June is Men’s Health Month which includes Men’s Health Week running from June 10-16 concluding on Father’s Day.  In recognition of this important month get those men involved in your life moving more for better health!  The purpose of Men’s Health Month is to raise awareness for all of the preventable health problems more prevalent in men, and to encourage early detection and treatment of these problems.  Please click on the following links for more information on health screenings regarding some of the most common diseases and health conditions that affect men:

•    http://www.menshealthnetwork.org/library/pdfs/GetItChecked.pdf
•    http://www.ncpad.org/650/2629/The~Importance~of~Men~s~Health

In addition to preventable health screenings, it is important to remain active throughout the summer.  Samples of activities to enjoy outside are walking, golf, tennis, swimming, biking, and hiking.  Check out the National Hiking Association and Adventure Cycling Association to get you started. 

Take a look at the awareness and resource campaigns surrounding the following health areas for the month of June.
•    Men’s Health Month (www.menshealthmonth.org)
•    National Aphasia Awareness Month (www.aphasia.org)
•    Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week (www.hknc.org)
•    Post-Traumatic Stress Awareness Month (http://www.ptsd.va.gov/about/ptsd-awareness/ptsd_awareness_month.asp)
•    World Sickle Cell Day (www.worldsicklecellday.webs.com)

Upcoming Events

Symposium on Disability, Technology, and Rehabilitation in Low and Middle Income Countries

• June 27th & 28th
• University of Washington in Seattle, Washington
• http://idtr.uwctds.washington.edu/workshops/2013 

Mississippi disAbility MEGAConference

• The largest event regarding disabilities in the state of Mississippi this year
• June 21st & 22nd
• Jackson, Mississippi Downtown Marriot
• http://drms.ms/mega/

38th Annual National Wellness Conference

• NWC theme is “Building Wellness: Engaged and Empowered”
• July 15-18, Stevens Point, Wisconsin
• http://www.nationalwellness.org/

Webinar: How State Health Agencies Can Support the Physical Activity Guidelines by Ensuring Accessibility within the Built Environment

• Tuesday, June 25th 2:00-3:00 pm EDT
• To register go to: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=1jgnisn90127
• This webinar will provide an overview of intervention strategies that have been shown to be effective in the built environment and community setting highlighting programs in areas of New Jersey and Montana.

Book Reviews

ACSM/NCHPAD Resources for the Inclusive Fitness Trainer
The definitive resource for physical activity and ability
First Edition; Editor Cary Wing, Ed.D., FACSM

You can empower those with physical, sensory or cognitive disabilities by championing for inclusive fitness!  The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) in collaboration with The National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) has developed a specialty certification for fitness professionals known as the Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer (CIFT).

Become an ACSM/NCHPAD Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer, and give clients the knowledge and support to lead a healthy and comfortable lifestyle. This book provides the essential techniques and guidelines to prepare for the ACSM/NCHPAD Certified Inclusive Fitness Trainer certification including:

•    Effective and adapted methods of exercise training.
•    Exercise precautions for people with disabilities.
•    An understanding of current ADA policy specific to recreation facilities and standards for accessible facility design.
•    Instruction to individuals with disabilities to begin and continue healthy lifestyles.

The book is available for purchase at https://www.createspace.com/4098608 and lists for $50.00. 

Sports Rehabilitation and the Human Spirit: How the Landmark Program at the Lakeshore Foundation Rebuilds Bodies and Restores Lives
By Anita Smith with Randall Williams
Epilogue by Michael E. Stephens

Sports Rehabilitation and the Human Spirit tells the intersecting story of a man, Michael E. Stephens, and an organization, the Lakeshore Foundation of Birmingham, Alabama. The Lakeshore campus is world-renowned for rehabilitation, sports, and fitness services for children and adults who have experienced physical disability as a result of injuries, birth conditions, illness, or in service to our nation. The people who partake of the services at Lakeshore include those with paralysis, amputations, and limited mobility and function due to muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, stroke, and other health conditions that could present significant physical challenges.

Stephens, who experienced a spinal injury and paralysis as a young man, later became a successful hospital executive and entrepreneur. The foundation, which came out of Stephens's work, now operates a 45-acre campus. The showcase of the campus is a state-of-the-art, 126,000-square-foot building that hosts many regional and national competitions for individual and team sports for those with physical disabilities.

Some Lakeshore participants engage in sports and recreation for fun, others are Lakeshore-based athletes engaged in competitive sports, and still others are Paralympic and Olympic athletes who come to Lakeshore Foundation for training. In 2003, Lakeshore was designated by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as an official United States training site for Paralympic and Olympic athletes.  The stories of Mike Stephens and Lakeshore are told here, along with the inspiring accounts of many individuals with disabilities who have rebuilt their lives through sports and fitness.

The book is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/Sports-Rehabilitation-Human-Spirit-Foundation/dp/1588382958 and retails for $32.95.

"Libby and the Cape of Visitability"

Written by Eleanor Smith, a housing rights worker, and Nadeen Green, a teacher, writer and blogger on the topic of fair housing,

This is the first ever children’s book on Visit-ability!  “Libby and the Cape of Visitability” is the diary of Libby, a KWD (Kid with Disability). Written for children ages 8-13, this book raises awareness of the exclusion created when houses are not built with simple features that allow mobility-impaired people to visit or live in them.   For those grownups (teachers, parents and others) who engage in meaningful dialogue with children, this book provides not only a captivating story and relatable characters, but a Reader's Guide with discussion questions and resources as well.

The book is available for purchase on your Kindle, Nook, Sony eReader, iPad, etc. at numerous online outlets including AuthorHouse, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble. 

From our Friends at RecTech

NEW newsletter from the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Interactive Exercise Technologies and Exercise Physiology for People with disabilities (RERC RecTech).
RERC RecTech is dedicated to using technology to promote more healthy, active lifestyles for people with disabilities. To know more about the center’s work and the happenings in this field, check out RecTech’s first QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER.
IN THIS ISSUE
•    Letter from the Director: Three B's for RecTech - Bigger, Broadband in Birmingham!
•    Universal Design of Fitness Equipment Standards Passes the Ballot at Astm
•    Technology Transfer Workshop
•    Advisory Panel Meeting
•    Recent Publications
•    RecTech Blog
•    RecTech at Resna 2013
•    Overview of RecTech Projects