brain-injuries Archives - Waypoint Adventure MA

Finding Confidence after a Brain Injury

May 12, 2021/in Uncategorized

This week is Brain Injury Awareness week and we’ve been thinking a lot about Cindi and the progress she’s made at Waypoint. Cindi has both an Acquired Brain Injury and a Traumatic Brain Injury – Acquired was from what doctors believe to have been a mosquito bite and contracting Triple E in 2010, and Traumatic was from falling due to residual balance issues.

In Cindi’s life before her injury, she had been a barber at a Veterans Hospital doing cuts and shaves for over 350 patients, had gone to school to get her private detective license, was a part-time travel agent, had her commercial driver’s license and drove 18-wheelers for 5 years, and volunteered for her town as an EMT and Firefighter for 10 years! All while raising 4 children!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMviI7BPL9A

After her Encephalitis from what doctors believe to have been a mosquito bite in 2010, Cindi had cognitive issues, memory issues, balance issues, aphasia, and would get overstimulated easily. Things like people moving fast near her or driving in the car would throw off her vestibular and she would feel sick. She did months of intense therapy and rehab, used a wheelchair for a year, then moved to a rolling walker, and now still uses a cane to help with balance.

Last month, Cindi met with our friend, consultant, and market researcher, Mira, who is helping tell Waypoint participants’ stories and told her what made Waypoint different from other organizations she had been with in the past. She told Mira how refreshing it was that Waypoint was a teaching organization. She said, “They know that I have memory problems, but want to be able to hike on my own. They help me get there.”

What we love about hearing Cindi’s story is that it reminds us that we’re in the business of amplifying people’s true selves. Before her injury, Cindi was someone who liked to be bold, adventurous, try new things, and loved to learn. And after her injury, Cindi has the same love for adventure and living life to the fullest! She may need support with balance, memory, judgement,
and confidence, but she’s making progress to be able to hike on her own and she’s already planning more backpacking trips this summer with her son!

Go Cindi!

One Program With Many Firsts

July 25, 2019/in Uncategorized

July 18th was a very special day. Our kayaking program at newly renovated Magazine Beach in Cambridge had some big firsts! Several new experiences and accomplishments added up to one magical night on the water. Here’s the list.

1. Lydia paddled the back of a tandem boat with a participant in the front. This was her first time! Watch her talk about her “I Can” Moment: Lydia Paddles the Back of a Tandem Boat

2. A care-taker that came with a participant had a fear of the water. But he, too, embraced the theme of discovering what you can do and chose to paddle with us. Guess who he paddled with…. Lydia! Watch him talk about overcoming his phobia: Yinka Overcame His Phobia of the Water

3. We had a dog in a boat! This service dog was admirably obedient and brave for scooching all the way down in the cockpit of the boat seat his human was in. It was Sally’s first time kayaking as well! She learned that she doesn’t need ANY specialized equipment or kayak to go again on her own!

4. The Cambridge Police Department volunteered! Thank you Officer LeVecque for volunteering your time and bringing patches!

5. And last but not least, there’s NEVER been a bigger smile and happier-looking combo on a Waypoint program than Zach McLeod and his paddle-partner, Dave Su. Zach has the most infectious love for people and connecting with others than you’ll ever experience. (Zach’s been on Waypoint programs before, so this technically isn’t a first… but you get the idea). The McLeod’s just released a book “Hit Hard” about Zach’s football injury at age 16 and his family’s journey of letting go of what was and learning to live well with what is. You’ll read it in one sitting! Highly recommend. Buy it here.

There were so many more “Waypoint moments” on this trip. There’s just too many to mention. Check out more pictures of the program. And a shoutout to Friends of Magazine Beach, the City of Cambridge, and the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation for constructing an accessible boat launch! Waypoint was honored to have consulted on the project so that more people with disabilities can access the beauty and serenity of the water and the fun of paddling with a community. Come down to the park for an official Ribbon Cutting Ceremony to open the launch on Thursday, August 1st at 9:30am… right before our last Magazine Beach kayaking program of the year!

Winter Hiking with Brain Injury Support Group

March 2, 2019/in Hiking

Sometimes, noticing that someone has a brain injury is easy. Other times, it’s invisible. You would never be able to tell that someone had one. But regardless, people who have acquired Brain Injuries or Traumatic Brain Injuries experience challenges that are very unique. So when someone with a TBI wants to do something as simple as going for a walk in the woods, he/she may need some very simple support.

Trekking poles for balance
Someone to guide the group so no one get’s lost on the trails
Calls before the program and extra care during the registration process.
And someone to design the day with a strong sense of community and a path to success (quite literally) that leaves no one getting too frustrated or anxious.

The MA Department of Conservation and Recreation recognizes the support that’s necessary to be able to provide access to their parks and has sponsored Waypoint’s hiking programs. This was an awesome day with adults who had TBIs in Blue Hills Reservation. Check out pics!

Ocean Paddling with the May Center

September 20, 2017/in Uncategorized

On two beautiful Saturdays late this summer, we explored the southern end of Boston Harbor and Little Harbor, Cohasset with students from the May Center.

In August, thanks to a partnership with the Trustees of Reservations, we paddled from World’s End to Bumpkin Island. In the early 1900s, Bumpkin was the site of a school for students with physical disabilities, but after burning down in the ‘50s, the site is now just a pile of yellow bricks. These facts always provide fodder for good conversations. What do you think of a school for students with disabilities on a beautiful, isolated location like this? This paddle was a good challenge for our group and included navigating boat channels and paddling against the wind for much of our return trip.

In September, we had the very rare opportunity of paddling on Little Harbor in Cohasset. This is a magical spot and is only accessible via a narrow channel from the Atlantic Ocean or from one of the few, fortunate homes built around the harbor. The channel from the ocean would include navigating very strong currents and standing waves – neither of which our group was ready for. But, lucky for us, Waypoint has friends who own a home and generously offered our group the opportunity to launch right from their back yard! It couldn’t have been a more beautiful day. Eight stellar volunteers joined us and we enjoyed a perfect day on the water.

In August at World’s End Reservation of the Trustees

In September, paddling out of Little Harbor, Cohasset

Adaptive Climbing with Spaulding on the North Shore

February 2, 2017/in Latest News, Open Enrollment, Past Programs, Rock Climbing

Every winter, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital‘s Adaptive Sports Center teams up with Waypoint Adventure to offer 4 unique rock climbing adventures across the greater Boston area. Last Saturday, we kicked off our series at Gordon College on the North Shore thanks to the space offered by their La Vida program.

Climbing programs like these provide a supportive and challenging environment to any level of climber. The athletes this day confronted those challenges and attained their goals alongside a community of friends. Literally one young climber had an audience of dozens watching him beyond the glass chanting his name! He was so psyched! It was an incredibly uplifting day and we’re looking forward to the remaining three programs.

If you’re interested in joining any of the remaining programs, Call Spaulding at 877-976-7272 to register. There are slots still open for the South Shore program on March 18th and the Outdoor clinic on April 29th!

Paddling Boston Harbor with the May Center

September 14, 2016/in Kayaking, Past Programs, Series, Uncategorized

The May Center, a community-living network of houses for individuals with brain injuries has been participating in Waypoint programs for years. From climbing to hiking to kayaking, all of us at Waypoint have had a chance to see many of the same guys and gals take on new challenges and grow through adventure experiences. This past Saturday was their capstone adventure of the summer and more familiar faces joined us. We launched out of Malibu Beach in Dorchester, paddled to Squantum Point to check out the tide pools, and continued down the Neponsett River, all of which was cast by a backdrop of the Boston sky-line. Thank you to our stellar volunteers for helping make this accessible and impactful!

Days like this…

August 26, 2016/in Kayaking, Latest News

Some programs simply can’t be captured in words or pictures. You just have to be there. This was one of those days. It was mid August and, as it sometimes does in New England, the air was completely free of humidity and haze. It was crystal clear and the sky was as blue as the ocean we were paddling on!

When the students from the May Institute showed up to the beach we knew right away, their attitude matched the weather. They were bright, sunny and excited to take on the adventure.

After a quick briefing of the day and a few teambuilding activities to get the group acclimated, we spent time teaching some basic paddling skills to help the students prepare. Once everyone felt comfortable, we set out for a long journey around Worlds End and Rocky Neck and then up into the Weir River Estuary. It was truly remarkable! There were so many different types of birds and fish were umping everywhere!

After getting back to the beach and unpacking our boats we sat down for a little debrief session, as we always do. At the end of our discussion, after a lot of laughs, we asked the students to talk about their “high moment” for the day. Many students talked about the weather and the feel of the cool water on such a hot day. Others expressed how good if felt to be free and paddle “wherever they wanted”. Another said they’ll remember, “paddling on the ocean and getting the chance to help my friend.” One student even said ,”this was the best day of my summer”!

As simple as it may seem, it’s clear to us, these students were impacted….probably more impacted than they realized right away. Days like this don’t come that often but when they do we realize how much we need them. Enjoy the scenery!

A big THANK YOU goes out to the Trustees of the Reservation for allowing us to use Worlds End as a launching site for this and many other programs.

“I’ll Never Forget Today”

August 17, 2016/in Kayaking, Open Enrollment

A cloudy Saturday and a break in the heat wave provided perfect conditions for a kayak trip out of Malibu Beach in Dorchester. Our group of adults paddled north along the Boston Harbor shore-line, past U-Mass Boston and all the way up to the JFK library. Once we rounded Columbia Point we were met with a stunning view of the Boston skyline! It was truly incredible.

Days like this mean a lot more to people than just a fun day on the water. Taking on the challenge of an ocean paddle while doing it alongside a community creates real moments for learning. We’ve seen it happen all summer!

One woman said it was a day she’ll never forget – a reminder that she’s capable of accomplishing so much more!