Adaptdefy

Andrew Slorance is the CEO and founder of Phoenix Instinct. In 2020 they won a million dollars in the Toyota Mobility Foundation Mobility Unlimited Challenge to revolutionize the manual wheelchair. 

Andrew grew up in the North East of Scotland and became a T4/5 paraplegic wheelchair user as a 14 year old after falling from a tree.  Over the last 30 years he has learnt a thing or two about navigating life and has taken it upon himself to solve some of the frustrations that he's encountered along the way. 

A successful photographer, designer and entrepreneur, we discuss the ups and downs and how he has ultimately risen like the Phoenix! 

I first met Alex while he was flying a plane around New Zealand. The more I got chatting the more I was in awe of the balance he has in his life. A paraplegic of over 20 years, Alex is an accomplished wheelchair tennis player, sit skier, peer mentor and family man. In this episode we discuss his philosophy on life and gain an insight into how he has managed to create such a well rounded life. 

Born with a rare disorder that affects her mobility, Jackie Silver rocks a wheelchair and is on a mission to empower people with disabilities and/or chronic diseases to live healthier lifestyles. 

Jackie is a registered dietitian with a Masters of Health Science (MHSc) who takes a weight-inclusive approach to nutrition and focuses on health behaviour change rather than weight. She also takes a mindful eating approach believing it to be one of the most effective ways of sustaining long-term health behaviour change. 

Shaun Gash is a paraplegic amputee who loves adventure and physical activity. Whether it is scaling mountains, scuba diving, boxing, or obstacle racing through mud, Shaun does it with a smile on his face and a determination to improve the lives of others in the process. In this episode we really connect and go deep into what it means to live life to the fullest and do good in the process. A must listen and the longest episode to date.

Hannah Gavios was backpacking in Asia solo when an attempted sexual assault forced her to run for her life. Things went from bad to worse when she fell down a cliff and was paralyzed, only to be confronted by her attacker as she lay there in the dark unable to move. Her physical and mental recovery and strength is phenomenal.  Hannah now runs marathons and teaches Yoga even though she suffers the lasting effects of a spinal cord injury. There is much wisdom to soak up in this interview. Hang on for a wild ride.

Andrea Dalzell was diagnosed with Transverse Myelitis at the age of 5, but growing up using a wheelchair didn’t stop her from pursuing a career in healthcare! Today, she is the first registered nurse who uses a wheelchair in NYC.

In this episode, Cambry Nelson, a champion equestrian vaulter, describes what happened the day she broke her back.  “I decided to do my aerial dismount off the horse, but didn’t communicate it to my teammate still on the horse. I flipped, hit him with my leg, changed my rotation in the air and landed on my back. I severed my spinal cord and became permanently paralyzed from the waist down.” 

In this podcast we talk about her recovery, (which she describes as ongoing), why it took her so long to feel comfortable on a horse again, dating and marriage as a paraplegic, identity and self worth, occupational therapy, and developing a new product to increase freedom for wheelchair users. 

This is a goodie! Check it out.

Sophie Elwes is an international para athlete, peer mentor, adventurer and media producer. Given a 40% chance of surviving after a huge fall from a balcony, Sophie has built a life filled with excitement, adventure, service and love. In this episode we dive deep into self identity and what it took to pack up and leave the support of her family to travel the world. We discuss how she came to represent Great Britain in adaptive skiing and waterskiing, how she shaped her career, and how she overcame all the physical and mental hurdles along the way. Check it out! 

Megan Blunk is a gold medal winning paraplegic wheelchair basketball star that speaks openly about her struggle with severe depression. This was one of those podcasts that went DEEP straight away. Megan is courageous, talented and determined to make a better life for herself and others who struggle with their mental health.  If you or someone you know is feeling stuck in their life, be sure to check this out! More details and links are available at https://adaptdefy,com/podcasts

South African paraplegic Alwyn Uys is a professional triathlete, entrepreneur and motivational speaker who knows how to train hard, focus his mind and achieve his goals. In this episode we unpack the accident that left him a wheelchair user, his daily routine, fitness hacks, and goals for the future. 

What do you get when you combine skate, BMX and motocross culture with a fiery redhead who was born with Cerebral Palsy? You get Katherine Beattie, the first women to do a backflip in a wheelchair and also an award winning Hollywood writer. These talents combined with an infectious personality have allowed Katherine to help change the way people view disability. Don't miss this episode!

It's unbelievable that Richard Corbett is still alive. A 50 foot fall into an underground parking lot didn't kill him, but an addiction to pain medication and a mental breakdown,  nearly did. Finding his way out of the darkest of places, Richard is a now world class YouTube video producer making informative how to videos for newly injured wheelchair users. 

Teal Sherer is an award winning actress, who also happens to be a wheelchair user after a car accident left her a paraplegic when she was 14 years old. Teal shares her tips for being an actor as a wheelchair user, her thoughts for how society views wheelchair users and hr role in educating the public on what really goes on. Check it out. 

Brooklyn might be considered the hood, but to Garrison Redd it has always been and always will be home. Even after the self-proclaimed authentic Brooklynite was shot in the back just steps away from his childhood home. An immensely physical and intelligent teenager, his life was thrown into turmoil as he lay in the hospital bed, learning he would never be able to walk again. But wise words from one of his doctors: “you might not be able to play football, but you can still coach,” soon changed his entire perspective.

Now a model, a Paralympic powerlifter, public speaker and the founder of the Garrison Redd Project, an organisation that runs adaptive programs for people with spinal cord injuries, there’s almost no stopping Garrison from achieving his goal.

All that’s left is to become the mayor of New York City.

Martyn is a man on a mission. A mission to make our society a more inclusive place to live.  He's had to overcome major spinal fusion surgery, fundraise for vital mobility equipment, manage strangers to do his personal care, fight bouts of pneumonia, struggle through inaccessible housing, experience weird societal stereotypes, and many other barriers. He is the co-founder of Disability Horizons, a published author, podcast host, adventurer, government, business & charity adviser, and entrepreneur. He co-founded Accomable which was later acquired by Air BnB and is on a mission to travel and adventure to as many places on the planet as he can. He's a self confessed smiler with Spinal Muscular Atrophy . 

Paraplegic Sebastian Westin is a Swedish prankster, para bobsledder, wheelchair instructor, musician, YouTuber, and meditation advocate. Giving himself a year to overcome the depression which almost killed him, he moved to India where the unthinkable happened. This is his story. 

Alana Nichols is a world-class athlete with a passion for challenging herself and others. From a young age, her passion for sports and adventure has driven her and no matter what obstacle life throws her way, she takes a challenge head on.  After suffering a spinal cord injury at age 17 while attempting a back flip on her snowboard, Alana quickly transitioned to adaptive sports.  She is the first American female to win gold medals at both Summer (Wheelchair Basketball) and Winter (Alpine Ski Racing) Olympic/Paralympic Games. 

Nothing seems to stop mobility master Stuart Dunne. After breaking his neck at 17 years old, following a car accident, Stuart quickly learned he just had to get on with life, and seize whatever opportunities were presented to him. He returned to university to study accountancy before making his own wheelchairs, and forming successful mobility products company Cyclone Mobility in 1989. In his spare time he likes to keep active, including playing wheelchair rugby for Great Britain, and spending time with his wife of 20 years. 

Karen Darke, MBE is nothing short of legendary. What she has achieved with her life after becoming paralysed from the chest down at age 21 is extraordinary. Her wild streak and love of adventure drove her to cross-country ski across the Greenland ice-cap, kayak for 3 months from Vancouver to Alaska, and traverse multiple countries via handcycle. She is gold medal winning Paralympian, author and sought after speaker who leaves audiences energized and wanting more.  

Derek Herrera is a former Marine Special Operations Officer who was paralyzed after being shot in the spine while on duty in Afghanistan. Derek re-focused his energy and skill to complete an MBA and started Spinal Singularity, a company that is developing medical technology to improve people’s lives. 

Sophie Morgan is a prolific TV personality, artist, adventurer, entrepreneur, and paralysed icon who never sits still. She is the face and star of numerous BBC TV series and is at the forefront of a global movement for inclusivity. A self described wild child Sophie has channeled her energy after a life changing accident into a force that is changing the world for the adaptive community. 

When Rob Smith broke his neck he never thought he'd go onto play sport for Great Britain, or apply his mechanical engineering skills to create a company which would improve the lives of thousands around the world. Rob is an athlete, entrepreneur and father with an Adaptdefying mindset. Check him out! 

For this story and more visit adaptdefy.com/adaptdefiers

Nathalie McGloin is the world’s first female tetraplegic racing driver. She races a hand-controlled Cayman S in the Porsche Club Championship, competing against able-bodied men. She has an impressive list of sponsors, is the President of the FIA Disability and Accessibility Commission, and founder of Spinal Track that offers disabled drivers the opportunity to experience track driving in specially adapted cars. Nathalie is also an sought after speaker, who delivers keynotes around the world to share her unique story, encourage women and disabled people into Motorsports, and help audiences believe that anything is possible.

Paraplegic Christian Bagg is a brilliant engineer. He’s the founder of BowHead Corp. and designer of the Bowhead Reach, which is the world’s gnarliest and most capable off-road electric trike. He’s a family man, adventurer, and entrepreneur on a mission to increase freedom for wheelchair users! Sound familiar? An Adaptdefier™ with so much to share. Check him out.

Josh Dueck is an absolute legend in the adaptive community. He became an instant celebrity after he appeared on the Ellen Degeneres show for becoming the first person to do a backflip in a sit ski. He is a Paralympic gold medalist, ambassador and mentor, and one of the reasons adaptdefy’s Mike Brown was able to bounce back and keep his head held high following his spinal cord injury. Josh has so much wisdom to share and is one of the nicest guys around. 

When doctors said Aaron Baker would never regain function he visualised the outcome he wanted and set about proving them wrong. Aaron is the founder of the Center of Restorative Exercise (C.O.R.E.) and believes that exercise is medicine.  

Roy Tuscany is the founder of The High Fives Foundation whose vision is to be the “safety net of the outdoor action sports community”. Roy is such a positive guy, he hardly has a bad word to say about breaking his back, and has paid his experience and gratitude forward to help others find their freedom in the outdoors. Roy’s attitude and zest for life is exactly the spirit you need to become an Adaptdefier.

As if riding a skateboard wasn’t hard enough, paraplegic Erik Kondo has found ways to ride them while in his wheelchair. And while at first this sounds foolhardy, there is some real logic behind his pioneering way of thinking about movement in a wheelchair. Erik is a strong advocate for finding ways to be free in a wheelchair without expensive equipment. 

From remote wilderness rafting trips, to yacht racing, to business and politics, paraplegic Quentin Smith is a true all rounder. But it’s took Quentin time and introspection to get there. Finding the cause, and a way to move past, “depression” helped Quentin build his emotional intelligence that enables him to thrive in his personal, family, business and community life.  

From the highs of a professional mountain biking career to the deepest lows of living life paralysed from the waist down, Tara Llanes has risen again to become a world class wheelchair athlete and leader in the adaptive mountain biking community. 

Paraplegic Helen Smith has found novel ways to explore the outdoors by literally harnessing her friends so she can go on multi-day camping and rafting adventures. She takes a lightweight approach and has many wheelchair life-hacks to share. She is the winner of a Churchill Fellowship which allowed her to travel the globe discovering just how accessible adventure with a wheelchair can be.