Two Disabled Dudes

Using our collective effort. participants in the rideATAXIA Global Challenge will power the team around the globe in 30 days.  During this time the team will be introducing all of us to the brilliant minds behind the effort to treat and cure Friedreich's Ataxia.

1. Get more info and register at rideataxia.org/globalchallenge or join Team #CrankinWithKyle HERE.
2. Join us on Strava to contribute to the goal of traveling around the globe!
   1. Cycling - https://www.strava.com/clubs/710903
   2. Running - https://www.strava.com/clubs/617708
   3. Any other activity via the activity log - https://rideataxia.org/files/GC-Activity-Log.pdf
   
   

In 2012, at the age of 26, Kevin Schnurr was unexpectedly diagnosed with Alport syndrome after being rushed to the hospital with high blood pressure. After two years on peritoneal dialysis, he received a living donor kidney transplant from a close friend in May 2014. Kevin’s desire to help others in the rare disease community led to him volunteering at Alport Syndrome Foundation (ASF) in 2012. He later served in a position as ASF Social Media Specialist in 2014 and part-time Patient Outreach Coordinator in 2016. Kevin currently serves as the Director of Communications & Patient Engagement (since Oct. 2019). He has facilitated the Teen Program at ASF Family Meetings, represented ASF at patient advocacy events and conferences, and co-moderates the ASF Facebook Support Group Page. In his free time, Kevin loves playing guitar, attending concerts, and collecting/voraciously reading books.

Website: alportsyndrome.org Socials: https://www.facebook.com/alportsyndromefoundation/

https://twitter.com/AlportSyndFndn

https://www.instagram.com/alportsyndromefndn/

https://www.youtube.com/user/TheASFoundation

Other links: https://www.organdonor.gov/ https://www.donatelife.net/

Sean and Kyle are polar opposites in so many different ways.  But this is a strength rather than a weakness.  This week the Dudes discuss their differences and why they work well together.  

Like it or not, communicating with smart devices has become a huge part of our lives.  For people with disabilities, this communication can be an essential part of making it through the day.  However these devices have a hard time understanding speech that is outside what they've heard before.

Google has launched an effort called Project Euphonia to retrain our devices to understand people who have speech impairments.  Bob MacDonald is one of the leaders of the project and he joins The Dudes to talk about the project and how we can all help out.

Blair Casey is the Assistant Executive Director of Team Gleason - an organization founded by former NFL player Steve Gleason. The organization is committed to providing for and finding solutions for persons living with ALS. Team Gleason’s staff and volunteers work tirelessly every day to empower those living with ALS to live with continued purpose and as productively and independently as possible.

Blair joins the Dudes to talk about their work to support Google's Project Euphonia and how we can all work together to improve voice recognition for people who experience disarthria.

To find out more and contribute your voice samples to the effort, visit: teamgleason.org/projecteuphonia