Educational Media Reviews Online

Four women gathered to talk about the challenges in their lives - how they deal with doctors, contraception, pregnancy, parenting, menopause, appearance, and having hope. While common enough, these topics take on special importance, for these women have been living with spinal cord injuries for fifteen to thirty years. Although women comprise about twenty percent of all spinal cord injury victims, information about their specific concerns can be difficult to obtain.

Edna, Tina, Katherine, and Mary are frank in their discussions. They admit to the difficulty of facing life with a spinal cord injury and the frustration of getting information relevant to them. They stress the importance of choosing a doctor familiar with spinal cord injuries and comfortable with serving disabled patients. It is important to know ones body and to realize that everything, including the body, changes. It is also important for women to know that they are the same person. They still need to keep their dreams and goals alive. These four women unanimously convey the message that "if you want to do it, do it!" Despite being in a wheelchair, women can still be respected, be parents, have careers, continue to dance, wear dresses, and participate in sports from swimming to mountain biking.

Well made, this video has a place in any collection that is used by health care professionals or patients and their families dealing with spinal cord injuries. It is the opinions and experiences of four women, and as such, it an excellent tool for beginning discussions between patients and their families and physicians. Suitable for adolescents and older.