Interview with Devera Lynn - United Spinal Association
Devera Lynn is the Director of Marketing and Communications for United
Spinal Association , a not-for-profit dedicated to enhancing the lives
of people with spinal cord injuries and disorders. Since joining
the organization only one year ago, Lynn has been developing an innovative
blueprint to extend the scope of the Association's national marketing
and communications outreach.
ASK PATTY: Can you tell me a little bit about your work with the United Spinal
Association?
Devera:
For more than 60 years, United Spinal Association has committed our energy
and our talents to improving the lives of individuals with a spinal cord injury
or disorder. Our initiatives, in promoting inclusion, improving access, fostering
independence, enhancing mobility, and demanding equality, along with our commitment
to member service, has helped to improve the quality of life and to create
opportunities for our members and all people with spinal cord injuries or disorders
(SCI/D).
ASK PATTY: What are some of the resources you provide for your members?
Devera:
United Spinal Association has many resources for our members who are people with
SCI/D. Membership, which is free, includes assistance and support when navigating
health and benefits programs, educational tools on self advocating, sports and
recreational opportunities and we continue to provide, since our founding year
of 1946, veterans services. One of United Spinal's very unique member benefits
is the ability to have access to Able
to Travel . This travel service is specifically designed to assist
anyone with a spinal cord disability with their travel arrangements. This
is especially important regarding accessible hotels and transportation. Our travel
agents will provide detailed reports about the accessibility of the places you
will stay or visit. This includes knowing how many steps you may need to traverse
or the availability of an elevator, etc. Basically we say there will be no surprises
when you arrive. One of our very important resources to our members is United
Spinal's monthly magazine called Action, which keeps people informed and up to
date on issues relating to SCI/D, including news, research, policies, advocacy
efforts, features, new technology and other important topics. Knowing the importance
of assitive technology and perpetual advances, United Spinal offers USA TechGuide,
a much needed virtual resource. The site is set up so visitors may rate mobility
devices such as wheelchairs, lifts, scooters and any other assitive technology. USATechGuide
is the number one Web site for assitive technology in the nation.
ASK PATTY: How has United Spinal Association been active in the community? Are
you working toward changing the rules of accessibility?
Devera: United Spinal Association is dedicated to advocating for people with
disabilities. We are continuously lobbying in Washington D.C. for the civil
rights for people with disabilities. We helped draft significant passages of the American
Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Housing Act. We pioneered accessible transit
in New York City, which has become a national model for public transit. Advocacy
is an important part of what we do. United Spinal also looks to enlist
the public to help change policies through grassroots advocacy campaigns. Accessibility
Services is also a service that we provide where we review facilities on accessibility.
It's important for businesses to understand ADA requirements and it's even
more impressive when a company utilizes our expertise to ensure that they go
above and beyond in the design of a facility, making it much more accessible
and creating a more appropriate environment. Our architects and other specialists
have years of experience and extremely impressive records of success. This
includes, the new Yankee and Mets Stadiums, Wachovia Center, United States
Department of Agriculture, Mayfair Hotel, Poland Spring, American Airlines
Arena and PepsiCo. For all the publics United Spinal Association offers
a booklet called Disability
Etiquette so you may learn how to act appropriately when interacting with
people with disabilities. It is an easy read, extremely accurate and
is highly informative!
ASK PATTY: Tell me about your recent partnership with Sports Car Club of America.
What are you doing in conjunction with the SCCA?
Devera:
While we offer wheelchair sports and other recreational activities to people
with SCI/D including wheelchair basketball, quad rugby, tennis, etc. we discovered
that anyone can participate in motorsports – even with hand controls. We recently
discovered the Sports Car Club of America and a specific event that they offer
called Solo. Basically, you go to the race site and you have your car
inspected, put on a helmet, and hit the track! Vehicles race one at a
time around cones and they are timed. As we investigated this type of racing
we thought this might be a great sport to introduce to our members. Whether
using hand controls or foot pedals, it really puts all participants on an equal
playing field. United Spinal officially partnered in July with SCCA and
we are working together to encourage members and people with disabilities to
get involved with motorsports. It's truly an opportunity for anyone to
enhance their quality of life. Now we are working to build the partnership
to get word about the availability of Solo. If you don't want to drive on the
track, there are other opportunities to get involved as a member. You can volunteer
to do timing and flagging even if you don't want to race. We are also hoping
to raise SCI/D awareness by racecar drivers displaying the United Spinal logo
on their vehicles in support of our program.
ASK PATTY: Tell is a little bit about your team with Carol Hollselder.
Devera: United Spinal has developed a motorsports
tea m with
committee members from the motorsports industry to assist United Spinal with
our campaign. This includes professional racecar driver and prior spokesperson
for Ford Mobility Carol Hollfelder, rookie NASCAR driver Justin Bonsignore,
SCCA Regional Development Manager Mike Dickerson and SEMA award-winning truck
modifier Steve Bucaro. Motor Trend radio News Director Jeff Bressler is also
involved with this team as well as Ask Patty!
ASK PATTY: Are there many women involved in the SCCA program?
Devera:
I was recently at the SCCA banquet dinner for the National Solo event and I
didn't realize how many women were driving in the SCCA. I was delighted not
only to see how many drivers attended but also how many received awards! There
is a Ladies division and an Open Class division where women can race among
the men. Not only is there a tremendous amount of camaraderie between the women
at these events, but it was very nice to see how family-oriented they were.
You even see husbands and wives racing together or against each other!
ASK PATTY: Do you offer other driving workshops or classes for people with
spinal cord disorders?
Devera: United Spinal Association can refer people who request information
on training with hand controls to driving professionals. Mandatory driver
training is a key element in the proper utilization of adaptive automotive
equipment. Certified driver rehabilitation specialists and technicians throughout
the country are responsible for training new drivers with disabilities. Training
involves educating individuals in the proper use of adaptive equipment, evaluating
their abilities and performance, and developing their competency in a full
range of driving environments to prepare them for obtaining or retaining a
driver's license. On another note United Spinal is in the development
stages of a motor
safe program that will include all motorized vehicles and recreational
vehicles. We find this is especially important for everyone who gets
behind the wheel, as 44% of people who have spinal cord injury from a motor
vehicle accident. The total number is of people with spinal cord injuries are
estimated to be about 250,000 and nearly half of those were from the motor
vehicle injury. Every 41 minutes a person in the U.S. sustains a spinal cord
injury which equals to about 11,000 per year. That's eye-opening.
ASK PATTY: Can you tell me about your personal experience with spinal cord
injuries and disorders?
Devera:
Someone who has a spinal cord injury or disorder is the same as anyone else.
A person is a person and there is no difference. This includes having families,
jobs and responsibilities. Tasks and daily living for people with disabilities
can be much more taxing, especially logistically. It is United Spinal's
goal to heighten public awareness of the disadvantages and barriers that
people with disabilities face and hopefully help change landscapes and mindsets.
ASK PATTY: What if any are the big changes you are seeing today in how vehicles
are being marketed to women?
Devera: One specific trend that is very obvious is the change from a small
vehicle (such as a station wagon) shoving kids and friends into cars with very
little safety equipment to having very elaborate vans and SUVs that not only
cater to space and safety, but entertainment options as well. All these things
help the mobility of women in general as well as women with disabilities. While
so many women have careers, the industry still recognizes that women are generally
the caretakers and I think that the industry will continue to market to the
mother rather than the working women. Convenience and family options
are still very appealing.
ASK PATTY: Have you seen any changes or improvements on how vehicles are being
marketed to people with disabilities? Are there more options now than in previous
years?
Devera: Automotive adaptability equipment has improved dramatically over the
years. There were 383,000 modified vehicles in 1997. There have been significant
upgrades and changes to adaptive auto products even since then. It's all about
mobility and now that people can have options with vehicles they can have more
freedom and independence, which is all anyone wants. It opens the door to enhancing
quality of life.
ASK PATTY: Tell me about your most recent personal experience buying a vehicle.
What vehicle did you buy, and why did you buy it?
Devera:
I bought a Chevy Colorado. I had a female salesperson who was great with
the sales experience. The pitch was although was to a women who was buying
with kids in mind, which is not my need. I think she also might have thought
I was going through some type of mid-life crisis. When I was first checking
out this pickup truck she said to me, “I just sold a truck to another woman
who felt she needed a change in life after a divorce.” Not, “Oh you want
a truck. Okay.” Trucks have changed though since I last drove one; the suspension
is great, it really drives much more like an SUV. I did buy the truck
and when I was driving with my mother in law she thought it was really nice!
She was very surprised by the roominess, as it also has the crew cab. I
did have one interesting observation. I pulled the visor down on the
driver's side and there was no mirror there. There was one on the passenger
side only! It's as if they figure only men should be driving this vehicle
and the women only ride along. Although I know plenty of men who use
a mirror!
ASK PATTY: What is some good advice you would give someone with a spinal cord
disorder before they buy a new vehicle?
Devera: Just like anyone else, do the research and speak with someone else
with a disability who drives with hand controls or any modification you might
be considering. There might be new technologies you don't know about. Look
into what you will need and use the internet to assist with your research. Make
sure you inquire about financial assistance toward the cost of the installation
of adaptive equipment. A lot of manufacturers have programs specifically when
purchasing new vehicles and you should utilize them. To learn more, visit our
site and USA
Tech Guide .
©2006 AskPatty.com, Inc.
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