UroMed Sponsors Beyond The Chair’s 2013 Golf Benefit & Fundraiser

It’s our pleasure to introduce you to the team at Beyond The Chair in San Antonio, Texas!

On June 1, 2013, UroMed joined forces with Beyond The Chair to support and sponsor their fundraising efforts during the organization’s 1st Annual Beyond The Chair Golf Benefit held at Silverhorn Golf Club of Texas.  Based in San Antonio, Beyond The Chair exists to provide an improved quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries and other neurological/physical disabilities through intensive exercise programs to enhance overall functional capacity.

Beyond The Chair offers a supervised safe and effective exercise program for those living with spinal cord injuries and other neurological/physical disabilities. They utilize a variety of exercise science techniques and modalities to enable their clients to achieve optimal functional recovery and well-being.  Beyond The Chair understands that every neurological condition is unique and their Certified Neuro-Fitness Specialists design one-on-one custom-made exercise programs to meet the specific needs and goals for clients of any age, level of injury, or condition.

The Beyond The Chair Golf Benefit served as a fundraising effort with the goal of raising financial support for the following:

  • Specialized exercise equipment and accessories
  •  Grants for one-on-one training
  • Grants for group exercise

See how Beyond The Chair helps their clients get up and out of their wheelchairs in this amazing video:

Functional Enhancement is Beyond The Chair’s main focus, and their exercise programs center on the following components:

Beyond The Chair Co-Founder Nito Blochlinger [left] and UroMed Territory Manager John Perez [right] teamed up to raise community support at BTC’s recent golf benefit.

  • ROM/Flexibility Training
  • Load Bearing/Joint Stability Exercises
  • Muscular Strength and Endurance Training
  • Cardiovascular Endurance Training
  • Core Strength Exercises
  • Balance/Coordination Training
  • Postural Correction Techniques
  • Functional Electrical Stimulation (ERGYS2)
  • Gait/Locomotion Training

The benefits of Beyond The Chair’s intensive programs include:

  • Improved circulation and blood pressure
  • Improved cardiovascular endurance
  • Maintenance of bone density
  • Increased muscle mass and strength
  • Improved range of motion
  • Reduced muscle spasms and spasticity
  • Improved sensation/temperature control
  • Improved mobility and ability to function independently
  • Potential to reduce pain and depression
  • Reduced risk of pressure sores

Beyond The Chair provides services for the following conditions:

  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Post Stroke
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Muscular Dystrophy
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Parkinson’s
  • Spina Bifida
  • Rett Syndrome
  • ALS
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Amputees
  • Guillain–Barre
  • Alzheimer’s
  • Geriatrics
  • Weight Management

How You Can Move Beyond The Chair
To learn more about Beyond The Chair and their programs, please contact Nito Blochlinger at (210) 256-0700. Or visit www.beyondthechair.org.

About UroMed Community Giving
UroMed is honored to support numerous charities nationwide in the communities that we serve. The company focuses its community efforts on three primary areas:

  • Condition-related associations that focus on education, awareness and support
  • Sports programs for the disabled
  • Leadership and motivational programs for disabled youth

Additionally, many of our employees volunteer their time and efforts at various community events. Many of our employees have a personal connection to the following non-profit organizations, as 20% of our customer care associates either has a disability or has a family member with a disabling condition.

Please contact us at 1-800-841-1233 or visit www.uromed.com  if you would like to invite UroMed to sponsor your organization or event.

What LASCI Means to Me

Bert Burns started LASCI as a motivational speaking program for newly-injured patients with spinal cord injury.

Bert Burns started LASCI as a motivational speaking program for newly-injured patients with spinal cord injury.

Editor’s Note: Bert Burns started UroMed, one of the nation’s largest urological supply companies, at a time when it was difficult for people with spinal cord injury to find home medical supplies, especially catheters for home delivery.  But did you know that LASCI is even older than UroMed? Bert began his motivational speaking career, and the earliest stage of LASCI, back when he was a clinician working with spinal cord injury patients at the world-renowned Shepherd Center.  Today, Bert shares his thoughts on the power and future of LASCI, UroMed’s free motivational support program – Life After Spinal Cord Injury.

Q: What does LASCI mean for you personally, Bert?

A: LASCI means a lot of different things to me, but one of the main things I want LASCI to do is to show people that there IS life after spinal cord injury. Sure, life is different, sometimes it’s a pain in the butt, but life does go on and you can have a great life after your SCI if you choose to.  That’s what I want to do — I want to help people make that positive choice through what they learn with LASCI and through the people that they meet in our community.

This is my personal goal in doing public speaking events too. I want to show people that even though there are things you can’t do, there are still plenty of things you can do. I was fortunate to go back to school, date, graduate college, play different sports, get a job, start my own company, get married to the love of my life and have two amazing kids. My life is just as full as it would be if I was walking, I’m just rolling instead.

Q: What surprised you the most when LASCI created its’ Facebook page?

A: When I originally started LASCI, I thought it would be about me helping out a lot of people. LASCI has been that, but more than that, it’s been a whole community of people meeting and helping one another, including those who are going thru SCI, people who know folks with SCI and people who work with folks with SCI. LASCI been a great online community of friends and neighbors, and we have friends online at the LASCI Facebook page from more than 40 countries worldwide!

Q: Why does UroMed continue to support LASCI?

A: One of the main reasons I started UroMed 17 years ago was because it was hard for people with SCI to find catheters, have them shipped to you and to have your medical insurance billed for their cost.  I’m proud to say we’ve done that at UroMed and helped set the standard for catheter supply care nationwide. I want members of LASCI to know that UroMed will always be a big supporter of theirs — if there is anything UroMed can do to make your life easier, just give us a call. We’re here for you!

Bert talks with participants during a LASCI event at UMPC-Pittsburgh rehab hospital.

 Q: Do you have future plans for LASCI?

A: Yes! I’d like for LASCI to continue growing online, and I’m sure with all of our online programs, it will.  I also really enjoy speaking to individuals in group settings or one-on-one during LASCI programs all across the US.  That’s because I like seeing people getting back involved in life, whether it be through sports, dating, etc. Just getting back involved is 90% of the battle, and I want to help you win that war!

About Bert Burns
When Bert was only 20 years old and a college intramural sportsman, he was hit by a drunk driver.  The force of the impact threw Bert from the car. He broke his neck at C6 and C7, and learned he would have to face life as a quadriplegic. Bert spent the next six months in rehab, convinced his life was over.

Bert is a paralympic gold medalist in wheelchair racing. Welcome to the gun show!

A recreation therapist at Bert’s rehab hospital approached him to talk about wheelchair sports, but Bert initially showed little interest. A year later, the therapist tried again by sharing his excitement for quad rugby. Bert decided to give it a try, never knowing the dramatic, positive impact that wheelchair sports would have on his life.

Today, Bert devotes considerable time as a motivational speaker for youth with disabilities, rehabilitation programs, medical education seminars and other community events. Bert strives to reach out to others through public speaking because, more than anything, he wants to give other people in wheelchairs the same encouragement that he has received.

To learn more about LASCI and UroMed, please call 1-800-841-1233 or visit: http://uromed.com/Company/LifeAfterSpinalCordInjury
Join more than 15,000 friends on the LASCI Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/LASCIonline?ref=hl

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