2009 Newsletters
Triple Amputee Rides Bike for the First Time
Aug 6th, 2009
No Barriers Festival 2009, held in June and organized by Erik and the No Barriers staff and board of directors, affected lives in profound ways. The festival, held in partnership with Shake-A-Leg Miami, showcased the most cutting-edge adaptive techniques and technologies, including many water-based activities like scuba, sailing, and swimming. The goal was to help people shatter personal barriers to lead more active and adventurous lives. The fourth Festival brought together scientists and inventors, athletes and artists, pioneers and newly disabled, all to share and learn from one another. From seven to seventy, from all walks of life, and from all over the world, everyone at No Barriers has a story to tell.
Triple Amputee Rides Bike for the First Time
James Culver riding a Morphing Hand-Cycle at Festival 2009,
Photo: Andy Kennedy - Accessanything.net
In the words of 10-year old James Culver, "No Barriers is awesome, a good place for amputees and people with disabilities!"
Meet James, who at the age of seven contracted the Strep Group A bacteria in his bloodstream, resulting in amputation of both legs and one arm.
In 2007, he attended his first No Barriers Festival in Squaw Valley, CA just ten months out of the hospital. Although he was not able to participate in everything, he enjoyed a few clinics, met other people "just like him," and his mother, Cathy, found resources, devices, and adaptive equipment she didn't know existed for James. 
It was such a positive experience that when Festival 2009 at Shake-A-Leg Miami was announced she started to get her travel plans in line to be there again. "It is very good for James to be around other people with no arms or legs. I think it's comforting to him," stated Cathy. "It [the No Barriers Festival] keeps him busy all day. There is always something for him to do or to try out like the dune buggy type device that was there this year."
His favorite things this year were scuba diving and swimming with the dolphins. But for his mom, James rode a bike for the first time, which she didn't think he would be able to do. After the 2007 event, a Segway was donated to James and this year, the family is now planning on getting him a hand-cycle.
Photo: No Barriers 2007
The attitude James possesses about his disability is truly amazing for being just 10 years old. His mom attributes it in part to his attending the No Barriers Festivals. "It doesn't matter if you have a disability," says James. "It doesn't mean that you can't do that much stuff. You can do anything you set your mind to."
Cathy says James and she will continue to come to future No Barriers Festivals. For James, he looks forward to doing as much as he can, especially scuba diving again. For Cathy, it is seeing the continuous smile on her son's face and learning about more technologies and adaptive equipment that help James live a more active life.
To see more on the festival and meet James in video go to Debbie Attias' blog Click Here
Photo: Debbi Attias 2009
No Barriers Continues to Change Lives
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