May Newsletter Vol. 6 Issue 5
ASPIRE 10K/5K Road Race The 32nd annual ASPIRE 5K/10K and Kids Fun Run on April 4 was a tremendous success. This year's race totals for Team A Step Ahead surpassed any previous year with 21 amputee athletes, 33 family/friend supporters, coaches and A Step Ahead staff. Team A Step Ahead and Junior Team A Step Ahead had its largest turnout ever of runners and walkers participating in the race. Leading the way in the 10K were John Tartaglio (bilateral hip disarticulation), Ben Simmons (AK), Tomek Starnawski (AK) and Michael Laforgia (BK/partial foot). Adults who competed in the 5K included Shlomo Nimrodi (AK), Nick Androlia (BK), Craig Pratka (AK), Corrina Caval (BK), Adriana Melinchenko (AK) and Tony Carissimo (AK). Junior Team A Step Ahead athletes that completed the 5K run include Cate Hughes (BK and first junior finisher), Robert Berger (BK), Rachel Grusse (Bilateral BK), Victoria Cutrone-Foley (AK), James Lozano (Bilateral BK), Anthony Desano (AK) and Jake Lillis (Bilateral AK). Ryan Fitzpatrick (AK) competed in the 1/2 mile fun run. Assisting the junior athletes in the 5K were Tommy Koehler (BK), Antoinette Dorazio (AK), Amy Palmeiro-Winters (BK) and Bill Champlin (AK/BK).  Many thanks go to Mike and Sue Polansky, Bob Windorff, race director for the ASPIRE 10K and the entire volunteer staff of the Greater Long Island Running Club for their continued support of programs for athletes with limb loss.
A Step Ahead & Achilles Track Club Hosting Running/Walking Clinic
The Achilles Track Club and A Step Ahead are collaborating to host an amputee walking and running clinic. The clinic will take place in Central Park, New York on Sunday, June 28th at 9 AM. It is part of the disability awareness activities of the annual 5 mile Hope & Possibility Race put on by the Achilles Track Club and the New York Road Runners Club. Hosted by PowerBar, the walking and running clinic will have coaches, physical therapists, prosthetists and world-class amputee runners available to evaluate running and walking gait and provide input on how to improve your walking and running. Amputees of all ability levels are invited to the clinic. For more information about the walking and running clinic, contact our office or the Achilles Track Club.
New York State Trooper Matt Swartz (BK) is featured on the website of the 2011 World Police and Fire Games as the April Athlete of the Month.
 | Matt Swartz
|
Matt Swartz has been an active firearms competitor for many years and has been competing in the New York Police and Fire Games since 2004. After suffering multiple injuries including the loss of his left leg in an automobile crash in late 2004, Matt returned to competition in the summer of 2005 with a renewed vigor. Details about the World Police & Fire Games and about Matt Swartz can be found at: Amy Palmerio-Winters (BK) spent 4 days in Oklahoma City speaking at schools, hospitals and at the 9th Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon Expo. Amy ran the marathon pushing 12 year old Kelli Odle in her wheelchair. 
| Amy Palmeiro-Winters with Kelli Odle,
Dick Beardsley, Joan Benoit-Samuelson,
and Bill Rodgers.
|
Amy reflected on her experience at the Oklahoma City Marathon, "It was an honor to be brought in for such an amazing weekend event. Being a part of the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon wasn't about running a race for time, it was about running to remember those who have lost and survived and to be a part of something bigger than ourselves. I had the opportunity to meet and push a wonderful little girl through the marathon who was paralyzed due to a birth defect. She had the courage and confidence to get out there in the elements and through teamwork she completed her first marathon. From tragedy comes victory and her triumph was heard in the thousands of spectators who jumped to their feet to cheer wildly as Kelli approached and crossed the finish line. Kelli didnt stop there, she committed to doing a half marathon in December on her own. It is up to us, we choose to either lie down and take it or get up and fight."
Amy's participation in this event was featured in two articles in The Oklahoman newspaper: and
Look for John Tartaglio (Bilateral Hip Disarticulation) to be back on the Oprah Winfrey show soon. John was a guest of the Oprah Winfrey show almost 5 years ago, a short time after his recovery from a very rare bacterial infection.
 | John Tartaglio
|
Oprah is doing a follow-up story on John which will include his graduation from Fairfield University, plans for medical school, his road-racing and triathlon career, and his plans to run the 2009 NYC marathon.
New A Step Ahead Patient Visits with the New York Knicks
Diego Barcenas (AK) spent a very busy four days in New York during his spring school vacation. Driving from North Carolina with his parents, brother, and sisterm he was fitted for a new prosthesis, learned how to run in two days, and then was an invited guest of the N.Y. Knicks for their last home game of the 2009 season.
|  | Diego shooting baskets at Madison
Square Garden.
| Diego and his family with retired Knick
John Starks.
|
Thirteen-year-old Diego plays for his middle school basketball and soccer teams in Hendersonville, N.C. He was thrilled to meet the Knicks, shoot baskets prior to the game on the famed Madison Square Garden court, and watch the Knicks play the New Jersey Nets with his family.
Amputee Support Groups
The next ASPIRE amputee support group meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 27th at 6:15 PM at the Hospital for Special Surgery located at 535 East 70th Street, NY. For more information contact Charlie Steele at charlieatl@aol.com or (212) 877-7050.
New York-Presbyterian Hospital Amputee Education and Support Group meets on Friday, May 1st from 10 AM to 12 noon at the Neurological Institute, 8th Floor North Classroom (PT and OT Department) 710 W. 168th Street, contact Sharon Clark at 212-305-3964.
Rusk Rehab Amputee Support Group (34th Street/1st Avenue) meets May 21st at 6:30 PM; contact Jeff Heckman at 631-873-6223 for details.
The Long Island Amputee Support Group meets the first Saturday of each month at South Side Hospital, 301 East Main Street in Bayshore. If you are interested in joining this group, contact Jodi Adler at 631-968-3330.
For more information on amputee support groups around the country go to http://www.amputee-coalition.org/npn_about.html
Connect with A Step Ahead On Facebook and Our Blog
A Step Ahead's Facebook page is now up to seventy-five members. We encourage you to visit our Facebook page and blog to participate in discussions and postings. We have launched both of these web pages to provide an opportunity for individuals with limb loss, health care professionals, family members and others to have a forum for communication about news and issues that have an impact on people with limb loss. In addition, the blog and Facebook sites will allow A Step Ahead to increase its reach to the world by providing our regular news and updates.
We welcome your postings and comments at both of these sites, and look forward to seeing you there.
Mobility Clinic
Join Dave Balsley, P.T. and Phil Kreuter, P.T. at the Jericho High School track on Long Island for their monthly mobility clinic at 10 am on Sunday May 17th. They will provide instruction in gait training and running techniques as well as advanced mobility skills. Dave and Phil have extensive experience working with amputees of all ages and activity levels. Come work out with world-class athletes and learn from experienced coaches and physical therapists. The setting is relaxed and enjoyable. There is no pressure; come learn and see what you can do to improve yourself or just to watch. For more information and directions to the mobility clinic, call the office at 516-681-3484.
Upcoming Events:
- Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged - Junior athletes ages 5-21 May 29-30. Mitchell Athletic Complex, Uniondale, New York
- Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon, San Francisco, CA - 1.5 mile swim starting at Alcatraz Island, 18 mile bike ride, and an 8 mile run. June 14th
- Achilles Track Club Hope & Possibility 5 Mile Race - Adults and Juniors, Central Park, New York June 28th
After completing his first marathon in New York, Ben Simmons (AK) decided to tackle the famed Heartbreak Hills of the Boston Marathon. Ben completed the Marathon in 4:57. 
| Ben Simmons
|
From the Prosthetist: Spring & Summer
As summer approaches and the temperatures increase, several issues may develop with the fit of your prosthesis. Sweating may be a concern. If you wear a below-knee prosthesis, sweating can contribute to a loose fit with poor suspension. During the course of the day, you may have to take your prosthesis and silicone liner off and dry off both the liner and your skin. If you don't, you will be subjecting your limb to a wet and loose fit that may lead to skin breakdown and bone bruising. If drying off your limb does not help, there are anti-perspirants that can be applied to your limb.
If over-the-counter antiperspirants don't work, you should seek advice from a dermatologist regarding stronger prescription anti-perspirants. If you wear an above-knee prosthesis, we advise the same care if you use a silicone liner with a seal or lanyard. If your prosthesis is suspended by total suction, taking off your prosthesis, drying your limb, and applying a light coating of medicated powder would be a good first option. Another option would be to apply an anti-perspirant.
Another concern in the warm summer weather is volume fluctuation. Your residual limb may increase in size due to the heat. If you wear a below-the-knee prosthesis, this issue can be resolved easily by reducing sock ply. For above-the-knee amputees, an adjustment to your socket may be necessary. The heat may pose difficulty for donning an above knee prosthesis. Staying in a well air conditioned room for about 15- 20 minutes and then donning the prosthesis may make it easier. If you have more questions about how to manage the changes in temperature and how it affects your residual limb, call our office and speak to your prosthetist.
Now is the best time to consider making some changes and/or additions to your prosthesis. If you love the beach, the pool, or water sports, we can fabricate a customized waterproof prosthesis for you. If you have always had the desire to wear shorts and sandals in the summer, we can design and fabricate a custom silicone skin cover for you. Save your old prosthetics components and we can use them to make a waterproof prosthesis for all your warm weather activities. The Skin Tones System can even be designed to be used in the water as a fully waterproof prosthesis that can be submerged for swimming and other water sports. For more information about our Skin Tones System, visit our website and view our photo gallery or call to speak to one of our prosthetists.
|  | Above Knee Swim Prosthesis
with Skin Tones Cover
| Below Knee Prosthesis with Skin Tones
Cover
|
Prosthetic Parity Updates: State by State
The ACA has already had two victories this year: Maryland and Virginia both have parity bills sitting on the governor's desks waiting to be signed.
Bills are still in play in 10 states (CT, IA, ND, TX, MI, MO, AL, TN, IL, AR). One session has already adjourned for the year without passing legislation (UT). Four states are still working to introduce a bill this year (ID, PA, WI, NC).
A few bills appear to be stuck and will not move this year (NE, NY, ME). The ACA will reach out to assess their options and build support for next year. There are a number of states already looking towards 2010 to introduce parity bills (GA, MN, WA, KS).
The ACA is doing everything they can to keep these bills moving. They are looking at holding a series of organizing meetings this summer to ramp up support and mobilize activists for the various state campaigns. To find out the latest about your state's parity efforts, visit the ACA Action Center at: http://www.amputee-coalition.org/advocacy/your-state.html
The Amputee Coalition of America provides day to day technical assistance to the individuals and campaign committees working to advance state parity bills. They can be reached at state@amputee-coalition.org or (202) 742-1885.
ACA Works to Advance Protections for People with Disabilities
Through much of our country's history and well into the twentieth century, people with disabilities were seen as useless and dependent, hidden and excluded from society, either in their own homes or in institutions. Now, this history of isolation is gradually giving way to inclusion in all aspects of society, and people with disabilities everywhere are living and working in communities alongside family and friends. But this has not been a painless process. People with disabilities often seem "different" to people without disabilities.
People with disabilities may look different or talk differently. They may require the assistance of a wheelchair, a cane, or other assistive technologies. They may have seizures or have difficulty understanding seemingly simple directions.
These perceived differences evoke a range of emotions in others, from misunderstanding and apprehension to feelings of superiority and hatred. Bias against people with disabilities takes many forms, often resulting in discriminatory actions in employment, housing, and public accommodations.
A British Broadcasting Company (BBC) presenter, Cerrie Burnell, was born with one arm. She was recently the victim of a disturbing campaign after parents complained that she was scaring toddlers.
Laws like the Fair Housing Amendments Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Rehabilitation Act are designed to protect people with disabilities from prejudice. Perhaps most unfortunately, disability bias can also manifest itself in the form of violence. It is imperative that a message be sent to our country that these acts of bias motivated hatred are not acceptable in our society.
The federal government still has very limited authority to investigate and prosecute disability-bias federal crimes. In 1994, Congress enacted a penalty-enhancement law for federal crimes in which the defendant intentionally selects a victim because of the person's "actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, or sexual orientation of any person" [28 USC 994 Note]. Also in 1994, Congress extended the Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990, a law requiring the FBI to collect hate crime statistics from state and local law enforcement authorities, to include disability-based hate crimes. Still, hate crimes against those with disabilities remain vastly under-reported.
The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crime Prevention Act (LLEHCPA) is expected to be reintroduced this spring. LLEHCPA would grant agencies the authority to investigate and prosecute federal crimes based on the victim's disability, whether real or perceived, and would authorize funding to states to help with the prosecution of Hate Crimes.
The LLEHCPA would broaden the definition of hate crimes to include disability, sexual orientation, gender and gender identity. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat violent crimes committed by juveniles, train law enforcement officers or to assist in state and local investigations and prosecutions of bias-motivated crimes.
Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have already recognized the importance of this issue and have included people with disabilities as a protected class under their hate crimes statutes. However, protection is neither uniform nor comprehensive, and this has important practical and symbolic results. It is vital for the federal government to send the message that hate crimes committed because of disability bias are as intolerable as those motivated by race, ethnicity, national origin, or religion. The crucial resources provided to local law enforcement LLEHCPA would give meaning and substance to this important message. It is critical that people with disabilities share in the protection of the federal hate crimes statute.
Too frequently, bias-motivated crimes against those with disabilities have gone unreported and un-prosecuted. The special problems associated with investigating and prosecuting hate violence against someone with a disability makes the availability of federal resources for state and local authorities all that much more important to ensure that justice prevails.
This legislation is vitally important for the vulnerable population of individuals with disabilities, and must be enacted in order to bring the full protection of the law to those targeted for violent, bias-motivated crimes simply because they have a disability.
The Amputee Coalition of America (ACA) is involved in many exciting advocacy initiatives at both the state and federal level. To learn more about their Congressional efforts, contact the ACA at federal@amputee-coalition.org or (202) 742-1886. For more information about their work to shape policies at the state level, the ACA can be reached at state@amputee-coalition.org.
|
