By Helen Genova, PhD, Assistant Director, Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research, and Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, Assistant Director, Centers for Spinal Cord Injury Research and Outcomes and Assessment Research, Kessler Foundation
Last spring, students emptied their desks and lockers and walked out of their schools not knowing when they would be
By Nicky Miller
February is Black History Month, a time to renew our commitment to address the persistent racial disparities that affect the health and well-being of people of color in our society.
Black Americans with disabilities often face triple jeopardy, because of their race, gender and disability. The National Disability Institute states that “African Americans are not only more likely to have a disability, but it appears that the impact of that disability on their lives may be greater than it is on their white counterparts.”
Tuesday, March 16, 2021
12pm - 1:15pm ET
Registration information:
Free and open to the public, pre-registration required
Join us at our 2nd virtual symposium to continue our discussion on how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the world of work for people with disabilities. As recent advances in AI streamline the hiring and onboarding process for employers, these tools are becoming more popular in
Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey Support Services Team
Brain injury recovery is a process that continues long after treatment and formal therapies end. People with brain injury often create a "new normal" in which they must re-establish routines and re-learn how to complete everyday tasks at home. Help might be needed with bills, meal planning, appointments and household tasks. But where do you turn when you've graduated from therapy programs, yet still have difficulty making the pieces fit together? There are services available that can improve independence and quality of life.
Contacting the Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey’s helpline to explore available resources is a good first step. A trained professional can walk you
Happy Valentine's Day! Today we share how, with your support, Kessler Foundation researcher Olga Boukrina, PhD, research scientist in the Center for Stroke Rehabilitation Research, can help stroke survivors live a fuller life.
In her latest podcast, Dr. Boukrina examines how stroke impairs language and reading—the first step toward developing new treatments.
Listen to Dr. Boukrina's podcast here.
When you support Kessler
Throughout a most unusual and interesting year, Kessler Foundation found many ways to connect you and your families with important information and resources. Below are our most popular blogs and news releases of 2020.
As we start a new year, make sure you haven’t missed any of our most read stories.
Top Visited Blogs
COVID-19 and Spinal Cord Injury: Minimizing Risks for Complications
A high proportion of the United States population could become infected with the virus that causes Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). People with disabilities such as
By Nicky Miller
February 11 commemorates International Day of Women and Girls in Science, a day that is pivotal in raising awareness about gender equality and empowerment of women and girls in the field of science. Although many efforts have been made to support women in STEM careers, according to the United Nations, “long-standing biases and gender stereotypes are steering girls and women away from science-related fields.” Statistics for women show that just 30 percent are researchers, and only 35 percent are students enrolled in STEM-related fields of study.
At
Mark your calendar!
We are looking forward to the best Stroll ‘N Roll ever on Sunday, September 26, 2021 from 10 AM to 1 PM.
This family event, chaired once again by Alyce Halchak, Esq., brings together people of all ages and abilities to raise vital funds to advance rehabilitation research and employment initiatives that return people with disabilities to their homes, their communities, and the workplace.
We thank everyone who made our first-ever virtual Stroll ‘N Roll in 2020 a great success, and we are grateful for the support from our community of champions—local and international.
Given the situation in which we continue to find ourselves, this year’s Stroll ‘N Roll will be both in
On this Martin Luther King Day, may we all celebrate and strive toward Dr. King’s vision of equality and justice.
With your support, Kessler Foundation researchers Amanda Botticello, PhD, MPH, assistant director, and Denise Fyffe, PhD, senior research scientist, in the Centers for Spinal Cord Injury Research and Outcomes and Assessment Research, investigate health equity and social determinants of health—the demographic, socioeconomic, cultural, and clinical
By Mallory Houston, Research Assistant, Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research, Kessler Foundation
On May 30, 2017, just one week after graduating from Georgetown University, Maddi Niebanck was scheduled for surgery to remove an arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a tangle of abnormal blood vessels in the right occipital lobe of her brain. While undergoing pre-operative procedures, she developed a blood clot in her brain that burst, leading to a massive stroke. Maddi spent 15 days in ICU at New York Presbyterian before transferring to Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, NJ. Upon admission, she was unable to walk or use her left arm. By the time she was discharged, she had
By Nicky Miller
In this episode of Kessler Foundation's podcast, model Shaholly Ayers shares insight about her experience in the fashion industry. Ayers, has been featured in Nordstrom, the Today Show, BBC News, Glamour, and People Magazine. Listen-in as she discusses disability and inclusion in the fashion industry.
Listen to the podcast, view the transcript and download this episode and others for free on
Guest speakers are Betsy Beaumon, CEO of Benetech
and Jonathan Kaufman, President of J. Kaufman Consulting.
In this Kessler Foundation podcast, learn how employers use artificial intelligence (AI) in the employment process for streamlining resume screening, interviewing candidates, and onboarding new hires. Increasingly, this machine learning process is reshaping the world of work. It is important for disability professionals working in job search, placement, and support to understand how disability is defined and understood in the context of AI, and the perils of bias in these systems.
Listen to the podcast, view the
Skip the lines and give back when you shop online with AmazonSmile this holiday season! With every eligible purchase you make, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the sales to Kessler Foundation. Score deals on gifts for everyone on your list while changing lives for people with disabilities—a win-win!
All you need to do is:
Visit smile.amazon.com Log in or sign up When prompted to choose a charitable organization, search "Kessler Foundation" Shop for what you need and champion rehabilitation research and employment for people with disabilitiesRemember to log in from
By Carolann Murphy
Families with children with disabilities often face challenges while planning for the future. Many times the family’s ultimate goal is to help their child gain maximal independence and optimal quality of life. Some families choose the pathway to entrepreneurship, opting to start a business centered on their child’s skills and interests. The impact of these enterprises can extend beyond the family and the individual with disabilities, reaching local communities and beyond. One example of a successful family enterprise is ‘A Little Something Extra’ in rural Dawson, Alabama.
Founded by the Norwood family, ‘A Little Something Extra’ is an ice cream truck that has become a familiar sight at local events. The truck is staffed by CEO
Kessler Foundation researchers are working tirelessly to conduct rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord.
In the "Fast Takes - Research that Changes Lives" podcast series, scientists from different Centers at Kessler Foundation will discuss their latest research that help change the lives of people with disabilities.
Listen to the podcast series below, click on each podcast to view the transcripts on our SoundCloud channel and download this episode and others for free on Apple Podcasts,