--- title: Voices From The Community | Spinal Cord Injury & Paralysis | Tim Gilmer description: Tim Gilmer graduated from UCLA in the late-1960’s, added an M.A. from the Southern Oregon University in 1977, taught writing classes in Portland for 12 years, then embarked on a writing career. After becoming an Oregon Literary Fellow, he went on to join New Mobility magazine in 2000 and edited the magazine for 18 years. --- [Community](https://www.christopherreeve.org/community) [Voices From The Community | Spinal Cord Injury & Paralysis | Tim Gilmer](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/author/tim-gilmer) # Voices from the Community Our blog offers stories from the community, updates from the Reeve Foundation, and breaking news on research. The opinions expressed in these blogs are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. [Latest from our community](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en) [Reeve Round Up](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en?cat=reeve-round-up) [Life After Paralysis](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en?cat=life-after-paralysis) [Research](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en?cat=research) Close Filters Lifestyle Health Español EmpowHer Stories Caregiving Advocacy and Policy News Quality of Life Grantee Spotlight Relationships SCI Awareness Hope Happens Here Team Reeve Mental Health Peer & Family Support Program Spotlight Travel Community Spotlight Reeve Summit Adaptive Fitness Events Assistive Technology Community Education Accessible College Reeve Family Emergency Preparedness Donor Spotlight Employment Military / Veterans Pediatrics Reeve Collaborators International Team LeGrand Show all tags Apply Filters Clear Filters Close Filters [![tim gilmer](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/blog-authors/AuthorTimGilmer836480.png) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/the-national-paralysis-resource-center) ## [The National Paralysis Resource Center: Christopher and Dana Reeve's Lasting Legacy](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/the-national-paralysis-resource-center) June 4, 2026 The year 2002 was a milestone in Christopher Reeve's life. It was the year his rehab doctor, Dr. John McDonald, went public with unexpected new gains... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/the-national-paralysis-resource-center) [![tim-gilmer-1-1-1](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/tim-gilmer-1-1-1.jpg) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/adapting-and-growing-as-we-age) ## [Adapting and Growing As We Age](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/adapting-and-growing-as-we-age) February 23, 2026 On Saturday, July 10, 1965, I worked a typical day, as I had every summer for the previous three years since graduating from high school — loading... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/adapting-and-growing-as-we-age) [![People in wheelchairs holding signs](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/Copy%20of%20Use%20for%20FB%20featured%20image%20on%20blogs%20-%202025-12-11T104449.344-1.png) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/how-disability-awareness-and-rights-have-changed-1950-2025) Advocacy and Policy ## [How Disability Awareness and Rights Have Changed: 1950-2025](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/how-disability-awareness-and-rights-have-changed-1950-2025) December 15, 2025 Most of us live in the moment, focused on our everyday lives. But the longer we live, the more our viewpoints evolve to include the past and future.... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/how-disability-awareness-and-rights-have-changed-1950-2025) [![Image of protest with wheelchair users](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/Copy%20of%20Use%20for%20FB%20featured%20image%20on%20blogs%20(61).png) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/human-rights-includes-disability-rights) ## [Human Rights Includes Disability Rights](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/human-rights-includes-disability-rights) December 10, 2024 Some people say that what I did changed the world, but really, I simply refused to accept what I was told about who I could be. And I was willing to... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/human-rights-includes-disability-rights) [![tim gilmer](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/Tim-Gilmer.jpg) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/transitioning-from-manual-to-power) ## [Transitioning from Manual to Power](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/transitioning-from-manual-to-power) November 11, 2024 After nearly 59 years as a para using a manual wheelchair, I’m now in the beginning stages of making the change to power. The first thing I’ve... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/transitioning-from-manual-to-power) [![pexels doctor gloves 590](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/pexels%20doctor%20gloves%20590.png) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/when-docs-get-it-wrong) Health ## [When Docs Get It Wrong: Understanding Misdiagnosis in Spinal Cord Injuries](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/when-docs-get-it-wrong) May 2, 2024 Only two weeks after my SCI, I was loaded into an ambulance for a 200-mile ride from central California to a rehab hospital in the L.A. area. For the... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/when-docs-get-it-wrong) [![i voted sticker ](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/Use%20for%20FB%20featured%20image%20on%20blogs%20(35).png) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/our-most-important-rights) Advocacy and Policy ## [Our Most Important Rights](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/our-most-important-rights) April 4, 2024 Over the upcoming weeks and months, we will be inundated with news, polls, legal battles, accusations, and denials, almost nonstop. And political... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/our-most-important-rights) [![grateful ](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/dylan-ferreira-SCwDA7kegqo-unsplash.jpg) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/take-time-to-feel-grateful) Health ## [Take Time To Feel Grateful](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/take-time-to-feel-grateful) February 1, 2024 In case you haven’t noticed, I do a lot of complaining about the difficulty of finding doctors who know how to treat complications from spinal cord... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/take-time-to-feel-grateful) [![stethoscope](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/iStock_stethoscope.jpg) National Paralysis Resource Center](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/post-pandemic-frustration-blues) ## [Post-Pandemic Frustration Blues](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/post-pandemic-frustration-blues) January 17, 2024 A year prior to the pandemic, I was struggling with painful recurring scrotal infections. Three different urologists suggested surgery, but no one... [Read More](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/post-pandemic-frustration-blues) [1](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/author/tim-gilmer/page/1) [2](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/author/tim-gilmer/page/2) [3](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/author/tim-gilmer/page/3) [4](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/author/tim-gilmer/page/4) [5](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/author/tim-gilmer/page/5) The opinions expressed in these blogs are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. [Back to top](https://blog.christopherreeve.org/en/author/tim-gilmer#top)