On Veteran’s Day, we pause to honor the brave men and women who sacrificed so much to protect our freedom. Sadly, many struggle in the transition to civilian life and face challenges when trying to find employment. For our veterans who return with a disability, the transition is even more difficult. At Kessler Foundation, one of my…
The value of hard work was instilled in me from a very young age. My parents came from Medellin, Colombia to the United States in the 1970s in pursuit of the American dream. My father worked three jobs. Sick days were never an option. He respected his jobs and took great pride in showing my sister and me how hard he worked to provide…
I’ll never forget the day that shaped the rest of my life. Having just ended my junior year at Ramapo College, I was home enjoying the beautiful May afternoon. The year was 1988, seven years since an auto accident had left me a quadriplegic. Suddenly, the phone rang. I heard the voice of the public relations manager from the New…
Spastic cerebral palsy may affect my mobility and speech, but it does not affect my ability to achieve my goals. Always very driven and determined, I realized early on in high school that I wanted to be a voice for people with disabilities. I started by advocating on behalf of the student body for improvements to make the campus more…
Born a little person, I have dedicated my life to helping everyone accept the differences in others. I’m one of only 30,000 little people currently living in the United States. Most U.S. citizens may not ever physically meet a little person. This means that society's views of little people are directly related to what they see on…
Humanitarian and boxing legend Muhammad Ali once said to me, “Service to others is the rent we pay for our space here on Earth.” Ever since that day back in the 90’s, I remind myself of that purpose, each and every day. Just a few short years after that, I combined that purpose with my passion—motivational and inspirational speaking—…
October marks the 70th anniversary of National Disability Employment Awareness Month - a time to acknowledge the substantial contributions made by workers with disabilities. It's also a time to reflect on our attitudes as a society and find ways to expand employment opportunities for this talented population – the largest minority in…
September 28, 2015. Researchers have found that use of a foot drop stimulator (WalkAide) improves walking in individuals with foot drop as a result of stroke. "Changes in center of dispalcement withthe use of a foot drop stimulator in individuals with stroke…
September 28, 2015. Scientists at Kessler Foundation authored a review article that describes a specific hypothesis for fatigue in multiple sclerosis (MS). “The dopamine imbalance hypothesis of fatigue in multiple sclerosis and other neurological…
Join us on Sunday, September 27, 2015, from 10am to 1pm at Verona Park in Verona, NJ for Kessler Foundation’s 14th Annual Stroll ‘N Roll! This exciting family event brings together hundreds of people of all abilities to raise vital funds to improve quality of life for people with disabilities. We have planned a fun-…
At the September 26 Opening of the Neuroimaging Center at Kessler Foundation, Assemblywoman Mila Jasey (D-27-NJ) presents a joint legislative resolution of the Senate and General Assembly. The resolution, sponsored by Jasey,…
By Rodger DeRose
This opinion piece, written by Kessler Foundation's President and CEO Rodger DeRose, was published in The Hill, on July 24, 2015. To view the piece on The Hill's website, visit http://…
For the past year, at Kessler Foundation in West Orange, Dr. Peii Chen, research scientist, and Kimberly Hreha, stroke clinical research coordinator, felt as if they had changed their job titles! An ambitious goal led to expanding their daily work tasks to include scriptwriting, interviewing professional…
At Kessler Foundation, we celebrate Independence Day through our work that promotes independence for Americans with disabilities at home, in their communities and in the workplace. Thank you artist Ronaldo Byrd for capturing the spirit of the Fourth in this joyous painting.
See more of Ronaldo's work on Facebook at Ronaldo's…
The morning of Memorial Day was perfect—cool, with very little wind, and excitement in the air. It was the ideal setting for the kick off the 15th Annual Kessler Foundation Wheelchair 10K, the wheelchair division of the Fred d’Elia Ridgewood Run. Representing the US, Spain, and…
