Embracing Fatherhood After TBI

Happy Father's Day! In celebration, I share a story to demonstrate how your support makes all the difference for fathers, like Pete Welch, who live with disabilities. You advance groundbreaking rehabilitation research to help Pete and others with disabilities live fuller, more engaged lives with their families.

After Hurricane Sandy, Pete and his then-girlfriend, Ali, were assessing the storm's damage when Pete fell three stories, sustaining a traumatic brain injury. After doctors saved his life, Pete began his journey to recovery with Ali by his side.

During his rehabilitation, Pete worked hard and participated in several

Preventing Memory Loss

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month. A unique research study at Kessler Foundation, made possible by donors like you, seeks ways to prevent memory loss and reverse impairments for those living with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Approximately 40 percent of people aged 65 and older in the US—16 million people—experience age-associated cognitive impairments, like memory loss and dementia. “It’s a very big issue,” says Nancy Chiaravalloti, PhD, director of The Centers for

Breast Cancer, Mobility, and Sleep Disorder Research

At Kessler Foundation, research in breast cancer, mobility and sleep disorders is performed to find treatments and help rehabilitate lives.

Studies in Sleep/Wake Disorder
At the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research at Kessler Foundation, Anthony Lequerica, PhD, senior research scientist, studies neurological disorders. His research

World MS Day—You Help Improve the Invisible Symptoms of MS

Today, May 30, is World MS Day. I share a story to thank you for your support and show how you help people with Multiple Sclerosis, like Rosemarie Collopy, live to the fullest, despite the invisible symptoms of the disease.

After her diagnosis, Rosemarie had to adjust to the challenges of living with MS. For her, these were fatigue, weakness, balance problems, and difficulties with thinking and remembering. "The cognitive symptoms were the most frustrating and eventually forced me to give up my job," she recalls.

Most people know about the physical symptoms, but few, including doctors, fully understand the cognitive symptoms, which are often invisible. Many are diagnosed with MS in the prime of their lives, and more than half will develop cognitive problems. MS

Wheelchair 10K Winners

By Angela Smith, Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10k race director

Image

On a picture-perfect Memorial Day, 23 national and international wheelchair racers gathered in Ridgewood, NJ to compete in the

Improving Quality of Life for Veterans with Disabilities

This Memorial Day, Kessler Foundation is highlighting how funding and studies in veterans research help improve their quality of life and create employment opportunities.  

GI Go Fund
Kessler Foundation funds organizations that help veterans find employment. One organization in particular is GI Go Fund. Our sponsorship assisted in the opening of its

Dedicated to SCI Care and Research

Improving the lives of people with spinal cord injuries depends on the efforts of a team of professionals who have dedicated their careers to care and research. 

Adapting to Life After SCI: Preparing for the Future through Education

On July 4, 2009, a diving accident changed the life of Gianfranco Gervasio, a native of Bergen County. At the time of his spinal cord injury (SCI), he was 27, and had a job in banking. During his stay at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, Gianfranco spent time rethinking his future, including his prospects for employment. Although his employer was willing to place him in another position, Gianfranco wasn’t ready to return to work so soon after his injury. “I had a lot to deal with,” he said, “and I wasn’t enthusiastic about the work I had been doing. Realizing that finding and keeping a good job would be more difficult because of my disability, I decided that it was essential to pursue a

Ask the Expert: Employment & Disability

An Interview with John O’Neill, PhD, CRC, Employment Researcher

Dr. O’Neill is director, Employment and Disability Research at Kessler Foundation; research professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rutgers, New Jersey Medical school; senior research scientist,

Returning to Work after Spinal Cord Injury

Megan Helsel had a passion for the outdoors and dreamt of working with wildlife. After earning an associate’s degree in natural sciences from Bergen Community College in 2010, she completed a bachelor’s degree in biology from Montclair State University. Megan excelled during her undergraduate studies, winning a competitive scholarship from the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Women Environmental Professionals. With a love for ornithology (the study of birds), she volunteered with the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission and Bergen County

Highlighting Research in Gulf War Illness, Spinal Cord Injury and Women’s Health

This week spotlights women’s health, Gulf War illness and spinal cord injury. To help raise awareness on these topics Kessler Foundation is sharing rehabilitation research information, news, and podcasts from its team of scientists in the field.

National Women’s Health Week
National Women’s Health Week is a reminder to encourage women to focus on their health and wellbeing. In the United States, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer that affect women’s health. At the Center for

A Story for Mother’s Day

Happy Mother's Day! At Kessler Foundation, we recognize how important moms can be for people with disabilities—and how important our donors are for advancing life-changing rehabilitation research. Today, I share a story to demonstrate how a mother’s love, optimism, and support make all the difference, and how you make a difference with your support.

Kessler Foundation Awarded Grant to Use Virtual Reality to Prepare Adolescents with Autism for Employment

Helen Genova, PhD, assistant director of Kessler Foundation’s Center for Neuropsychology and Neuroscience Research, received a $355,000 grant from the New Jersey Governor’s Council for Medical Research Treatment of Autism. The grant which starts in June 2019, will fund Genova’s study using virtual reality to

Former Postdoctoral Fellow Wins ACRM and INS Awards

Former postdoctoral fellow at Kessler Foundation, Juan Carlos Arango-Lasprilla, PhD, was honored with mid-career awards from the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the International Neuropsychological Society. Both awards recognize Arango-Lasprilla's contributions and leadership to the field of brain injury research. Arango-Lasprilla will accept the Mitchell Rosenthal Mid-Career Award at the ACRM 96^th Annual Conference in Chicago, IL

Elaine Katz Shares Employment Insights at Symposium

Earlier this month Elaine Katz, senior vice president of grants and communications at Kessler Foundation, spoke at the My Talent Pipeline Launch Symposium. She shared the results of the latest national trends in disability employment labor report, also known as nTIDE. Kessler Foundation collaborates with the University of New Hampshire’s Institute on Disability to issue