The QuadCast
My name is John McAleavey, and on August 19, 1992 I suffered a Central Cord Syndrome injury to my cervical spine at the C-3/4 level following a fall down my basement steps. I was told early on that no two SCI’s are the same, and while that may be true, many of the struggles we're left with are. So let's talk about them. The QuadCast Podcast is mainly aimed at the disabled community, but is really for ANYONE looking to be inspired. You'll hear from fellow SCI'ers, to highlight their personal stories of struggle and triumph, doctors, therapists, and others who work on behalf of our community to share any new developments or breakthroughs in the fight. I hope that by talking/sharing/commiserating/LAUGHING, we will fully understand that no one is alone in this. Think of the QuadCast as a 30 to 45 minute session of OT/PT for the soul!
Episodes
Maureen Pfeiffer has worked at Kessler Institute For Rehabilitation for 42 years... that's 2,191 weeks. Monday, July 20, she'll begin her 2,192 and final one on the job.
I met Pfeiffer "the lifer" :-) in 1993, about 6 months after my injury, and we've been friends ever since. She's been a constant positive presence in the outpatient gym for so long, that I can't imagine what it will be like without her uber bright highlighter pen pi...
In this latest episode of the 4 Men and a SCI podcast, the boys cover the challenges and impact of the summer's heat on individuals with spinal cord injury. It includes personal encounters, the importance of education and preparation for the issue, understanding autonomic dysreflexia's effects and much more. In fact, there's even have a reference to the great 80's brief ensemble/band, the Power Station!
Takeaways
- Heat management...
This episode is a first for me here at The QuadCast. It features an "actual long time listener" of this podcast, one who understands exactly what living with a spinal cord injury is like.
I had the absolute pleasure speaking with Richie Redsicker, learning all about him, his injury, remarkable family, and his life in general. I know you will enjoy getting to know him as much as I did! Speaking of which, you can do that even more b...
Matt and Jen Hellstern are my guests this week on the QP. Find out how a seemingly innocuous fender bender one day on the way to work changed their entire family's life forever! They share their personal experiences of navigating a new normal following Matt's SCI. From the confusion of how it all came to be, to hours and hours of PT and OT, his participation in numerous clinical trials, and more.
You will hear what an amazingly r...
Cristina Cortez
Author, Poet, Independent Researcher, Advocate & Speaker
Cristina Cortez is a first-generation Latin-American BIPOC author, poet, memoirist, disability advocate, public humanities educator, and interdisciplinary scholar whose work explores the intersections of disability, identity, memory, mythology, travel, literature, and cultural inheritance through poetry, memoir, hybrid nonfiction, and publi...
Summary
In this heartfelt interview my guest, Steve Zutty shares his inspiring journey through spinal injuries, rehabilitation, and the importance of resilience, family, and community support. You'll hear how he navigates life's challenges with humor, determination, and a positive outlook. You're going to LOVE Steve, this is a fun episode!
Takeaways
- Importance of long-lasting friendships and family support
- Challenges and experienc...
The boys are back! John McAleavey, Barry Munro, and Sasha Rabchevsky, (3 Men & A SCI), are thrilled to have Dr. Trevor Dyson Hudson, Director of The Center For Spinal Cord Injury Research, Kessler Foundation join the band for a frank discussion on the alarming lack of knowledge in SCI care among emergency room personnel, and medical professionals in general. We highlight the challenges faced by those of us living with spinal co...
Ian Mackay is my guest on the latest edition of The QuadCast. He chronicles his journey from growing up in beautiful San Diego county to how he endured his life-changing cycling accident.
In spite of his SCI, Ian has truly made his mark on the world. You'll learn how he worked with Apple on their iPhone's voice recognition system, which not only impacted his independence and connection to nature, but opened amazing opportunities f...
The latest episode of The 3 Men & A SCI Podcast has dropped. In this edition, John McAleavey, Barry Munro, and Sasha Rabchevsky, had the pleasure of speaking with Matthew Roderick, Executive Director of The Unite 2 Fight Paralysis Foundation.
Their conversation delves into the SCI landscape, the impact of advocacy and activism, understanding the difference between the two, engaging the SCI community in advocacy, and the importan...
Kenny Salvini is my guest on the latest edition of the QP. Following his spinal cord injury, the result of a skiing accident, he took six years to process his new life/situation. However, meeting a fellow quad, one who had been injured for many years and was married, showed him what was still possible. Kenny is now married himself, has a young daughter, and is the cofounder of the Here and Now Project. Their mission is to connect a...
The latest episode of the QP features an amazing young man, Owen Weiss. He is a wheelchair athlete, educator, and storyteller, whose life changed after a rare spinal Arteriovenous Malformation (AVM) led to three spinal surgeries. He recovered fully from the first two, but following the third (after walking himself into the operating room), he woke unable to move his legs, and with major loss of sensation from the waist down.
Terry McGhee's life has been defined by service; service to his family, his fellow soldiers/officers, and his country. He was kind enough to chronicle all of this and much more in the latest episode of the QP.
You'll learn about Terry's childhood and upbringing, his career in the NYPD, involvement in counterterrorism operations, and the life-changing spinal cord injury he sustained during a deployment overseas. Terry highlights his ...
Vanessa Osman is a voice-over artist, actress, model, writer, peer-mentor, quadriplegic, and my guest ,on the very first episode of 2026. She is a dynamo, I can't wait for you to hear her story!
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