Come Roll with Me Birmingham, the program that gives participants first-hand experience at navigating the world while in wheelchairs, recently held an event for University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and Doctor of Medicine (MD) students.
In a Nov. 12 social media post, Come Roll with Me Birmingham said, “This week, our DPT students and MD students participated in our first joint @comerollwithme_event to promote disability awareness.
“DPT students instructed MD students in transfers and wheelchair skills, as well as getting to learn from our amazing community partners. Hands down a truly rewarding and impactful event. We can’t wait to continue growing this tradition yearly.”
Come Roll with Me was founded in 2016 by UAB’s Cathy Carver, PT, ATP/SMS, “to increase awareness of school-age children about people who use wheelchairs,” according to the Come Roll with Me Web site. The program has served hundreds of students in the Birmingham area and has also expanded to other locations in Florida and Mississippi.
“I wanted to start with kids as young as 4 or 5 because they’re forming their opinions about what they think about people and kids and adults and what they see in the world,” Carver said in a 2018 UAB article. “I think if we can get to them before they develop prejudices about people with disabilities, maybe we can catch them early.”
