SPORTS 'N SPOKES

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Third Annual Winter Bifida

Friends and family enjoy a weekend of fun and learning.

Winter Bifida is a wonderful event put on each winter by the Spina Bifida Association of San Diego (SBSD). I had the great pleasure to speak at this year’s Winter Bifida on December 11th. The event was held at Balboa Park in San Diego, and there were about 200 people who attended, including those with Spina Bifida and their families. The event featured a lot of fun activities for children including face painting, arts and crafts, and they even had a few fun piñatas for the kids to take a swing at. There was great food and you could tell from the smiles on the faces of the children that it was a very special event.    

Dr. Chiang, who helped start Winter Bifida three years ago, is a urologist at Rady's Children's Hospital and assistant professor of surgery at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD). I had the privilege of having dinner with Dr. Chiang and several other families who are on the board for SBSD the night before Winter Bifida and got to hear wonderful stories about the positive impact this organization is having on the Spina Bifida community.

I asked Dr. Chiang how he became involved with the Spina Bifida group and he jokingly told me he didn't know it was an option. He then told me he believed the children he worked with should have an event during the winter. That was the beginning more than two years ago and I was thankful to be part of the 3rd Annual Winter Bifida.  

I shared some funny stories about first being injured and learning how to overcome new obstacles in my life. These obstacles included getting back into rock climbing and rappelling as well as going back to school and finishing my degrees. I also shared stories about first meeting Todd Brown, founder of 180 Medical, and the positive way he has impacted my life and thousands of others he has come in contact with.

I shared about how Todd helped me get into racing and competing in road races and then started 180 Medical to help people turn their lives around in a positive direction. I had about 100 photos of me rappelling and after I spoke the children came up and I was able to sign the photos for them and several families have emailed me already thanking me for being such an inspiration. That seems a little funny to me because I was the one who truly gained inspiration from getting to witness the courageous spirits of the children and their families.

We are excited to be involved with Rady's Children's Hospital and the SBSD and all of the great things they do.


Rob Roddy is a Rehab Specialist at 180 Medical. He travels the country speaking to groups, peer mentoring, and getting involved with adaptive sports. If your group is interested in having Rob speak at an event please contact info@180medical.com. Find him on Facebook

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