United Spinal Association

United Makes It Easier for Customers Who Use Wheelchairs to Book Flights That Can Accommodate Their Personal Device

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Health, Friends, Disability, Wheelchair, Air travel, United Spinal Association, VoiceOver, Travel, Policy, Transport, Life, George Bush Intercontinental Airport, Paratriathlon, United Express, Atmosphere, Google TalkBack, Aircraft, Family, Airline

CHICAGO, March 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- United Airlines has launched a new digital tool on its app and united.com that makes it easier for customers who use wheelchairs to find flights that can best accommodate the specific dimensions of their personal mobility device. The airline also announced that eligible customers may seek a refund of the fare difference if a customer needs to pay more for a flight that can accommodate their wheelchair.

Key Points: 
  • Last year, United and United Express together carried more than 200,000 checked wheelchairs.
  • In addition to working with the airline's Accessible Travel Advisory Board, United collaborated with United Spinal Association and Numotion to develop these industry-first initiatives.
  • "These new tools and policies also set our employees up for success, especially those working on the ramp or at the gate."
  • Customers with a personal wheelchair can visit the United app or united.com and use the filters on the flight search results page before selecting their flight.

Kiosk Industry News December 2023

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 18, 2023
Storm, NRF, Marsha, Feedback, United Spinal Association, KMA, CSUN, DEI, Customer service, Fame, Disability

WESTMINSTER, Colo., Dec. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kiosk Industry Group announces the induction into the Kiosk Hall of Fame of three new individuals and one business.

Key Points: 
  • WESTMINSTER, Colo., Dec. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Kiosk Industry Group announces the induction into the Kiosk Hall of Fame of three new individuals and one business.
  • From Kiosk Industry and Kiosk Manufacturer Association.
  • "No business has made a greater impact on the kiosk industry than Kodak Moments," said Craig Allen Keefner, Kiosk Industry Group Manager and curator of the Kiosk Hall of Fame.
  • Over 100 kiosk companies listed, dates, location, booths to visit and info on passes that we can help with.

Six Wheelchair Users Awarded at United Spinal Association's StrongWheeled Together Conference

Retrieved on: 
Friday, October 20, 2023
Sport, Hnatyshyn Foundation Visual Arts Awards, Venice Biennale, Performing arts, Life Goes On (BTS song), HuffPost, Housing, Innovation, Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Life, Recreation, National Wheelchair Basketball Association, Teen Vogue, Conference, Chicago Innovation Awards, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Multimedia, Award, Learning, Golden, Samuel Goldwyn Writing Awards, Student, Disability, Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards, Visual arts education, Entrepreneurship, Executive director, Visual arts, Video game, Film industry, Nursing, Universal, United Spinal Association

LAS VEGAS, Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tonight, United Spinal Association will present the StrongWheeled Together Award to six talented individuals from the community of wheelchair users living in the United States.

Key Points: 
  • LAS VEGAS, Oct. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Tonight, United Spinal Association will present the StrongWheeled Together Award to six talented individuals from the community of wheelchair users living in the United States.
  • United Spinal Association will present the StrongWheeled Together Award to six talented wheelchair users.
  • The awards ceremony caps off United Spinal's first-ever StrongWheeled Together Conference, which brought United Spinal members, chapter leaders, clinicians and corporate partners to Las Vegas for connection, learning and action for disability justice.
  • The Awards originated as part of United Spinal's ongoing Strong Wheeled Together campaign: unitedspinal.org/strong-wheeled-together
    View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/six-wheelchair-users-awarded-at...

Paralyzed Veterans of America, Hand In Hand, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, and United Spinal Association issue joint statement in response to Department of Transportation/United Airlines settlement agreement concerning Engracia Figueroa

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 28, 2023
Pressure, Hand in Hand, United Spinal Association, Travel, U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Security, Atmosphere, ALL, Averting Loss of Life and Injury by Expediting SIVs Act of 2021, Disability, Survival, Dignity, Human, Transport, Rail transport by country, Wheelchair, Complaint, Pain, Air travel, Atmosphere of Earth, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Hearing, PVA, Family, PSA, Safety, Airline, Tourism, United Airlines

Stuck in a low-quality manual wheelchair for five hours at the airport, the airline sent her home in an ill-fitting loaner chair.

Key Points: 
  • Stuck in a low-quality manual wheelchair for five hours at the airport, the airline sent her home in an ill-fitting loaner chair.
  • After spending weeks in an improper chair fighting for the airline to fix her wheelchair, Figueroa developed pressure ulcers that became infected and spread to her bones.
  • Despite emergency surgeries, she passed away in the morning on Sunday, October 31, 2021.
  • We also see this as an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of accessible air travel and the ramifications of when it is not.

THE RUNWAY OF DREAMS™ FOUNDATION PRESENTS "IT'S TIME TO ADAPT" A FIRST OF ITS KIND, FREE PUBLIC EXHIBIT AT HUDSON YARDS, RECOGNIZING ADAPTIVE & UNIVERSALLY DESIGNED APPAREL, FOOTWEAR, AND PRODUCTS

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, September 7, 2023
Secure access service edge, New York Fashion Week, Disability, Kohl's, Runway, SAP, History, JCPenney, Target, Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre, Beauty, Universality, Trustee, Hudson Yards, DEI, Secrecy, The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, United Spinal Association, PINK, Adidas, Beaugrenelle Paris shopping mall, Fashion design, Adaptation, Zappos, Dream

NEW YORK, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Runway of Dreams™ Foundation, a nonprofit organization leading the charge on inclusion, acceptance, and opportunity in the fashion and beauty industries for people with disabilities, announced today a free, public exhibit at The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards, celebrating mainstream brands committed to Adaptive and Universally Designed apparel, footwear, and products. The exhibit, aptly titled "It's Time To Adapt", is being presented in collaboration with Hudson Yards and SAP and is an opportunity for the public to learn about available Adaptive and Universally Designed products, and to emphasize the need for true inclusion in our mainstream world while celebrating the brands who have been leading the charge.

Key Points: 
  • "It's Time To Adapt" runs September 14th to 16th at The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards on Level 4.
  • The Runway of Dreams Foundation and its runway shows don't teach confidence - they build confidence.
  • This "It's Time To Adapt" exhibit will show the public why Adaptive and Universally Designed options are important, and how we can make it a reality.
  • "It's Time to Adapt" Exhibit Presented by The Runway of Dreams™ Foundation Dates: September 14th - September 16th
    Interpreting services provided throughout the week by Flamingo Interpreting.

Guardian Recognized as Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, July 12, 2023
United Spinal Association, Employment, ERG, Education, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion, Culture, Estate, Disability, Workplace, Fruit, WCAG, Special needs, Inclusion, DEI, Environment, AA, Nursing, Guardian, Justice, Diversity

Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as "Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.

Key Points: 
  • Each company receives a score, on a scale of zero (0) to 100, with those earning 80 and above recognized as "Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion.
  • "We are incredibly proud of Guardian achieving a top score for the first time on the Disability Equality Index.
  • The "Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion" recognition is the fruit of Guardian's approach to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (J.E.D.I.).
  • The Best Places to Work for Disability Inclusion" recognition is a testament to the dedication of our colleagues to build an inclusive culture and deliver on our purpose to inspire well-being," said Stacey Hoin, Guardian's Chief Human Resource Officer.

Carvana Champions Accessibility with Pickleball For All, Donates Different Set of Wheels To Para-Athletes

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 15, 2023
Other Sports, Aftermarket, Sports, Automotive, General Automotive, Philanthropy, Other Philanthropy, Retail, Online Retail, Music, United Spinal Association, Partnership, Exhibition, Chicken-n-Beer, All, Multimedia, Dwarf Athletic Association of America, Athlete, Motocross, Happiness, PPA, Tourism, Sport, Carvana

Alongside burgeoning national pickleball entertainment complex, Chicken N Pickle , and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour), the event aims to bring attention to the millions of Americans who live with mobility limitations and enable all to play pickleball.

Key Points: 
  • Alongside burgeoning national pickleball entertainment complex, Chicken N Pickle , and the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA Tour), the event aims to bring attention to the millions of Americans who live with mobility limitations and enable all to play pickleball.
  • View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230515005706/en/
    Carvana hosts the first annual Mobility Awareness Month clinic ahead of the PPA Tour’s Selkirk Texas Open.
  • “One of pickleball’s greatest strengths is its accessibility,” said Tom Dundon, Investor in the PPA Tour.
  • The event comes a week before the PPA Tour and professional pickleball players hit the court on June 1 at the Selkirk Texas Open.

United Spinal Association Declares California's Assisted Suicide Law Unconstitutional and Discriminatory

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, April 27, 2023
Employment, Housing, Depression, Life, Suicide, Central District, Disability, Quality of life, Multimedia, Wheelchair, Paralysis, Piscopo, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, KEW, District court, World War II, Grammatical mood, Complaint, Suicidal ideation, Transport, Death, Suicide in India, United Spinal Association

Vincenzo Piscopo, President and CEO of United Spinal Association, said, "Many of our members are vulnerable to suicide and can be victimized by Physician-Assisted Suicide statutes, especially while they are adjusting to living with paralysis.

Key Points: 
  • Vincenzo Piscopo, President and CEO of United Spinal Association, said, "Many of our members are vulnerable to suicide and can be victimized by Physician-Assisted Suicide statutes, especially while they are adjusting to living with paralysis.
  • United Spinal Association General Counsel James Weisman said, "United Spinal has worked since World War II to make community living a reality for wheelchair users.
  • United Spinal Association and the other plaintiffs are represented by Michael Bien of Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP, a San Francisco Bay Area law firm.
  • United Spinal Association, founded in 1946 by paralyzed veterans, is run by and for people with disabilities.

Disability Organizations and Individuals Partner to Fight the Deadly and Discriminatory Public Policy of Physician-Assisted Suicide

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, April 26, 2023
United States Navy, Pressure, United Spinal Association, California End of Life Option Act, Depression, Life, Suicide, Central District, Disability, Fourteenth Amendment, Death, Quality of life, NDY, Mechanical ventilation, Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Paralysis, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, JAMA Internal Medicine, Rehabilitation, Community Activities Restrictions Enforcement, District court, Patient, Risk, Tetraplegia, Palliative care, Court, Racism, Defendant, Research, Mental health, Douglas v. U.S. District Court ex rel Talk America, Muscular dystrophy, Constitution, Pneumonia, Caregiver, Suicide in India, Nursing, Life insurance

LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the United Spinal Association ("United Spinal"), Not Dead Yet ("NDY"), Institute for Patients' Rights ("IPR"), Communities Actively Living Independent & Free ("CALIF"), and individual plaintiffs, Lonnie VanHook and Ingrid Tischer, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, asking that California's End of Life Option Act (EOLOA) be declared unlawful and unconstitutional. The current state law, passed in 2021, permits a physician to prescribe lethal drugs to suicidal patients and removed or weakened many of the supposed "safeguards" in the original law. Death by suicide can now be fast-tracked in 48 hours and doctors who have professional, moral, or ethical objections to writing a lethal prescription for a patient now must participate in the EOLOA process. EOLOA, by design, is unregulated by any California public entity, leaving patients and their loved ones at grave risk of harm and without recourse.

Key Points: 
  • EOLOA, by design, is unregulated by any California public entity, leaving patients and their loved ones at grave risk of harm and without recourse.
  • Van Swearingen, Kara Janssen, and Michael Nuñez from the firm join Mr. Bien in representing the plaintiffs as well as co-counsel Haben Girma.
  • Stopping California's assisted suicide law is both a disability rights and health equity issue.
  • Assisted suicide laws make it far too easy for a system stacked against us to provide a cheap, easy way out."

BetterCaths Coalition Assists Rep. Josh Turek in Designing Better Caths for Iowa Act to Remove Harmful Phthalate Chemical DEHP From Urological Catheters

Retrieved on: 
Sunday, February 26, 2023
Allergy, Parkinson's disease, SCI/D, Cauda equina, Catheter, Learning, Cancer, Patient, Tokyo, Prostate cancer, Mortality, Iowa House of Representatives, Medicaid, Survivor, Organization, National Transportation Safety Board, Transverse myelitis, Bladder cancer, Health equity, Spina bifida, PVC, Norfolk Southern Railway, Legislation, Dementia, Cardiac catheterization, DEHP, Vinyl chloride, Human, Disability, Polyvinyl chloride, Australian Transport Safety Bureau, United Spinal Association, Asthma, Insulin resistance, Multiple sclerosis, Phthalate, Stroke, Urinary catheterization, Language, Medical device, Pharmaceutical industry, Dietary supplement, Medical imaging, Tokyo Paralympics

The Better Caths for Iowa Act is the first piece of legislation in the country that aims to lower the bladder cancer mortality rate for people whose lives depend on using urological catheters.

Key Points: 
  • The Better Caths for Iowa Act is the first piece of legislation in the country that aims to lower the bladder cancer mortality rate for people whose lives depend on using urological catheters.
  • It also protects Iowa Medicaid patients from daily exposure to the toxic chemical (DEHP) in some commonly-used urinary catheters.
  • The BetterCaths for Iowa Act places an immediate ban on Iowa Medicaid reimbursement of catheters that have known carcinogen warning labels.
  • It also requires Iowa Medicaid to review the historical bladder cancer rate and correlating brands of catheters used by their patients.