms Now share how you are managing this? Examples: spending time with family, reading a book to distract myself, using heat pads or massage guns 2. Advice to a newly injured with SCI: - Whats something you wish you knew as a newly injured? Examples: find a therapist, join support groups, things will get better, wheelchair hack, everyday tips 3. What are some of your greatest accomplishments after your SCI? Examples: joined a program, went back to school, visited a new country, tried a new parasport, found a new hobby If you are interested in participating or have questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with our Social Media Coordinator, Thalita: Thalita@sciboston.org |
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| Update to SCIboston’s Support Groups: As part of our ongoing effort to strengthen and better serve our local community, SCIboston will be limiting participation in our virtual support groups—with the exception of the Nutrition Group—to residents of New England (Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, Vermont, Rhode Island, and Connecticut). SCIboston’s mission is to Reach, Inspire, Support, and Empower individuals living with spinal cord injuries across Massachusetts and New England. Our virtual support groups have become a cornerstone of that mission, offering meaningful connection, community, and support. Originally expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic to reach individuals in new ways, these groups have since grown into a vital and enduring part of our programming. As we continue to evolve, we’ve recognized the importance of focusing our support group efforts on individuals and families within our service region. This allows us to direct resources more effectively and foster deeper regional connections among participants. The Nutrition Group will remain open to all participants, regardless of location. We want to emphasize that current participants who reside outside of New England are warmly welcomed and encouraged to continue attending. Your presence and contributions have become an essential part of the SCIboston community. The relationships we've built together are deeply valued, and we look forward to your continued involvement. If you have any questions regarding support groups please reach out to heidi@sciboston.org Virtual Support Groups Join us for any of SCIboston’s virtual support groups that meet your needs as an individual or family member impacted by a spinal cord injury or disorder. Our support groups offer opportunities for questions, open discussion, support, resources, and more. All of our facilitators are trained SCIboston Peer Mentors who are there to structure the meeting, guide conversation, and help meet the needs of attendees. We want our attendees to feel comfortable and know that any level of participation is welcomed, even if you would just like to listen. No need to RSVP, meeting links are the same each week. Younger Adult Group Women's Group Newly Injured Spanish Group Family Groups SCI/D Discussion Group And Nutrition Group Click the button to access more information and the zoom links! |
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| SCIboston's Travis Roy Legacy Grant Program 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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| Thank You To Our Sponsors Silver Sponsors Bronze Sponsors A Special Thank You to Our Supporters |
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|  | Watch Stacie and Rory tell their story at our 2024 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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| Resources Page 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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| | |  | CAREGIVER RETREAT
OCT 9 - 12, 2025 Now more than ever it is important to give back to those that have given so much. We are so excited to offer a Caregiver Retreat, in partnership with Brutally Beautiful! The Retreat will take place at the Adaptive Outdoor Education Center in Carrabassett Valley. Our Caregiver Retreats are an intentional nature-based healing program. Activities include daily modalities, hiking, forest baths, and more! Caregivers will learn self-care strategies and the positive impact time in nature can have on their mental, physical, and emotional health. For more information, click here! |
| |  | Disability Connection Podcast DLC is proud to renew our commitment to sharing information through the introduction of the Disability Connection Podcast. In our newest episode, DLC's Barbara L'Italien interviews Voting Rights Advocate Brianna Zimmerman about options for voting in the preliminary elections for people with disabilities in Massachusetts. More episodes will be available shortly so tune in! Click here to listen! |
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 | A Promise Kept: Jerry Donovan’s Mission to Help Others Thrive Twenty-five years ago, NSM client Jerry Donovan made a promise—and he’s spent every day since keeping it. Back then, Donovan worked for Boston Gas, fixing gas leaks throughout the city. In 1999, while driving his truck, his blood sugar suddenly dropped, causing a serious accident. The crash left Donovan—a Type 1 diabetic—with a T-6 spinal cord injury. “In the ER, a priest came in, and I was an altar boy, so I knew why he was there,” Donovan recalls. “He was coming to give me my last rites. I made a promise to God: If you keep me alive, I promise I’ll do some good stuff.” It’s a promise he’s been living out for the past quarter century, as Donovan says, “for people in my position, for people going through traumatic life changes, for people who recover and for the ones who don’t." Read the full article here. |
| |  | | In September, CommonWealth Beacon is embarking on a month-long project centered around health care. Specifically, we will be exploring the state of health access in Massachusetts and the barriers residents face as they try to navigate a system that can be costly, overwhelming, and inefficient -- even as it delivers cutting-edge, lifesaving care. | | | | News coverage of health care is often framed around the numbers: rising insurance premiums, the state’s budget allocation for MassHealth, the expense of developing the latest therapeutics. But on the other side of those equations are people, many of whom are dealing with life and death decisions and skyrocketing costs. | | | | Have you had to forgo a procedure? Or ration medication? Has maintaining your health insurance forced you to make difficult financial tradeoffs? Does it feel next to impossible to get an appointment with your primary care doctor? | | | | By sharing your experiences with us, you will inform our reporting as we pursue stories looking at these different obstacles. And, we hope that this starts a conversation with you on this important issue. | | | |
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| | | 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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