April 2020
This month we wanted to learn how the pandemic and social distancing has been impacting people with chronic illness. And what a diversity of answers! Many responded with "I'm not really experiencing much of a difference, I've been socially isolated for a long time because of my condition." While others reflected on the strange irony of social distancing as families navigate 24/7 coexistence. Some are longing for more alone time, others are relieved to finally have company in their isolation.
Fear, anxiety, canceled plans, financial insecurity, uncertain futures - we are all sharing these experiences together, maybe for the first time since the last pandemic. How do we allow this global narrative to impress itself on our individual hearts? Can we use this unique time in history to crack us open and foster empathy? We share our Unfixed Community stories with the intention not to point fingers and say "Hey! Now you know how we feel!" but instead as the possibility of forming a bridge of understanding and compassion. Right now, we are all walking more than a mile in each other's shoes (or house slippers) and we'd like to imagine that a world post-COVID-19 is going to be better for it.
CLICK THE VIDEO BELOW FOR A SHORT, ENLIGHTENING WALK IN OUR UNFIXED MEMBERS' SHOES.
Member spotlight – Todd Vogt
"On one hand [Parkinson's] dominates my life in many negative ways, constant tremor, can't walk as well, can't sleep as well...On the other hand [it] has opened up this whole new interesting life for me, in that I represented my country at the World Championships last summer and will hopefully be rowing in Tokyo next summer. That's the hard thing to wrap my brain around sometimes." - Todd Vogt
Todd has been rowing since 1992 and is currently training full-time to qualify for the Tokyo Paralympics summer 2021.
In 1992, Todd began rowing as a freshman at the University of Buffalo. He immediately fell in love with the sport and rowed competitively throughout undergraduate and graduate school, winning multiple medals at the US National Championships. Following his studies, he continued competing and training in the Masters category and began coaching rowing teams around the country.
In 2017 everything changed. While doing his normal training, Todd started feeling more tired than usual. His rowing technique, which he spent years working on, felt wrong. At first, he shrugged it off and thought they were normal symptoms of an aging athlete. But a year later he developed a tremor in his left hand and foot and his left arm didn't swing naturally. Just before his 44th birthday, Todd was diagnosed with Early-Onset Parkinson's Disease.
For many, this would be the catalyst to change directions in life. And for several months, this was Todd's thinking. But rowing was an inescapable source of joy and purpose so eventually Todd figured out how to continue his chosen path with necessary adaptations. In 2019, USRowing invited Todd to the Paralympic training camp in Boston which eventually landed him in a two-person boat that finished in 6th place at the 2019 World Rowing Championships.
Until just a few months ago, Todd was training full-time to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. As we all know, the Olympics have been rescheduled for summer of 2021 due to the pandemic. How does Todd feel about this? Disappointed at first. Maybe a little worried because of the uncertainty and progression of his condition. But as he's learned from living in an Unfixed body, he's not going to let that stop him.
We'll see you in Tokyo 2021 Todd!
After being diagnosed with Early-Onset Parkinson's Disease Todd thought his days as a competitive rower were over.
Unfixed - Unedited
Want to dive more deeply into the stories of the Unfixed? We are excited to announce our new channel on IGTV. Here we will share in-depth, unedited clips from our Unfixed members' monthly videos so you can learn, laugh, cry and get goosebumps as much as we do watching their full submissions. Subscribe now and you'll get a weekly dose of goodness. From Brian's home-spun jokes to Stefanie's hard-earned wisdom our members all have something they want to share with you.
Stay tuned
Next week we will return with the second part of our COVID-19 series where our members share their hard-earned tips on how they cope mentally, physically and spiritually in challenging times.
Please forward this newsletter, visit our website to read previous months' newsletters, subscribe to our Youtube and new IGTV channel, follow us on Twitter and spread the word about our project. Are you an Executive Producer who wants to help us achieve our funding and distribution goals? Click the email icon below and introduce yourself!
Wishing you all health, balance and creative engagement with your lives and loved ones in the weeks ahead.
Kimberly Warner
director/producer