Symposium | Keynote Speaker Announced - Back Talk | Spine Education

BACK TALK: Comprehensive Concepts in the Diagnosis
and Treatment of Spinal Disorders

Cheryl Angelelli has been selected as the keynote speaker for the annual spine symposium/ continuing medical education conference Back Talk. Cheryl Angelelli is a Paralympic medal winner at both the Athens Paralympics in 2004 and the Beijing Paralympics in 2008. Cheryl, a motivational speaker will tell her story as she dispels the myths and stereotypes of people with disabilities.

A competitive swimmer, Cheryl always dreamed about competing in the Olympics. Then at the age of 14, a devastating accident changed her life forever. On the swim team at school, one afternoon as they were practicing a new racing dive, Cheryl hit her head at the bottom of the pool and broke her neck. The accident left Cheryl a quadriplegic; her ordinary life now became extraordinary.

Despite the challenges of living as a quadriplegic, Angelelli turned stumbling blocks into stepping stones, and turned tragedy into triumph. Today Cheryl is the marketing and public relations director for the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. In 1998, she returned to her one love - swimming. She has since competed as a member of the

U.S.

swim team in the 2000, 2004 and 2008 Paralympics. Her accomplishments are many, including holding American records in swimming, and in 2000 she was inducted in the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame. To learn more about Cheryl, visit her web site.