TRAILS SCI Outdoor Expo Tomorrow

The 2010 Eight-week SCI Forum ends tomorrow at Liberty Park. This is TRAILS' Outdoor EXPO, and it is always a great time to learn about some of the adaptive sports that TRAILS sponsors and that their community partners (like the National Ability Center) provide. Dave Serbeck, one of the Forum participants will also be showing off the simple adaptations he has made to his 4-wheeler so he can drive it. Meet at Liberty Park on the west side just north of the tennis courts. Feel free to bring your family, friends etc. Even if you haven't been able to come to any other nights, please come to this one! There will be around 15 different stations for you to visit. A BBQ dinner will be provided. Please bring blankets, chairs, etc for the park. There should be adequate parking.

What: SCI Forum party

Where: Liberty Park (West side of the park, just North of the tennis courts. Enter the park from 900 South)

When: Tuesday, April 27th; 5-8pm

Should you have any questions. concerns etc please contact Lynette Ballard at 801-581-3142 or lynette.ballard@hsc.utah.edu.

Free NAMI Classes!

Please forward this email to anyone who may be interested in these two free NAMI classes that start next week.

Family to Family is for anyone who lives with or loves someone with a mental illness. This class gives family members tools for coping, communicating and understanding their loved one with a mental illness. The class provides education, resources and support. This class runs for twelve weeks beginning Thursday 3/25 6:30 pm at the new IHC Hospital located at Quinn's Junction. The class will be meeting in the private dining room off the cafeteria. To RSVP please call Deb Kirby at 435.649.1921.

Bridges is for adults ages 18 and older who have a mental health disorder. This class provides consumers with tools for coping, communicating and recovery. The class provides education, resources and support. This class runs for ten weeks beginning Thursday 3/25 6:30 pm at the People's Health Clinic conference room at their new location at Quinn's Junction. To RSVP please call Sherri Christensen at 435.731.6056.

Please RSVP right away!

Thanks for your help in spreading the word!

Wendy Mair
Wasatch-Summit Affiliate Director and
Child and Adolescent Resource Specialist
NAMI Utah
wendy@namiut.org
435.503.0432

Golden Eagle Going for Gold

The National Ability Center's Greg Shaw is in Vancouver as a member of the USA Sled Hockey Team trying to cap an amazing year that saw the U.S. win its first ever Sledge Hockey World Championship this past summer. Last night Greg scored the second of six goals for Team USA as they routed the Japanese 6-0. A number of articles and photos of the team were posted after the win. Below are a few of the links. Feel free to add others in the comments if you find them.

• Canada.com (Terry Bell)
• Vancouver Sun (Gary Kingston)
• Calgary Herald (Terry Bell)
• Getty Images
• Life (Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)
  

World Cancer Day

World Cancer Day 2010, led by UICC (International Union Against Cancer), its members and with the support of the World Health Organization (WHO), will raise awareness of cancer prevention.

Each year, over 12 million people receive a cancer diagnosis and 7.6 million die of the disease.

The good news is that approximately 40% of cancers are potentially preventable.

Today, UICC launched the campaign "Cancer can be prevented too", focusing on how the risk of developing cancer can significantly be reduced through simple measures:

• Stop tobacco use and avoid exposure to second-hand smoke
• Limit alcohol consumption
• Avoid excessive sun exposure
• Maintain a healthy weight, through eating healthily and exercising regularly
• Protect against cancer-causing infections

According to Love Hope Strength, cancer causes more deaths worldwide than AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria combined.

Many cancer survivors come to the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah each year to participate in our programs. Recently, we welcomed back a group with the University of Texas' M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. This group of young cancer survivors had all had some kind of cancer that resulted in a physical disability. Being a teenager is hard enough! Being a teenager who has had to fight cancer and then have your physical abilities changed by it face an even tougher road. Through our programs, these teens can find confidence by getting out with their peers and accomplishing things they never would have dreamed. Check out their video and the slideshow of their 2010 visit at the bottom of this post.

This week we have welcomed a local group called Un-Limb-ited. These local teens have also battled cancer and other illnesses that have taken away limbs, but not hope nor life! We'll post some of their photos and videos soon.

In two weeks we will welcome back another great group of youth battling cancer. One Step at a Time is based in Chicago and brings teens from around the Midwest to Park City each year for a chance to escape some misguided peer pressure and build new friendships. New friends and new hobbies, like adaptive skiing and snowboarding, can help teens to put their energy toward positive things. There is no room for pessimism on the Greatest Snow on Earth!

If you know someone who has a physical disability because of cancer, please let them know that they, too, are welcome at the National Ability Center in Park City, Utah. Here, we help people everyday to discover their abilities.

2010 MD Anderson Ski Trip Slide Show from National Ability Center on Vimeo.

MD Anderson's 2010 trip to ski at Park City Mountain Resort with the National Ability Center.