United Spinal Association is partnering with the M.A.R.C. (Mobility Awareness Resource Community) Network “to celebrate collaboration, inclusion and the power of storytelling.”
The new partnership will include a disability-focused podcast called Stronger Together, United Spinal said in an April 24 announcement.
“This is more than just a podcast launch,” the association said. “It’s a movement to amplify voices, spark conversation, foster community, and create meaningful change.”
In an April 28 webinar about the partnership, United Spinal’s Matt Castellucio, vice president of community support, and Marc Fucarile, founder of the M.A.R.C. Network, discussed providing support and sharing resources for people with disabilities.
Fucarile is a survivor of the April 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and was attending the race to support a friend who was running. Fucarile sustained critical injuries, including severe burns, shrapnel injuries, and a traumatic brain injury. He is an above-the-knee amputee and was the last bombing patient to be released from the hospital, more than three months after being admitted.
“I know I learned more in 15 minutes in the mobility-impaired community than I did in and out of medical facilities,” Fucarile said via the M.A.R.C. Network website. “That is why the mobility-impaired community is so important. Community can give you those answers, resources and help you need.”
In discussing the partnership, Castellucio and Fucarile discussed the Stronger Together podcast project and the newly updated M.A.R.C. Network mobile app for Google and Apple devices. The M.A.R.C. Network describes the app as “a positive, safe and supportive place where anyone suffering from a mobility disability, as well as those close to them, can find support and the guidance they need to navigate the challenges associated with the devastating loss of mobility.”
Via the app, community members can post pictures and videos, ask questions, receive peer support, and share their accomplishments. The app also includes public and private groups focusing on a range of topics, from disabilities and medical care to hobbies, sports, and entertainment. It will share information on in-person and virtual events of interest to its members, and community members can share their event experiences.
“This is an opportunity for us to rebuild our sense of community and an opportunity to share information,” United Spinal said. “Let’s build something impactful together.”
