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For many individuals with a new spinal cord injury (SCI), the world of SCI is full of uncertainty about the future. Individuals with a new SCI are often preoccupied with questions such as, ¡°Will I ever be able to have a normal life?¡± or ¡°Will I ever be independent again?¡± Without family or friends who can relate to their situation, many people feel isolated and struggle to understand their new world. The stellar care SCI patients receive from Shirley Ryan ³Ô¹ÏÌìÌÃ91 can help to relieve some of their uncertainties; however, there are not many opportunities for patients to hear from other individuals with SCI about the challenges they¡¯ve face and how they were able to live their lives with satisfaction.

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Co-Project Directors of the Midwest Regional Spinal Cord Injury Care System, Dr. Allen Heinemann and Dr. David Chen, partnered with facingdisability.com to create a video series that explores the experiences of people living with SCI. The 10-part video series is titled ¡°Voices of Experience¡ªLiving with Spinal Cord Injury¡±. Each video explores a different topic, ranging from patients¡¯ greatest fears to maintaining relationships. These videos will be used nationwide to provide answers to some of the most common questions from individuals with new injuries. What sets these videos apart from most is that the people speaking have lived and experienced what they are discussing. Thus, they are able to share firsthand knowledge about what to expect after SCI.

Eight more videos will be released through the upcoming year.