Sometimes the hardest part of living with a rare disease isn't the diagnosis—it's getting someone to believe you.

On this episode of The Wheelchair Round Table, Rico and Jody Bennett sit down with October Ramirez, Ms. Wheelchair New Mexico 2026, to discuss her journey with MELAS, a rare mitochondrial disease, and hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS).

After years of experiencing seizures, stroke-like episodes, chronic pain, and other life-changing symptoms, October spent much of her medical journey being dismissed and misdiagnosed before finally receiving answers at age 36.

We discuss what it's like to live with multiple complex conditions, the realities of invisible disabilities and ambulatory wheelchair use, and why someone's ability to stand or walk doesn't tell the whole story.

October also shares her advocacy mission for earlier genetic testing, her experiences navigating medical bias, and the challenges of raising a child while living with a life-limiting illness.

This is a conversation about speaking up, challenging assumptions, and refusing to let others define your reality.

Because patients shouldn't have to fight to be believed before they can get the help they need.

Real people. Real stories. Crushing stigmas, one episode at a time.

contact us at: host@wcroundtable.com

TikTok: Berk109

IG: xjust.another.monthx

Facebook: October Ramirez (Ms. Wheelchair NM 2026)

What happens when life takes an unexpected turn at just 17 years old? For Brian Swift, a football accident the day after Christmas changed everything—but it didn't get the final say.

In this powerful, no-holds-barred episode of The Wheelchair Round Table, Rico and Jody sit down with Brian “The Quadfather” Swift for a conversation about resilience, identity, faith, and what it really means to overcome adversity.

We tackle a tough question: When did the words “disabled” and “handicapped” become negative, and who gets to decide what defines us? From Brian's life-changing spinal cord injury to the challenges he faced pursuing a law degree, transitioning into the corporate world, and finding success in sales, his story reminds us that sometimes the road we didn't plan becomes the road that leads us to our purpose.

Brian also opens up about his journey as an author, the inspiration behind his writing, and the coping skills and mindset that have helped him navigate life's toughest challenges. We dive into a powerful question that makes you stop and think: Does hope restore faith, or does faith restore hope?

And the conversation doesn't stop with inspiration. Brian shares the mission behind SOAR (Swift Outdoor Accessible Recreation), the nonprofit he founded to help people with disabilities access adaptive equipment and experience the freedom, connection, and joy of outdoor recreation. He also offers support and encouragement to listeners who may be facing obstacles of their own.

This is more than a conversation about disability. It's about challenging labels, finding purpose, building resilience, and learning to move forward when life doesn't go according to plan.

🎙️ The Wheelchair Round Table — Crushing stigmas one episode at a time.

Contact Us: host@wcroundtable.com

Brian P. Swift, JD https://www.brianpswift.com

Amazon Author Page https://smile.amazon.com/Brian-P-Swift/e/B00G008SS0/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1

Website: https://www.soarnonprofit.com

SOAR Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/6691078564260622/

SOAR Breaking Barriers Podcast https://youtu.be/KA_tZ-89UkA?si=-7LVDEAm5eCQ7KlA

LinkedIn

• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-p-s-7b2a8010/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-p-swift-jd-t-7b2a8010/

IG: The Quadfather https://www.instagram.com/thee__quadfather/

FB: Brian P. Swift, JD https://www.facebook.com/brian.p.swift.jd

What happens when life changes in a split second—and then challenges you all over again decades later?

On this episode of The Wheelchair Round Table, we sit down with Victoria to discuss a remarkable journey of resilience, faith, and discovering new lessons through life’s toughest challenges.

At just 19 years old, Victoria suffered a C3-C4 spinal cord injury in a car accident on October 17, 1987. Despite a devastating prognosis, she spent the next 38 years proving that other people’s expectations don’t have to determine your future. Years later, she faced another life-changing challenge: a hemorrhagic stroke at the base of her brainstem. Her stroke recovery taught her lessons that her spinal cord injury recovery never could.

But this conversation goes far beyond injury and rehabilitation.

We tackle a thought-provoking question: When did the words “handicap” and “disability” become negative? Who gets to decide how we describe ourselves, and how much do the words we use shape the way society sees people?

Victoria also shares how faith has helped her navigate difficult seasons, discusses the positive impacts she has experienced with LifeWave X39, and opens up about her work as an author and speaker.

Jody brings his own perspective on the pressure to stay positive, especially on social media. He shares why maintaining a constant image of positivity became overwhelming—and why he ultimately stepped away from a large social media following to protect his own well-being.

This is an honest conversation about faith, identity, recovery, mental health, and the reality that nobody can be positive every single day.

Victoria’s story reminds us that our circumstances may change our lives, but they don’t get to define who we become.

🎙️ The Wheelchair Round Table — Crushing stigmas, one episode at a time.

Email: Host@wcroundtable.com

Facebook: facebook.com/VAllen5

TikTok: @Lady_vick5

IG: we_all_have_a_different_walk

http://lifewave.com/victoriaallen

Philippians 4:13: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me"