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GLOBETROTTING
Welcome friends as we circle the globe in search
of more effective ways to improve the quality of life. During
our journey we will explore various forms of complementary medicines
and share our findings with you. We will also address
accessibility issues and investigate more convenient options to ease
the never ending pressures of traveling. In each issue,
Globetrotting will have a special section created for today's youth
with an emphasis on educating children and teens on the historical
facts of each country. Finally, each issue will contain two
trivia questions and some popular words and/or phrases from each
country. For more updated news, diary entries, in-depth research
results, and pictures from our journey, please visit our website, www.d2motion.com.
We hope you will enjoy the path we have chosen!! D2M TRIVIA QUESTION #1 Which country has the lowest Human Poverty Index, meaning the smallest percentage of population living in poverty?
COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE
If you are one who is updated on spinal cord injury research that is ongoing around the world, then the Karolinska Institute is very familiar to you. It is one of the most prestigious research institutes in the world, which collaborates with the majority of the research efforts circling the globe. We first learned of the Karolinska Institute through the Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, the largest research center dedicated to spinal cord injury. Scientists are constantly exchanging information with one another and are making tremendous strides in their research efforts. I had the honor to meet one of Karolinska's finest, Dr. Lars Olson, four years ago at the Miami Project and re-connect with him in his native land of Sweden during our recent visit to Stockholm. Dr. Olson, Department Head of the Department of Neuroscience, is a very positive person with exceptional insight and intelligence. If one is or were to become paralyzed, I would suggest that that individual speak with Dr. Olson immediately. He is not going to cure you, offer you a cure, or send you to someone who is going to cure you. He is very realistic and also optimistic that cures for paralysis will one day be found, but is not committed to any time frame, nor should he be. He informed us of the latest advances in their research and other efforts around the world. It was very refreshing to speak with someone in this field who is not egotistical and is not afraid of speaking his mind. He radiates confidence in his work and takes so much pride in what he and his colleagues have accomplished. Just like our friends at the Miami Project, it is reassuring to know that he is driven and devoted to finding cures for spinal cord injuries. Here is some information on the Karolinska Institute and its Department of Neuroscience taken from their website, www.ki.se : The department has nine research divisions dealing with different aspects of the function of the nervous system, both under normal conditions and during different diseases. Research projects include a broad range of studies at the molecular and cellular level, the network level and at the level of the overall organization of the nervous system. Much of the basic research is aimed at understanding the functional role of various neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, the ionic and biochemical mechanisms involved, the molecular basis of transmitter release and the neurophysiology of neural networks controlling behavior and brain function. There is also extensive research into the regulation of nerve cell growth and factors which are of importance for neuronal regeneration and degeneration as important in, for example, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and spinal cord injury.
Divisions of the Department of Neuroscience:
Cellular and Molecular Neurochemistry Chemical Neurotransmission Development, Growth Factors and Transplantation Human Brain Research Neuroanatomy and Brain Development Neurodegenerative Diseases Neuronal Regeneration Neurophysiology and Behavior Molecular Neurobiology
It Started with Army Surgeons Karolinska
Institute was founded in 1810 when army surgeons working among wounded
soldiers needed training. Today it is a modern medical university with
resources exceeding those of the battlefield. Karolinska
Institute was founded in 1810 on the initiative of King Charles XIII
after the defeat in the Finnish war against Russia of 1808 - 1809. At
that time one third of the wounded died in field hospitals. The army
surgeon's medical knowledge was obviously insufficient. Among
the founders of Karolinska Institute was Jöns Jacob Berzelius. His
outstanding research in chemistry laid the foundations of the
university's natural scientific orientation. Over the years more and
more students found their way to Berzelius and Karolinska Institute.
In 1861 there were 8 professors and 133 students. In the same year the
Institute gained a status formally equal to that of a university.
Early confirmation of the standing of Karolinska Institute in the natural scientific field came in 1895. In that year Alfred Nobel appointed the Institute to decide who was to be awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. This work has since afforded the Institute a broad contact network within the medical scientific community. Over the years five research workers from Karolinska Institute have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Karolinska Institute has expanded a number of times over the years. The largest mergers have been: The Institute of Physical Therapy 1960 The Dental Institute 1964 (the Dental Institute was in fact a part of the Karolinska Institute even between 1898 and 1947). The Physiological Department of the College of Gymnastics and Athletics 1977 The Stockholm University of Health Sciences 1998.
The merger with the University of Health
Sciences brought Karolinska Institute 3, 000 students and six training
programs. In this way the Institute becomes a link between
international development of knowledge and practical application in
the Stockholm region's medical and care.
We extend our gratitude to Dr. Olson and his assistant Ida for accommodating us and also connecting us with another fine operation at the Karolinska Hospital which works closely with the Institute, Spinalis, a center for spinal cord injury rehabilitation and research. The center conducts both basic and applied research as well as caring for hundreds of patients every year. During our visit, we met with its founder and director, Dr. Claes Hultling, a disabled man himself as the result of a diving accident he sustained 16 years in Sweden. Here is another individual who is driven and devoted to improving the quality of life for the handicapped. He and the center's co-founder, Dr. Richard Levi, have joined forces once again to write and edit, "Spinalis Handbook," which offers anyone seeking more information on paralysis, from the day he arrives in rehabilitation to the day he is at home and beginning a life on his own. It's very detailed, empowering, and a "must-read" for anyone who is paralyzed, a concerned family member or friend, or just simply someone seeking more information on this subject. Please visit their website for more information and how to purchase the book which sells for $20... www.spinalis.se or e-mail Dr. Hultling at claes.hultling@spinalis.se . Please tell him that the Devotion to Motion duo sent you!!
NOTE: If
you or anyone in your circle of friends are connected with any healer
or complementary/alternative medical practitioner around the world who
you would like us to research or visit, please email us:
chesney12@comcast.net D2M TRIVIA QUESTION #2 In which country do women have the most economic and political power than those in any other country in the world?
ACCESSIBILITY
On our way to Sweden from Frankfurt, we were in for a pleasant experience .Please read on. As we arrived at Frankfurt airport, there are two special counters specifically designated for disabled travelers to check in. The counters even have lower surface heights so that the employee and the passenger can see each other without having to contend with architectural barriers. Frankfurt airport seems much more organized when it comes to dealing with the disabled. They have special service escorts and a special waiting room for unaccompanied children and disabled passengers. We were very pleased with the high quality and professionalism of the staff and crew members. Not once did we question whether Scott's wheelchair would be waiting for him at the exit of the aircraft. Now, on to Sweden specifically. We were planning on staying within Stockholm, however due to some untimely scheduling and misunderstandings, we ended up in the town of Arlandstad, about 40 minutes from Stockholm. Although we weren't very pleased with this location, we grew to enjoy this airport hotel (The Quality Hotel) very much. They have totally accessible rooms for the disabled and for those suffering from allergies. The only problem was that all their accessible rooms were designed for only one person. As a result, the bed was only a twin sized and we were upgraded to a mini-suite. This arrangement was manageable for Scott, but it is definitely not considered accessible, as the door width to the bathroom was definitely less than 32 inches. If you are considering coming to Sweden, and looking for an accessible hotel you should not have much of a problem finding one, all new buildings and hotels are required to have accessible accommodations. If the hotel does not, they will gladly refer you to one that is suitable for your needs.
In terms of accessibility within Stockholm, we
were excited to see a phone number listed in the tourism guide book.
The heading was "Information for the Disabled: Tourist
Information" with a phone number to call for details. So,
we thought that would be a great place to start, and decided to call.
My first phone call yielded nothing; a woman named Sonia answered the
phone and asked me to call her the following day because she was on
her way to getting her wheelchair fixed. O-kay, so the next day
I called and the same woman said she's not feeling too well, and
doesn't really have the time, so would I fax her my questions.
O-kay, on the third day I faxed her a few simple questions, and asked
her to please contact us. Yet, one week later, and no reply.
Finally, I tried to call her numerous times, only to get an answering
machine stating that I had reached the Handicapped Tourism machine and
to leave a message for Sonia. I left about three additional
messages which were unfruitful. I'm unsure if this is the proper
way of exchanging information to the disabled tourist. Folks,
there is only one phone number listed for information, and this is the
only way that a foreigner can obtain information! Very
unprofessional if you ask me. Our advice to the Swedish Tourist
Information Service, please list more than one professional and
effective service to disseminate information to the disabled tourist.
Regarding transportation within Stockholm, there are some options to the disabled traveler. First, all of the handicapped citizens of Sweden, carry a special card which entitles them to free or discounted rides on special accessible vans, buses, trains, and taxis. The majority of the locals travel in accessible taxi vans. The subway, called Tunnelbana, has elevators at most stops to allow easy usage for disabled passengers. In addition, many busses are also accessible to those traveling in a wheelchair; specifically, all the "Blue Busses" and the new "Red Busses" are also accessible. By accessible, I mean that the driver can reduce the height of the bus, but no ramp comes out, so you'll still need some assistance entering and exiting. However, the width of the door to the bus allows ample room for a wheelchair. An interesting observation we made is that the majority of the busses have made accommodations to cater to parents with prams / strollers. Most buses have a middle door which has three steps to enter, but are wide enough to carry up the pram, so if you are a wheelchair user, and have help from an assistant, you too can be carried up the steps of the bus, and save some money. Taxis here in Sweden are very expensive, a 20 minute ride may cost you at least $40.00 (USD).
Finally, in terms of tours, the majority of the
tours are catered for the minimally ambulatory tourist. You see,
as is the case with many tour companies, the bus doors are narrow and
have a couple of steps to enter, and you end up getting in and out of
the bus too many times during the tour to really enjoy the sights.
This is especially the case with those "hop-on &
hop-off" tours. Many people choose to take a boat trip
through the canals, to the islands or under the bridges of Sweden.
Believe it or not, some of these boats are manageable for the
disabled. When we contacted major tours companies, they informed
us that at least one of their boats is manageable for a wheelchair
user.
Our thanks to the helpful and friendly staff at
the Quality Hotel in Arlandstad for making our stay enjoyable and
productive.
EDUCATION
PROPER NAME OF COUNTRY: Kingdom of Sweden
Facts:
Historic dates:
ON A LIGHTER NOTE
To reduce our flying costs, some of the flights we take are not direct. For instance, to get from Capetown, South Africa to Newark, NJ there is a direct non-stop flight, however, we took about three days to reach home for Christmas. We went from Capetown, SA and arrived into Dubai, UAE at about 4 am, with a eight hour layover there. From Dubai, we continued on to London, Gatwick arriving there at 6 am with another eight hour layover to catch a connecting flight to Newark. What takes most people only about ten hours ends up being a 36 hour travel excursion for us. The reason I am mentioning this is because a similar saga will be taking place for us when it comes to traveling within Europe. Instead of taking direct flights to each of the countries which we are visiting, we will be transiting through Frankfurt each time. So, instead of going directly from Stockholm, Sweden to Amsterdam, Netherlands, we will be going first to Frankfurt and changing planes there to reach our final destination. We have taken this in stride the majority of times, the only times we dread this is when we know an airport does not have set plans implemented for handling disabled passengers in wheelchairs. This disorganization, like chickens running around with the their heads cut off makes us squirm, especially when we have to land in the same airport about five times in three months. We do not mind transiting through Frankfurt because from the minute we arrive, there is a set protocol for catering to the disabled. It seems like we're watching a military drill being performed for the millionth time. Each member knows exactly what his/her role is in the process. What a difference some accessibility training makes.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED!!
We will be traveling to Lisbon, Portugal and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the next month. If you or any of your family, friends, and/or colleagues have contacts (alternative medicine practitioners, hotels, children, or simply friends and family) in these countries, please email us and let them know we are coming! Thanks for your support!
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY??
Please email us your thoughts, questions, comments, and/or suggestions about our newsletter and world tour. In addition, if you know people who can benefit from receiving future issues of "Globetrotting," please forward their email addresses to us or simply forward the newsletter to them. You can reach us at chesney12@comcast.net
NEXT ISSUE!!
Click on that email in two weeks when we explore Amsterdam, Netherlands and learn more about ChiNeng and accessibility in this land of total freedom, where everything, yes everything is legal. Until next time, keep globetrotting in your world!!
D2M TRIVIA ANSWERS
Trivia Answer # 1 & 2 - Sweden - according to a recent study by the United Nations Development Project.
Thank you for listening and we'll visit you
again in two weeks!
Scott & Pratiksha Chesney |
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