U2FP CureCast

Zac Wolfe is known for his grit and determination. He is a great example of how you can live a full life with a spinal cord injury and still maintain the fire to push for better outcomes. A few years ago, Zac enrolled in a Department of Defense, SCIRP-funded clinical trial using transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) to improve upper limb function. In this conversation we bring on Zac and the principal investigator of the study, Dr. Ela Plow of the Cleveland Clinic, to discuss how tDCS works along with the details of the study and what function Zac recovered. We also talk about the role of belief and determination in study participants, the importance of advocacy, why siloed thinking hinders research progress, how small functional gains become cascades for additional recovery and much more. This is an interesting conversation that I know you’ll enjoy, so let’s get to it! More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-144.html

This is part two of our conversation about SCI & AI with our guest Abel Torres-Espín. If you haven't listened to part one, you can find the link on our episode page. In today's episode, we wanted to focus more on what Abel is currently working on, including a recent publication of his, and continue the discussion about AI's limitations, opportunities, it's slop, biases, and most importantly what we can do to utilize artificial intelligence for deepening spinal cord injury research in optimal ways. Again, you'll want to check out the publication we discuss along with Dr. Torres-Espín's research page, both of which are linked on the episode page: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-143.html

Today we are talking to Dr. John “Kip” Kramer about neuropathic pain. Dr. Kramer is a Principal Investigator and Associate Director of Operations at the International Collaboration on Repair Discoveries or iCORD at the University of British Columbia. His research interests include: Neuropathic pain, anesthesiology, MRI, Outcome measures and clinical trials. In this discussion we cover... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-142.html

We are very sad today as we re-broadcast this conversation with Reggie Edgerton. You may have heard that Reggie has died. We've lost a brilliant mind, and a long-standing research scientist who was focused on spinal cord injury. Reggie was a frequent presenter at our Symposia and a generous teacher and mentor to those in and outside the academy. We wanted to rebroadcast this episode as a remembrance of him but also because Jason and I were so impressed in this interview with Dr. Edgerton’s relentless curiosity, despite his pedigree and experience. That he was still, all these years later, trying to puzzle over how to improve plasticity after a spinal cord injury using neuromodulation and rehab. It was always a pleasure talking to Reggie. We are very sad that he is gone. I hope you listen to the interview and enjoy just how influential he was to the field of SCI research. Thank you, Reggie! Thank you for all the years of sharing your relentless curiosity with us. It's much appreciated.

Today we welcome back our friend Jen Dulin from Texas A&M University. We interviewed Dr. Dulin not too long ago about the research funding analysis project that she did in partnership with us. If you haven't listened to that, please check it out. Because that interview wasn’t central to what Jen works on in her lab, we promised her we'd have her back to talk about the scientific work she’s been pursuing for the last 20 years or so. Jen is working on neural stem cells, neural progenitor cells, for the purpose of regeneration, to graft cells into the injured cord in an effort to promote regeneration and restore function of a variety of kinds: motor, sensory, autonomic. This is a great discussion, so let's get into it.

In this episode of Curecast, Matthew Rodreick and Quinn Brett sit down with award winning hip-hop artist Brother Ali, who shares roots in Minnesota with Quinn. The conversation traces his journey from Minneapolis to Istanbul, reflecting on cultural identity, disability, and the power of community. He discusses the challenges and perspectives that come with living with albinism, the importance of art in expressing personal experiences, and the need for informed hope in the face of adversity. The conversation emphasizes the value of communication, the complexities of community, and the shared human experience of loss and resilience. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-139.html

This conversation explores U2FP's upcoming 20th Annual Science and Advocacy Symposium, reflecting on the past, present, and future of spinal cord injury research and advocacy. Jason and Matthew discuss the significance of this event, the importance of community engagement, and the need for legislative action to restore funding for spinal cord injury research. They describe some of the key speakers, sessions, and the unique opportunity for attendees to participate in advocacy efforts, starting with our in a Roll On The Capital happening on the last day of the conference. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-138.html

Today we are chatting with Dr. Michael Kilgard, a Researcher and Professor at the University of Texas and the Director of the Texas Biomedical Device Center. Michael is a leading voice in the field of neuroplasticity, our body’s ability to structurally and functionally adapt its nervous system throughout our lifetime. We discuss the potential and limitations of neuroplasticity for functional improvement after spinal cord injury and the role of Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS), in particular. We also cover the... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-137.html

Today we are talking with Dr. Nathan Makowski, a researcher at the VA Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, and the MetroHealth System in Cleveland, Ohio. Nathan's research specializes in the development of neuroprosthetics and the evaluation of their capacity to improve mobility outcomes after paralysis. Separate from his research roles at those institutions, Nathan is also the board chair for the non-profit organization, GiveAHand.tech. We discussed the idea of using an open-source mechanism to... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-136.html

Today, we're talking to Dr. David Darrow for a second time. Check out episode 30 for our first discussion. David is a neurosurgeon and assistant professor in the departments of neurosurgery and psychiatry at the University of Minnesota. Many of you will also know that he is a researcher and the primary investigator of the successful and ongoing E-Stand trial, which uses epidural stimulation and optimization protocols for delivering functional outcomes for the SCI community. We discussed the E-Stand trial, how it's progressing, and highlights from its now eight years of running. We also talk about the FDA and the quandary of determining what is meaningful in the eyes of research participants, as well as with regulators. And we get into spinal cord stimulation data sharing, the exciting horizon of combinatorial therapies, and much, much more. As you will hear on this call, David is a smart, innovative, forward-thinking ally of the SCI community. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-135.html

In this conversation, Dr. Michael Fehlings discusses his journey into neurosurgery, focusing on spinal cord injury and the challenges of balancing clinical practice with research. He emphasizes the importance of community collaboration and innovative approaches in clinical trials, particularly in the context of regenerative medicine. Dr. Fehlings also highlights the significance of understanding secondary injuries and the impact of Riluzole in spinal cord injury treatment. He advocates for a global statistical framework to... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-134.html

In this episode, we reflect on the power of showing up—not just physically, but with purpose, passion, and skill. We're just getting back from Madison, Wisconsin, where our incredible advocates continue to show up for spinal cord injury legislation there. Our guest today is Adrien Cohen, the head of SCI Ventures - a philanthropic venture fund for spinal cord injury. Adrien dove into this work after his brother sustained a spinal cord injury, bringing his unique expertise in... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-133.html

Today we are talking to Mason Branstrator in the second of a two-part series on supporting general wellness while living with a Spinal Cord Injury. Quinn Brett, U2FP’s Development and fellow wellness pursuer is joining me for the discussion. Mason Branstrator is a dynamic and influential personality in the world of Spinal Cord Injury and his mission is to improve life for our community in any way that he can. Mason’s social media presence is one platform that he uses to accomplish this goal. His reels grace my Instagram feed from time to time and I am consistently impressed with his content, especially as it pertains to health and wellness. In light of the wear and tear that full time advocacy can have on our population, it is important to remember to take care of ourselves so that we can keep showing up to the front lines and maintain our general quality of life. In these two episodes we discuss low-cost or free, accessible tools for self care that have been staples for myself, Quinn and Mason. We frame this discussion using the 6 Pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, which are: Nutrition, Exercise, Sleep, Stress Management, Substance Management and Relationships or Purpose. In this episode we cover the last three pillars.

Today we are talking to Mason Branstrator in the first of a two-part series on supporting general wellness while living with a Spinal Cord Injury. Quinn Brett, U2FP’s Development and fellow wellness pursuer is joining me for the discussion. Mason Branstrator is a dynamic and influential personality in the world of Spinal Cord Injury and his mission is to improve life for our community in any way that he can. Mason’s social media presence is one platform that he uses to accomplish this goal... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-131.html

Today, we’re joined by Dr. Evan Joiner from Columbia University for a truly fascinating conversation about spinal cord stimulation—but we start somewhere completely unexpected. Before becoming a neurosurgeon, Evan actually began his career as a soap opera actor. Yep, you heard that right. We dive into how that unlikely path led him into medicine, and ultimately, to neurosurgery. Along the way... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-130.html

Today we are talking with Dr. Chase Cornelison, an Assistant Professor in the department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Chase brings his unique perspective as a chemical and biomolecular engineer to the problem of spinal cord injury. The Cornelison lab investigates how... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-129.html

Today we are having a conversation with Alexander “Sasha” Rabchevsky. Sasha is many things: a professor, a researcher, a paraplegic, and a U2FP board member. He is also one of the old guard of research advocates. And he is frustrated... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-128.html

Today we are talking to Drs. Dimitry Sayenko and Adam Thrasher about their SCI humanitarian project in Tanzania called “Peak to Peak.” Dimitry is an MD, PhD and an associate professor in Neuromodulation and Neurosurgery at Houston Methodist Hospital, in Houston, Texas. We interviewed him previously about his work in episode 93, which I encourage you to check out. Adam is a PhD Researcher, Associate Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Health and Human Performance at the University of Houston, in Houston, TX. Dimitry and Adam are long time friends and colleagues, and they saw Adam’s sabbatical at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology in Tanzania as an opportunity to More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-127.html

In this episode, we have another insightful conversation with Dave Marver, CEO of ONWARD Medical. We discuss their FDA cleared transcutaneous stimulation device, the ARC-EX, as well as their other devices in the pipeline. Additionally... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-126.html

Today we are talking about bioinformatics with Dr. Abel Torres Espin. Abel is an Assistant Professor and Director of the health data DRIVEN lab at the School of Public Health Sciences at the University of Waterloo in Canada. He has worked with... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-125.html

Today’s guest is Dr. James Krause. James is a Distinguished University Professor and Director of the Center for Rehabilitation Research in Neurologic Conditions at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Krause has worked in the field of spinal cord injury throughout his career focusing on research designed to improve health, employment, and participation for people with SCI and other disabilities... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-124.html

Today’s guest is Dr. Chet Moritz. Chet is the CJ and Elizabeth Hwang endowed professor in the departments Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rehabilitation Medicine and Neurobiology & Biophysics at the University of Washington (UW) in Seattle. He also serves as the Co-director for the Center for Neurotechnology. Chet’s work in Transcutaneous Spinal Stimulation (TSS) heavily contributed to the Onward Medical Arc-EX device which recently gained FDA approval. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-123.html

Today we are re-airing another episode of the Unexpected Journey Podcast. This is such a great, quick little interview with my friend, colleague and Development Director at U2FP, Quinn Brett. In this episode... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-122.html

On today’s episode, we are re-airing an episode of The Unexpected Journey podcast. This one is an interview of yours truly. It focuses on my journey to SCI advocacy after my accident in 2017. We talk about my life before and immediately after my wreck, and why I became active in this effort for more and better research outcomes. I also talk about the mission, passion and initiatives here at U2FP. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-121.html

Welcome back to our final episode in this three-part series about the barriers to progress and the treatment of spinal cord injuries. We’re once again joined by neurosurgeon, researcher and lived experience advocate, Dr. Kent New. In this episode, we finish up our discussion of the many barriers to developing treatments, focusing primarily on regulatory agencies. We then move on to consider potential solutions to the problems we've uncovered in... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-120.html

This is our version of a special bulletin. And we are interrupting our regularly scheduled programming with this update on a major setback for SCI research. On March 15th, Congress passed a bill which eliminated arguably the most effective Spinal Cord Injury Research program in the world... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-119.html

Welcome back to our second episode in this three-part series about the barriers to progress in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. We’re once again joined by neurosurgeon, researcher and lived-experience advocate, Dr. Kent New. In this episode, we discuss the problems associated with preclinical, as well as early- and late-stage clinical trials. If you missed it, you can ... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-118.html

Today’s conversation is the first in a three part series with Dr. Kent New on the barriers to progress for SCI treatments. Kent is a neurosurgeon and researcher who was educated at Georgetown and Duke Universities. His career led him to brain tumor research and clinical practice at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida and then to overseeing clinical research at Ascension St. Vincent’s Hospital. In 2014 Kent suffered a C6 level spinal cord injury from a motor vehicle accident. He is uniquely qualified through his... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-117.html

Today I’m talking with Jason Biundo. Jason is a lived-experience graduate student at Harvard Medical School. He earned a dual degree in Neuroscience and Biology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. It's worth noting that some of that degree was earned from a hospital bed while recovering from his spinal cord injury at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. Beyond this, Jason is a personal friend of ours and U2FP advocate. We begin our conversation exploring... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-116.html

Today we’re talking with Dr. Jacob Goldsmith. Jacob is a research scientist at the James J. Peters Veterans Affairs Medical Center and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Neurology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Our conversation will explore the interesting relationship between Testosterone and Spinal Cord Injury. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-115.html

In Chapter 8 of Kate Willette’s advocacy bible, “Don’t Call it a Miracle,” she tells us the story of a human cell with special, regenerative characteristics. A cell that, although not a stem cell, perpetually repairs and replaces neural tissue throughout our life. It's called an olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) or glia (OEG). Parts of the story seemed like the wild west with questionable scientists taking some risky chances, pulling cells out of people's noses and injecting them into their spinal cords, leading to catastrophe. Other, more conservative scientists were doing work that resulted in almost unbelievable results in... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-114.html

We’re back with round two of stem cells and their application to Spinal Cord Injury, with our tour guide, Alina Garbuzov. In this episode, we wrap up our overview of stem cell types, sources and potential uses in spinal cord injury. We also field some listener questions from part 1 and talk about the work that Alina is doing at the Mark Tuszynski Lab at UCSD. We realized after the fact that these two conversations are... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-113.html

This is the first in a two-part series covering the role of stem cells in spinal cord injury with Dr. Alina Garbuzov. Along with the experience she brings as a person living with an SCI, Alina is a researcher, working in the Mark Tuszynski Lab at the Center for Neural Repair at the University of California, San Diego. Today's conversation is part one, where we introduce Alina and learn about her... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-112.html

Today we’re talking with Dr. Jen Dulin from Texas A&M University. Dr. Dulin is a spinal cord injury researcher, but this discussion is a little different as it's not about the active research she’s doing in her lab. Instead, we discuss a project that U2FP pitched to Jen a couple years ago: could we do an analysis on the last 15 years of spinal cord injury research funding trends, themes, and categories, so we can understand - in detail - what's happened over that time period. Dr. Dulin happily said yes to our idea, and we then incorporated several people with SCI to help her with that project. And the data we’ve helped her compile so far looks to be... More info here: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-111.html

Today we are talking to Arash Bayatmakou and Dale Hull, the organizational heads of NorCal SCI and Neuroworx, respectively. NorCal SCI is a resource non-profit serving the SCI community of northern California. Neroworx is an outpatient rehabilitation center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The main focus of our discussion is the lack of access to outpatient rehabilitation after SCI and the creative collaboration these organizations have crafted to address it. We also chat about their upcoming symposium, which aims to find solutions to the rehab crisis. This conversation is a great example of how the SCI community can identify creative solutions to the problems that affect all of us with lived experience of this injury. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-110.html

Today we are talking about Brain-Computer Interfaces (or BCI) with Luke Bashford and Daniel Kramer. Daniel is a neurosurgeon and faculty member at the University of Colorado, Anschutz. He is also the co-founder of the Neural Engineering Research and Design of Colorado (or NERDco). Luke is a researcher in neuroscience and neurotechnology. He is co-affiliated with the University of Colorado and Newcastle University in the UK. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-109.html

Today’s guest is Dr. Gordon Mitchell, a professor of neuroscience at The University of Florida. He’s also the founder and director of the University’s Center for Breathing Research and Therapeutics. In this episode, we discuss the role of intermittent hypoxia and its effect on neuroplasticity and recovery of respiratory and motor function. more info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-108.html

Today's guest is Dr. Elizabeth Bottorff, a postdoctoral researcher in the biomedical engineering department at the University of Minnesota who is studying sexuality after spinal cord injury. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-107.html

Today’s episode is a brief primer on how this podcast got started and the kind of conversations you can expect here. You’ll learn about our hosts - Matthew Rodreick and Jason Stoffer – their relationship to SCI, why they do this work, what they hope this podcast can achieve and how this work is an extension of the broader mission of U2FP? Yes, it’s a great place to start for new listeners. But regular listeners may learn something new, particularly about our hosts, Matthew and Jason, and what compels them to keep doing this difficult but necessary work. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-106.html

Today's episode is my conversation with Dave Marver, the CEO of ONWARD. No doubt you've heard of ONWARD. We discuss the recent news about their transcutaneous stimulation device and their effort to gain regulatory approval, along with the results from their Uplift TRIAL. You'll find links to the trial and related articles on our website to help understand what that is. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-105.html

This week we are talking with Jake Beckstrom, who is U2FP’s Co-Manager of the Cure Advocacy Network along with our Wisconsin advocate Michael Mohr. It's a great conversation where we talk about the drama that took place this year with our legislative work in Wisconsin, where we past our $3M SCI Research in the Wisconsin Assembly, but were unable to then pass it in the Senate. It was a nailbiter that came down to the wire, and Jake and Mike had front row seats for the dramatic, if disappointing end. But they are undeterred. And they stopped by to talk to us about how they are still chasin the cheddar in Wisconsin.

Our guest today is Leann Rees. Leanne is a physical therapist with a PhD from Melbourne, Australia. She’s been in the business of rehab and reintegration for 30 years, 20 of which were spent in spinal cord injury. Leanne’s doctoral thesis examined many aspects and consequences of the media portrayal of spinal cord injury and that is what we’re talking today. This is a fascinating discussion about the historical and contemporary portrayals of SCI and how that portrayal influences the SCI Community and general population. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-103.html

Today we’re talking with Dennis Bourbeau. Dennis is a highly regarded clinical and academic researcher in the area of bowel/bladder/and sexual function. He works for the Louis Stokes Veterans Administration Hospital and the Metro Health County Hospital in Cleveland, OH. He’s also a faculty member at Case Western Reserve University. Dennis has graciously agreed to come back to chat with us a second time and give us an update on his work, specifically in bladder control devices. We also discuss the critical importance of connecting with and understanding the patient population, the process of getting a device to the market, and much more. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-102.html

Today we are talking to V. Reggie Edgerton, a Professor Emeritus of Nuerobiology at UCLA and co-founder of the spinal stimulation company, SpineX. Reggie Edgerton is a giant in the field of neuromodulation. Some have called him the father of spinal stimulation, and his influence can be found in... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-101.html

Today we are celebrating our 100th episode of U2FP’s CureCast podcast! No guest would be more appropriate for that celebration than Kate Willette. Kate and Mathew started the podcast 6 years ago and she co-hosted the first 34 episodes. Kate also wrote the book “Don’t Call it a Miracle” which is required reading for anyone with a spinal cord injury. Kate was dragged into the world of advocacy when her husband, Bruce, became a quadriplegic in 2001 and she refused to sit idly by. Being an educator and writer by training, she took the bull by the horns and demystified the science of spinal cord injury, giving our community tools for advocacy. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-100.html

Today we are bringing you part 1 of the “Your Voice Here” series. This collection of interviews was recorded during U2FP’s 2023 Science and Advocacy Symposium in Minneapolis. In this episode, you’ll hear from Physical Therapist, PhD and Researcher, Leanne Rees; Neuroscience student Jason Biundo; and Motivational speaker and Onward Marketing Consultant, Scott Chesney. We cover a variety of topics in this episode, among them: Leanne’s research on the media portrayal of SCI; how Jason’s climbing accident focused his interest in neuroscience to spinal cord injury research translation; and Scott’s wisdom from 38 years of lived experience with an SCI. In the way of topic warning, we do briefly discuss suicidal ideation in our third conversation with Scott, if that is something you would prefer to avoid. I hope you enjoy hearing these conversations as much as I enjoyed being a part of them. More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-99.html

You might be wondering why we are interviewing the founder of the National Breast Cancer Coalition, Fran Visco. Well, it turns out that she is the person primarily responsible for the formation of the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program (CDMRP) out of the Defense Department. One of their many programs is SCIRP - the Spinal Cord Injury Research Program. Fran was the first peer reviewer for breast cancer after CDMRP was formed. Today's interview conversation was extraordinary for illuminating the parallels and insights between two very different disease conditions. It was so insightful to listen to someone who has been advocating in a different space - breast cancer (Fran is also a survivor of breast cancer) - for some 30 plus years, but who has run up against the same barriers in the research system that we in the SCI space deal with as well. To talk with Fran about the similarities in our work and advocacy efforts was fascinating and fantastic. As many of you know, we in the SCI community always hear the money refrain: that what we really need is “more money, more money, more money.” Well, cancer receives a lot more money than spinal cord injury, obviously. But what’s fascinating, and what our conversation shows, is that... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-98.html

Today we are talking with Jordan Squair and Mark Anderson about their September 2023 paper published in the journal Science: “Recovery of walking after paralysis by regenerating characterized neurons to their natural target region”. The work is akin to the first gardeners figuring out how to make plants grow. But instead of plants, it's injured neurons. Squair and Anderson are both highly accomplished scientists who also happen to be best friends. They work together with Gregoire Courtine’s group and NeuroRestore at the... More info: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-97.html

Today we’re talking with Dr. Kajana Satkunendrarajah. Kajana is an associate professor and researcher at the Medical College of Wisconsin. She is also an ally of our legislative efforts in Wisconsin to pass an SCI Research Grant bill there. We discuss Dr. Satkunendrarajah’s NIH R01 grant submission to study her lab's recent discovery of cervical level neurons connected to respiratory function. This leads us into a conversation about the process of grant submissions and the uncertainty and waiting game that all academic researchers must play. We also talk about Kajana’s broad SCI research interests, the tools she employs in her research, her current study examining the relationship between music and neuronal response, and much more! More info here: https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-96.html

Today's conversation features my co-host Jason Stoffer, our new development director, Quinn Brett, and their filmmaker and adventure buddy Robbie Prechtl. Last year, Jason and Quinn completed a rim to rim trip of the Grand Canyon on handcycles(!). They were accompanied by Rob and a team of friends who came along for the adventure and assistance. In case you don’t know, doing a rim to rim journey through the Grand Canyon means descending down to the basin of the canyon and then coming back up on the other side – a descent of 4,500 vertical feet from the south rim to the Colorado river, and then an ascent of 6,000 vertical feet to the north rim. It’s over 20 miles of narrow trails that were never intended for the adaptive trikes they were using. There are three parts to this conversation: first, the physical trip itself - what led to it and how harrowing was it? Second, we explore the notion of identity, pre- and post-injury. As extreme athletes and lovers of the outdoors, how do they adapt their SCI reality to continue to push boundaries? And lastly, how does all this relate to U2FP’s mission: this crazy, audacious, adventurous goal to cure paralysis? We believe this goal requires the SCI community’s direct involvement. Sometimes that seems like an adventure. Sometimes it seems like a crazy impossible canyon to traverse, and that comes up a little bit towards the end of the conversation as well. More info here:https://u2fp.org/get-educated/curecast/episode-95.html