Embracing My Inner Alien – a column by Kevin Schaefer

March 17, 2020March 17, 2020

Should I Panic About the Coronavirus?

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

Almost every aspect of my life with SMA comes with a risk factor. Whether I’m traveling out of town or going to a movie with friends in the wintertime, ... Read more

March 10, 2020March 6, 2020

Rest Is Worth the Hassle of Transfers

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

I spend the majority of my time in my power wheelchair. Other than my weekly water therapy sessions, I’m usually in my chair from when I get up in ... Read more

March 3, 2020February 28, 2020

The Music That Made Me

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

The music of Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and a bunch of movie soundtracks regularly play in the background of my home office. Thanks to Amazon Alexa technology, I can ... Read more

February 25, 2020February 21, 2020

When You Have SMA, Every Day Is Rare

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

Feb. 29 is Rare Disease Day. On that day people are encouraged to spread awareness about a multitude of rare diseases and conditions, from SMA to cystic fibrosis to ... Read more

February 11, 2020February 7, 2020

My Days at Ye Olde Student Newspaper

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

On Super Bowl Sunday in 2013, I attended my first meeting at NC State’s student newspaper, Technician. I went on a whim with zero journalism experience. My only hope ... Read more

February 4, 2020January 31, 2020

Embracing the Power of My Voice

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

Ever since I was a kid, some of my favorite actors have been those who weren’t always in front of the screen. Given my love of animation and motion ... Read more

January 28, 2020January 24, 2020

Combating Stomach Issues with SMA

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

For most of my adult life, I’ve been fortunate to maintain my physical health. Aside from a bout with pneumonia in early 2018 and a broken femur the previous ... Read more

January 21, 2020January 17, 2020

Rare and Resilient: My Adventures in Philadelphia

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

Amid its heart-pounding fight sequences and images of Michael B. Jordan carrying car tires in the middle of the desert, the film “Creed II” offers a poignant representation of disability. ... Read more

January 14, 2020January 9, 2020

Let 2020 Be the Year of Disability Representation

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

I just finished watching “The Ataxian,” a documentary from 2015 about Kyle Bryant, a bicyclist living with Friedreich’s ataxia (FA), a rare disease which shares commonalities with SMA. The ... Read more

January 7, 2020January 2, 2020

The Humorous Interactions That Stay with Me

Columns, Embracing My Inner Alien - a column by Kevin Schaefer

A few months ago, my colleague Brianna Albers wrote an excellent column about ableism in interactions with strangers. People pity those with disabilities and say things such as, “I’m ... Read more