IKAN User Profile: Vicki Price, Minnesota

Vicki Price is an active high school student in Minnesota, and happens to have Cerebral Palsy (the type of CP that necessitates wheelchair use, similar to what Melissa Sino has, who I profiled with my previous blog entry). According to her father Scott, Vicki LOVES to bowl. She also loves horses, computer and board games, shopping, baking, FISHING and many other activities.

Regarding bowling, Scott wrote, "in the state of MN, bowling is one of 4 adapted sports that is sanctioned by the Minnesota State High School League. As such, the kids can earn varsity letters. They can also participate in the state tournament (if they qualify) and earn medals. It is a very wonderful program for all participants. We approached the coach of our bowling team and made a request for the bowling arm (IKAN Bowler) after I had done some research on the Internet. We were successful in getting approval to have the bowling arm purchased for use by my daughter. We have used the IKAN Bowler for about a year now and really, really love it!"

Thanks Scott and Vicki! Here's Vicki's profile info...

Name: Vicki Price
Age: 16
Location: Andover, MN (outside of Minneapolis)
Reason for Wheelchair Use: Spastic Quadreparesis Cerebral Palsy
Onset or Injury Date: Birth
Wheelchair Operation Method: Head array
High Bowling Score: 127
Approximate Bowling Average: 73
Typical Range of Scores: 50-90
Bowling Frequency: Once a week for a recreational adapted bowling league during the winter months. Twice a week during the adapted bowling season for high school.
Bowling Ball(s): A 14 pound alley ball (can you say "free"?:)
Quote from Vicki: "Let's go fishing!" (Vicki fishes with adapted equipment; it's setup so that when a bobber disappears, Vicki can hit a switch with her head, and it reels in her fish -- Scott says Vicki routinely out-fishes him -- keep up the good work Vicki!:)

Here's an article about Vicki and her activities:

http://www.easystand.com/standing-room-only/details.cfm?genericID=16

Here's a video about Vicki, as a success story for EasyStand, and they even show her bowling:



Scott Price has a blog titled "Raising Prices" which sheds light on raising six adopted children (including Vicki) who all have special needs of some sort: http://raisingprices.blogspot.com/

Keep up the good work, Scott and family, and God bless!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 206 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com/
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com/
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net/

IKAN User Profile: Melissa Sino, Florida

My friend Melissa Sino is currently setting the bowling-pace for power wheelchair users with Cerebral Palsy. Her high score (see below) is tops in both the Cerebral Palsy category and the "head control" driving method category. I have to explain Melissa's comment after stating her high score below... since technically I'm the co-inventor of the IKAN Bowler, I've bowled with it quite a bit; so I should be good with it, plus I'm naturally competitive (I was the first IKAN User to break 200 in bowling). My Dad knows all of these things, so he offered a standing $20 reward to any IKAN User who can beat my top score of the afternoon (not my current high game of 206, just the best of the usual 3, 4, or 5 games I bowl with the Quad Squad). My Dad calls it "ego control" and, I admit, it does make bowling even more fun and challenging with the friendly competition. And yes, as Melissa says below, she did indeed beat me one afternoon and collected the $20 reward! :-)

Name: Melissa Sino
Age: 21 (22 soon!:)
Location: Central Florida (Celebration)
Reason for Wheelchair Use: Cerebral Palsy (quadriplegic, augmented communicator)
Onset or Injury Date: Birth
Wheelchair Operation Method: Proximity head array
High Bowling Score: 169 and BEAT Bill one time & won $20! :-)
Approx Bowling Average: 125
Typical Range of Scores: 90-140
Bowling Frequency: One to two times per month usually with the Central Florida Quad Squad
Bowling Ball(s): 16 lb Brunswick Zone, non-drilled (fluorescent colors swirl = Christmas gift from cousins) [Bill, here, I have to add that I think bowling with an undrilled ball is MORE difficult than a drilled ball; it works for Melissa, but I bowled terribly with an undrilled ball, so to me, that makes Melissa's bowling more impressive!]
Quote from Melissa: "Happiness is a Choice -- Life is Supposed to be FUN!!!"

I absolutely love your quote, thank you Melissa!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 206 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com/
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com/
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net/

Working 2 Walk -- How To Help

This blog is aimed at spreading awareness about how people with high level paralysis can experience -- and are experiencing -- a better quality of life, primarily through the fun, social, and competitive aspects that participating in a sport can provide. Bowling and/or playing power soccer can improve life now -- but, longterm... we still need science, medicine, and the Good Lord's blessing (which I believe we have) to develop therapies that restore significant function and "cure" paralysis.

With the passing of Christopher Reeve in 2004, we lost the "face" and most ardent advocate for paralysis and spinal cord injury (SCI) research. Instead of just one person trying to fill his mammoth shoes, those of us in the paralysis community who wish to see a cure sooner rather than later, we all need to do our part to help bring truly beneficial therapies to fruition ASAP. That's the vision that led to the formation of Unite 2 Fight Paralysis (U2FP), a group with whom I'm proud to associate. U2FP, working with the Christopher Reeve Foundation, held the inaugural Working 2 Walk (W2W) Science and Advocacy Symposium in 2006 and another successful event in 2007.

The 3rd annual Working 2 Walk, 2008, is being held in Washington DC April 13-15 and is "... a 3-day event for leaders in the paralysis community who want to advocate for a cure, including family members, supporters, scientists, therapists, and anyone interested in joining this critical effort. The event focuses on education and empowerment to become effective advocates."

Really, anyone can help. If you have a SCI, and can go to Washington DC for the three days, please consider doing so (see links to more info below). Anyone else who is reading this can let their elected officials (the ones in Washington DC) know that you support passing the Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act (CDRPA), which will provide much-needed infrastructure for bringing about legitimate therapies AND help improve quality of life for people currently living with paralysis. It does NOT have anything to do with using "controversial" embryonic stem cells.

For more information, checkout the below links.
http://www.working2walk.org/
http://www.unite2fightparalysis.org/

THANKS -- and God bless!

Bill Miller :-)
C1-2 Quadriplegic with a 206 High Bowling Game
Co-founder of Manufacturing Genuine Thrills Inc. d/b/a MGT
My blog: http://powerwheelchairusers.blogspot.com/
Business website: http://www.ikanbowler.com/
Personal website: http://www.lookmomnohands.net/

Smother Movie Trailer (Has IKAN Bowler in It)

Hi all!

I still don't know when the movie Smother will be released in theaters, or if it will go straight to video, but below is the trailer (movie preview) for it. With Diane Keaton and Liv Tyler (two of Hollywood's A-list in my opinion) I would think it would be released in theaters. But, anyway, our wheelchair bowling device, the IKAN Bowler, is attached to a three-wheeled scooter (scooter bowling, anyone?:) and makes an appearance at the 1:44 point of the trailer. As a word of caution, the movie is R-rated and the trailer is probably PG-13 (although children probably wouldn't pickup on the innuendo)...

Click HERE for the direct YouTube link.

Click HERE for five things to know about power wheelchair bowling!

IKAN User Profile: Jeff Parker, Florida

My buddy, and fellow Central Florida Quad Squad Bowler, Jeff Parker is this month's profile. Bowling wise, Jeff sets the pace for bowlers with Muscular Dystrophy; his high score (mentioned with his below profile) is the current record for bowlers with MD. Jeff has a zest for life; he loves having fun and loves watching NASCAR (his favorite driver is Tony Stewart). A while back, Jeff said that bowling with the IKAN Bowler "is an absolute blast, the most fun I’ve had in a long time." And it really didn't surprise me when he added a touch of NASCAR/Tony Stewart to his IKAN Bowler, by having some friends paint a special black finish with orange, razor-edged flames on the sides his IKAN Bowler! :-)

Here's Jeff's profile, and pictures are below...

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Name: Jeff Parker
Age: 37
Location: Lady Lake, FL
Reason for Wheelchair Use: Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
Onset or Injury Date: I was diagnosed in 1975 and have been in a wheelchair for 25 years.
Wheelchair Operation Method: Joystick operated
High Bowling Score: 172
Approximate Bowling Average: 135
Typical Range of Scores: 100-150
Bowling Frequency: Generally once a month when our Central Florida Quad Squad bowls at Spanish Springs Lanes in The Villages, but I do occasionally go to Classique Lanes when Quad Squad bowling is there in Tavares. [Ok, Bill here interjecting this comment... what readers don't know is Jeff likes to talk some trash when he's bowling, so I'm going to throw some back here: "Come on Jeff, Spanish Springs is 5 minutes from your house -- you gotta bowl more often if you're gonna beat me more than once in a blue moon at Quad Squad outings!!!" :-)]
Bowling Ball(s): Columbia White Dot but I’m looking for a new one.
Quote from Jeff: "Life is too short; live each day to the fullest!"

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Thanks for sharing and being a good sport Jeff! :-)

Click HERE for two videos and a slideshow of two Quad Squad outings (before Jeff got his flames on his Bowler) and here's the pictures of his new paint job...

IKAN User Profile: Jon Musgrave, Colorado

I've mentioned Jon Musgrave in some previous blog entries. Jon is the world record holder for bowling by a quadriplegic/power wheelchair user. When he got an IKAN Bowler, he bowled 3-5 days per week for more than a year, and wrote: "Who could have thought that one thing could change a person's life so much. I have something that I'm good at to look forward to enjoying every day; something I can share with my family and friends. I can tell you this for sure, my life has not been the same since I got my IKAN Bowler®."

See below to find out more...

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Name: Jon Musgrave
Age: 36
Location: Grand Junction, Colorado
Reason for Wheelchair Use: Spinal Cord Injury C4-5
Onset or Injury Date: April 19, 1991
Wheelchair Operation Method: powerchair joystick
High Bowling Score: 243 <-- World Record (see scoresheet HERE:)
Approximate Bowling Average: 165
Typical Range of Scores: 130-214 (like Bill, I'm also not the most consistent:)
Bowling Frequency: Lately on Monday nights with my 10 year old son in a league, and I try to go once or twice a week. My 243 is good, but I want to be the first to bowl 300! :-)
Bowling Ball(s): First ball is a Hurricane; second (for spares) is a Columbia White Dot
Quote from Jon: "Bowling is a great way to take your mind away from everything and just be happy."

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Thanks for sharing Jon! :-)

Click HERE for five things to know about power wheelchair bowling!

IKAN User Profile: Bill Miller, Florida

Most of the previous blog entries were to set the foundation with all the background info about power wheelchair bowling, power soccer, and how our products can empower wheelchair users (scroll down or click HERE for Five Key Things to Know). Now I want to start profiling people who think life is better as an IKAN User.

To kick this off, since I haven't established a format yet, I'm going to start with me and get my profile out of the way.

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Name: Bill Miller
Age: 30
Location: Central Florida (Leesburg)
Reason for Wheelchair Use: Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) at C1-2 level
Onset or Injury Date: August 23rd, 1997
Wheelchair Operation Method: Sip-and-puff
High Bowling Score: 202 (twice achieved)
Approximate Bowling Average: 155
Typical Range of Scores: 130-180 (I'm NOT the most consistent!:)
Bowling Frequency: Typically twice a month for Quad Squad outings (scroll down or click HERE for Quad Squad info; I'd like to bowl more, but my current schedule won't allow it)
Bowling Ball(s): Columbia White Dot (very economical)
Quote from Bill: "Life doesn't have to be a spectator sport -- even for people with significant physical challenges."

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