News

Apr 17, 2012

Operation Mission Vision / Summer Sports Festival / Rocky Mountain State Games

The U.S. Association of Blind Athletes (USABA) Operation Mission Vision / Summer Sports Festival program provides Veterans and active duty Service members who are blind and visually impaired, from all over the United States, a unique opportunity to participate in the Rocky Mountain State Games.  Athletes will train, learn, refine their skills and compete alongside their sighted peers in various sports clinics instructed by USABA national coaches.  With the opportunity to hone your athletic skills, you will be empowered to elevate your sport to a higher level and take your improved game back into your own local community-based programs. 

Arrival of Trainers and Coaches:  23 July
Train the Trainer Session (Trainers and Coaches only):  23 – 24 July
Arrival of Athletes:  24 July
Sports Festival / Operation Mission Vision:  24 – 27 July
Rocky Mountain State Games:  27 – 29 July
Depart (Trainers, Coaches and Athletes):  29 July

The Rocky Mountain State Games is a multi-sport festival for athletes of all ages and athletic abilities.  Recognized by the national Congress of State Games, a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee, the 2012 Rocky Mountain State Games will be held in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Organized and managed by the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, the 2012 Rocky Mountain State Games will offer competition in 31+ sports.

For additional information contact:

Rich Cardillo
719-866-3221
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

or

Lacey Markle
719-866-3222
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Operation Mission Vision/ Summer Sports Festival will only be open to Veterans and active duty Service members who are blind and visually impaired 

 

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Apr 10, 2012

USABA Announces New Sponsor Vanda Pharmaceuticals and 24Sleepwake.com

USABA is proud to announce our newest sponsor Vanda Pharmaceuticals and 24Sleepwake.com which are conducting an awareness campaign for a sleep-wake disorder commonly experienced by people who are blind.  Like them on Facebook by clicking here, follow them on Twitter by clicking here and check out their website here. 

If you or know someone who is totally blind and suffers from irregular sleep patterns, we want to hear from you.  Vanda Pharmaceuticals is conducting a study that is evaluating an investigational treatment.  The study does not require any overnight stay in a lab and participants are compensated for their time and travel expenses. For more information on the clinical trials and to complete a survey to better understand the condition and determine if you may be eligible to participate, call 1-888-389-7033, Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit www.non24registry.com 

Inability to Maintain a Good Night’s Sleep May be a Sign of an Under-Recognized Circadian Disorder

More than 50 percent of individuals who are totally blind may suffer from an under-recognized condition which prevents them from maintaining a regular sleep pattern; impacting their health, lifestyle and relationships.

Known as Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (Non-24-Hour), the condition can push the timing of an individual’s body clock off the 24-hour clock, making them unable to maintain a regular schedule of sleep and wakefulness. Those with the condition may experience bouts of severe insomnia, sleep deprivation and excessive daytime sleepiness during the day, all on an irregular and rolling basis.

“Sometimes I fall asleep and stay asleep,” says Dan Roy, a Braille translator for Horizons for the Blind in Des Plaines, Illinois who is congenitally blind and has experienced recurring bouts of troubled sleep and daytime fatigue since childhood. “Other times I wake up after a few hours and can’t get back to sleep.” At work, Roy adds that he must “…try to fight through my sleepiness” in order to maintain productivity.

What is the Cause?

For individuals with no light perception, the lack of cues for daylight can cause the sleep cycle, one of many circadian biological rhythms, to be out of synch from the 24-hour clock, gradually shifting their body’s perception of when it is day versus when it is night over the course of weeks and months.  

Extensive research is underway to learn more about the cause and possible treatment of the condition. One organization, Vanda Pharmaceuticals, is conducting a series of nationwide clinical trials of people with total blindness. These studies continue to recruit eligible participants and Vanda has screened more than 1,400 individuals for potential participation to date. Recently reported results from one of the trials demonstrated the ability to reset the body clock and align it to a constant 24-hour day in people with Non-24-Hour who are totally blind.

What is the Impact?

For some totally blind individuals the condition can have significant impact on their social and occupational lives. “You can be in the middle of a sentence and fall asleep for 30 seconds or so just because your body needs that time so badly because it’s not sleeping at night,” says Mindy Jacobsen of Brooklyn, New York,  who lost total light perception 15 years ago and began experiencing symptoms of Non-24-Hour almost immediately. The unpredictability of Mindy’s sleep pattern forced her out of full time employment, though she now maintains several part time jobs.

What can I do if I have these Symptoms?

If you are experiencing an irregular sleep pattern you can reach out to your primary care physician and ask whether the symptoms are an indication of Non-24-Hour. They may recommend a referral to a sleep specialist for further information. Maintaining a sleep diary to include timing, duration and quality of sleep, as well as a record of consumption of caffeine, alcohol and other medications may help guide your conversations with a physician.

Totally blind individuals experiencing symptoms of Non-24-Hour may also be a candidate to participate in the clinical trials led by Vanda Pharmaceuticals. The studies are evaluating an investigational treatment and do not require any overnight stay in a lab and participants are compensated for their time and travel expenses. For more information on the clinical trials and to complete a survey to better understand the condition and determine if you may be eligible to participate, call 1-888-389-7033, Email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or visit www.non24registry.com

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Apr 06, 2012

April 10 is the Last Day to Provide Inputs for 2014-2017 IBSA Goalball Rulebook Revision

April 10, 2012 is the last day to provide inputs for the 2014-2017 Goalball Rulebook revision.   Complete information regarding the rule change process and a submission form are available here.

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