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Mike Monroe, who has raised over $100,000 for spinal cord
research, will once again be putting his body to the test
in an effort to find a cure for paralysis. He calls his collective
efforts the “Endure for a Cure” campaign.
In Monroe’s latest fundraising campaign, which is being
dubbed “10 For 10,000,” he will undertake a yearlong
challenge that incorporates 10 strength and endurance events.
All events will be centered on the number 10,000.
Money raised will be donated to the Spinal Cord Injury Project
(SCI Project) at the Keck Center for Collaborative Neuroscience
at Rutgers University.
Monroe is hoping to raise a minimum of $10,000 by soliciting
donations in support of his goal. People who would like to
help his effort and contribute to the “10 For 10,000”
campaign can do so by logging onto www.10for10000.com.
The Web site will also have continuous updates on Monroe’s
progress as he completes each of the 10 challenges.
During the 2006 calendar year, Monroe will attempt to do
all of the following: squat his weight 10,000 times; bench
press his weight 10,000 times; climb 10,000 steps on a rolling
staircase; row 10,000 meters; swim 10,000 meters; do 10,000
pull-ups; do 10,000 pushups; do 10,000 sit-ups; climb the
versa climber 10,000 meters; run 10,000 meters, 10 times.
“I do these events because they challenge me in many
ways, but they pale in comparison to the daily challenges
of those with spinal cord injuries,” he said. “I
urge everyone to think for a moment how their lives would
change if they had a spinal cord injury and to use those thoughts
as a call to action.”
Monroe served 12 years as an infantry officer in the U.S.
Marine Corps and participated in combat operations in the
Persian Gulf and Somalia. Currently he is President of HM4
Fitness LLC (www.hm4fitness.com), a fitness and training company
based in New York City.
Amputation does not mean the end of the world and three amputees
proved that an active life is attainable after amputation.
The three are cyclists who biked from California to Florida
as representatives of Amputees Across America.
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| From left: Amber
Johnson, Gary Summers, and ride founder, Joe Sapere |
Amber Johnson, Gary Summers and, ride founder, Joe Sapere
crossed the United States on bicycles this summer to demonstrate
that even with limb amputations, great things can be accomplished.
This is the fifth year of the Amputees Across America transcontinental
ride. The riders departed from Tustin, Calif., June 5 and
completed their journey July 31 in Vero Beach, Fla.
During the course of the 2006 ride, Amputees Across America
cyclists visited more than 20 rehabilitation facilities and
hospitals, including the Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital
of Dallas. The riders also completed skydives in honor of
courageous individuals they met along their journey.
While athletically active, this was the longest bike ride
for Amber Johnson, 29, of Macon, Ga. Johnson is an elementary
school teacher and enjoys running, biking, and playing softball.
She ultimately became an amputee as the result of a car accident
at age 17. She is a transtibial amputee with the Ertl surgical
technique. Johnson’s personal message for the ride is
that amputees are “differently-abled, not disabled.”
Gary Summers, 52, of Mt. Sterling, Ohio, is a transfemoral
amputee due to a 2003 motorcycle accident. He aims to help
others “regain the determination it takes to live a
fulfilling life and not stay on the sidelines waiting.”
Summers credits his faith and a supportive family and community
for his recovery from the accident and amputation. He is eager
to share with others how a trauma leading to amputation can
be overcome.
Amputees Across America founder Joe Sapere, 65, of Chesapeake,
Va., is a Retired Air Force colonel and elementary teacher,
and became a transtibial amputee due to a skydiving accident
in 2000. AAA’s first transcontinental bicycle and skydiving
tour was in 2002 and has impacted numerous lives since its
inception. Sapere’s goal with the ride was to demonstrate
to other amputees that life gets better despite amputation.
The 2006 Amputees Across America trip was sponsored in part
by Ohio Willow Wood and HEALTHSOUTH. All riders were outfitted
with Pathfinder® II feet and Alpha® Liners, provided
by Ohio Willow Wood. For more information on their ride, visit
www.amputeesacrossamerica.com.
Ohio Willow Wood, located in Mt. Sterling, Ohio, is an innovative
industry leader in the manufacturing and distribution of prosthetic
products, including the Alpha family of liners, the Pathfinder
II foot, and the OMEGA® Tracer® CAD system. For more
information about Ohio Willow Wood and its products, call
1-800-848-4930 or visit the company’s Web site at www.owwco.com.
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| Photos Courtesy of Otto
Back HealthCare |
Top athletes from 32 countries converged on Duderstadt, Germany,
May 19-21, for an
official competition of the International Paralympic Committee.
Hosted by Otto Bock HealthCare, the ParalympicChallenge brought
together athletes at the top of the world ranking lists. They
didn’t disappoint as 2,000 spectators witnessed the
setting of six new world records:
- Nigerian bilateral arm amputee, Vitalis Lanshima, ran
100 meters in 11.17 seconds
- Transfemoral amputee Annette Roozen from The Netherlands
improved her 100 meters best mark from
17.20 to 16.90 seconds
- Ming Jie Giao of China increased his own javelin world
record for transtibial amputees by 1.18 meters to
56.75 meters
- Bao Zhu Zheng of China achieved a shot put distance of
9.65 meters
- Yue Yang obtained the third world record for China, achieving
39.50 meters in discus throwing for transtibial amputees
- Transtibial amputee April Holmes from the U.S. won the
400 meter race in 1:05.64, finishing ahead of
New Zealander Kate Horan by a mere .15 seconds
 In
addition to showcasing the world’s best track-and-field
athletes, Challenge highlights included wheelchair sports,
fencing and table tennis demonstrations, a golf tournament,
inline skating, and a European Cup race of hand cyclists.
With the ParalympicChallenge, Otto Bock HealthCare hopes
to ensure the great interest shared by a wide audience for
high-performance disability sports is maintained between the
intervals of the Paralympics. Since 1988, Otto Bock has provided
technical service for the athletes from all over the world
for all summer and winter Paralympics.
Full results from the Duderstadt 2006 ParalympicChallenge
can be found at www.paralympic-challenge.com.
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