Breaking Boundaries after a Spinal Cord Injury

For Annijke Wade, mountain biking is more than a hobby, it’s an obsession – and it’s what she loves most in the world. A year and a half ago, Annijke rode on her favorite trail in Angel Fire, New Mexico – a route she’d completed more than sixty times – and lost control of her bike. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground and had lost feeling below her chest. Along with several broken bones and fractures, Annijke learned that she had sustained a T6/T7-level spinal cord injury and faced a long recovery ahead. Before her injury, Annijke was a relatively new face in the mountain biking scene but had already made a big impact. She was passionate about making mountain biking more inclusive for women and people of color, who have historically been underrepresented in the sport, and even organized the first bike event for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). While her accident was life-changing, it didn’t diminish Annijke’s spark, and she was determined to continue breaking boundaries. A passionate and resilient leader, she has continued her mission of making biking a more inclusive space for everyone and saw her injury as an opportunity to adapt the sport for others with spinal cord injuries. Alongside her advocacy work, Annijke is an active adaptive mountain biker, which also meant she needed to find an intermittent catheter that would fit into her lifestyle. On today’s episode, she will share how she’s coped with a recent spinal cord injury, how she found the strength to continue pursuing her passions, and how she established a bladder routine that enables her to continue the activities she loves.

If you’re new to using an intermittent catheter, Coloplast® Care can help! You can sign up for Coloplast Care for free by clicking here or calling 866-226-6362.

Access more bladder and bowel resources here.

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The material shared within this podcast is for educational purposes only and is based on the personal experiences and learnings of the presenter. Annijke is a SpeediCath® catheter user who has received compensation from Coloplast to provide this information. Each person’s situation is unique so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your healthcare provider about whether this product is right for you. Nothing within this podcast is intended to be used as medical advice or used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. You should rely on the healthcare professional who knows your individual history for personal medical advice and diagnosis. Please see complete product instructions for use, including all product indications, contraindications, precautions, warnings, and adverse events.