As many of you know, September is Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month.
Society talks a lot about “inclusion,” but the daily reality for someone with a spinal cord injury (SCI) is living in a world of exclusion—and never by choice.
Exclusion is the venue with steps and no ramp, or the event without an accessible restroom. It’s the constant, exhausting mental load of asking, “Will I even be able to get through the door?”
But physical barriers are only half the battle. Behind the scenes, living with an SCI means managing endless medical complications and navigating deep mental health struggles, including true depression and anxiety. Fighting both physical limits and emotional battles every single day takes an incredible toll.
When you stack environmental exclusion on top of medical and mental health challenges, the weight is heavy. The hardest part often isn’t the injury itself—it’s trying to survive and thrive in a world that wasn’t built for you.
This month, I ask you to notice accessibility in the spaces you enter freely, speak up when a place isn’t inclusive, and offer empathy for the invisible struggles others are carrying.
Help us make “inclusion” more than just a word.