United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

Adrian Clayborn, defensive end for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wants to celebrate brachial plexus awareness week by giving away tickets to the Buccaneer's Home game vs. the Carolina Panthers on Thursday, October 24th at 8:25pm. All you have to do to win is post how you or your child overcame an obstacle that seems impossible with a brachial plexus injury. Contest begins Wednesday 9/11 and ends Wednesday 9/18. A total of 24 tickets will be given away to individuals and families. **Please note, this is only a ticket giveaway and transportation will not be provided. Game is in Tampa Bay. Submissions may be also be featured on the UBPN website, Facebook or future Outreach Magazine.

Respond with your story in this thread!! Good Luck

I over came two things at once at Camp UBPN. The first had nothing to do with my injury. I was afraid of heights. The second was climbing. At camp in Washington state I conquered both. I climbed I believe it was a 60 foot tree I climbed and and ziplined to the end. It was one of the biggest thrills of my life to accomplish this!!

OMG! This would be Javier's dream come true. Javier is 9 years old and in the 4th grade. He is also enrolled in classes for the talented and gifted. He has been holding a football in his left arm since he was 6 months old and playing little league football for 4 years.Javier has ROBPI with very little use of his injured arm and no function in the hand or wrist. Last year, he played for a new team when we moved and was told by his teammates that he shouldn't be playing with only one arm, to which he replied "I'll show you who shouldn't be playing when we put pads on." Well, that was the end of that. Javier or "Jojo" is amazing in school, cares so much about other's well-being and he is an awesome athlete (sportsmanship included) I still remember the night he watched Adrian Clayborn in the draft and exclaimed "He puts his hat on like me!" His goal is to be a middle linebacker in the NFL and then a commentator and seeing Adrian proved to him that he can and will do it. I could type for days about all the things he has overcome, but football is his life. We would so love to see Adrian Clayborn in person. Also, you can checkout Javier's awesomeness on YouTube at MRFOOTBALL510.

Thank you,
Marlyn and Javier Staley

Hi Adrian, my name is Kevin Harvey. You and I have a couple of things in common. Like you, I was born with a brachial plexus injury in my right arm/shoulder, and like you, I played defensive end. It was a great struggle for me to not only make my high school football team and start, but to thrive despite the limitations I faced because of my injury.

I grew up in Tampa, and the success of the Buccaneers -- particularly the defense -- in the late 90's and early 00's inspired me to try out for my high school football team in my sophomore year in 2000. I knew I had an uphill battle ahead of me, both mentally and physically. Going up against my "able bodied" teammates proved to be one of the greatest challenges of my life. Every day after school I suited up in the locker room with the knowledge that I had a built in obstacle to overcome that none of my teammates could understand. For this reason, I hid my injury in the beginning. I had fear that if I revealed it to them -- or to my coaches -- that I would face ridicule, which unfortunately is the first reaction from people dealing with something they don't understand.

The challenges I faced on game day, in practice, and in the weight room actually ended up serving as fuel to me. As anyone with BPI can attest, everyday activities that people take for granted can present some of the largest struggles for those of us who do deal with such an injury. But it's overcoming those hurdles that make us who we are. I went up against my peers in a heated competition for a coveted starting spot on the football team, and I came out on top despite my injury. As the season went on, I was able to talk openly about BPI with my teammates and my coaches and broaden their knowledge about a very common problem not talked about in the mainstream media enough.

On draft day, I sat with my wife -- my high school sweetheart who knew about my injury and was always my support system -- and welled up with pride when my team, the Tampa Bay Bucs selected you in the first round. I immediately went to the computer and wrote an article about you and my struggles, which was posted on a local Buccaneers fan site (link to the article posted below). It would be an absolute honor to come full circle and be able to attend a Bucs game with my wife -- who to this day remains my support system -- and to watch you represent all of us who suffer from brachial plexus injuries, on one of the largest stages there is.

Thank you,

Kevin Harvey (Landlubber)

For those interested in my article on Adrian and BPI, here is a link: http://www.bucsnation.com/2011/4/29/214 ... w-sufferer

My daughter Bridget loved Irish dancing (like Riverdance) and had dreams of being an Irish Dance champion. We were excited because it seemed like the ideal dance style for her since the arms are always kept straight at your side and Bridget was never able to raise her hands above her head - which is necessary for ballet and other dance forms.

Unfortunately, we discovered the arm must be absolutely straight and unmoving during the competition and that her triceps were too weak to keep her arm from bouncing. Until we could have a splint made, we came up with a plan to take a Pringles potato chip can, cut it open, line it so it is soft and duck tape it around her elbow to keep it straight. We then provided a little loop in the tape to safety pin to the seam in the bodice of the back of the dress. Her arm was straight and secured from bouncing!

This worked extremely well and she began to win local competitions - but one day, she was invited to join a 4 hand dance team. This was a true compliment - but seemed impossible. In the four hand dances, the dancers have to bring their arms up high clasp hands and then drop the arms immediately to a tight position by their side. We had the Pringles container to make her arm straight that would no longer work because she needed to be able to lift and bend the arm. How could we get the arm to bend and then drop and straighten?

The odd answer? FISH TANK CLEANING MAGNETS

We carefully sewed a fish tank cleaning magnet (a very strong magnet) into little pocket and then into her competition dress just behind her hip. Bridget then put a metal bracelet on her wrist. She would yank the hand up into the air, her partner would catch it, and then her hand would snap back to the fish magnet. We had to adjust it several times to get it to work just right - but it WORKED and Bridget was able to be on the dance team.

I wish I could say that her Irish Dance Team won a competition - but it didn't - however, we won a valuable lesson about how creativity can solve so many impossible problems if you just FISH around enough.

Hi Adrian! My name is Diana Shafer and I'm 27 years young. I was born with bpi to my right arm and did not discover what my injury was called until I was in my 20's. my mother is Vietnamese and came here when she was twenty. She does not read or write English and her understanding sometimes can be confusing for her. growing was hard for me because I didn't know what exactly what was wrong with my arm and my dad wasn't a great support even though he was around. My mom was always so worried for me that it drove me nuts. She would always tell me I couldn't do things which made me upset but it didn't stop me it just made me want to do it more. I tried out for cheerleading in junior high and made the team and quit. The girl were all mad at me but I couldn't face them and tell them why I actually tried out was to prove my mom wrong. I was always self conscious and didn't like talking about my arm cause it would upset me. While I was taking a class at the junior college we had an assignment that we had to talk about something that we didn't have to research and I decided this was an opportunity to talk about my injury and learn more to educate others. I was completely nervous but I did it and I felt proud of myself and was nice to see my class mates so interested and had questions for me at the end. This was the start for where I came out of my comfort zone. I had learned what my birth injury was called by researching my medical records and of course the Internet. I then decided what can I do to physically challenge myself that I thought was impossible or hard to do. I decided to take on Muay Thai kickboxing which requires the use of two arms. I was nervous to start but excited. I learned so much about myself my learning to do everything everyone else did but I just did it in a different way. There were times I broke down but never quit. From there I stuck with it and now 2 and half years later still training but it wasn't enough for me. So sometime last year in November I decided I need another challenge I started training in brizillian jiu jitsu. Also, I do workout in the gym I just find ways to modify everything to what my body allows me to. I've heard people say it could hurt my arm and other things but I think that if you don't use it you lose it. So today I challenge myself everyday and the best part is I love me and my imperfections to show that anything is possible its just having the obstacle put in front of us to get over or through it. To add, I also have created a brachial plexus awareness page on Facebook for everyone to connect with from parents, friends, and adults that all need the support or advice of others. Last, I created YouTube videos demonstrating how I do things and to give hope and courage to parents and other bpi people. It's not what you can't do its what you can do, we just find other ways to do them.

Hi Adrian,

I'm from Lincoln, Nebraska and I have OBPI injury to my right arm. Very similar to yours. I've danced for ten years of my life, played soccer, swam and watched football my whole life. When I was a toddler, my babysitter would actually tie my left arm behind my back and force me to use my right arm. Almost nine years later I went to Minnesota to visit a group of experts on these injuries. They said that if she hadn't have done what she did, my arm would be so much weaker and have a lot less mobility in my arm. Almost two years later I went to the UBPN 2012 camp. I was so overwhelmed and happy. It was the first time I met people with the same injury as I did. I was always used to being alone and being the only one who couldn't things that came so easily to everyone else. When I went to the camp, I made new friends and found only one other person from Nebraska. It made me realize that I wasn't alone. At the camp, I decided to do the zip line. When I got over to the zip lining area, it looked like I was the only one in the group with the injury. Four people went before me. They made it look easy. It took them ten minutes max to get up to the top and zip line down. When I started, it was easy at first. But then the smaller pegs came. I had to reach farther and my arm just couldn't do it. I kept saying I wanted to quit. But I knew I couldn't. I kept having to pause and start again. People starting cheering my name. People who I didn't even know. When I finally got to the top, I realized how unsteady the little platform on top was. I felt like I was going to puke. I sat down and very very very slowly inched off the platform. I just then realized how long I've been crying. I put both my hands up to my face right arm numb, listening to everyone cheering name. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and flew. It felt so nice. I felt so good. Little did I know that there was a photographer there, and she took a picture of me, covering my face, and going off the zip line. Yeah, thats me. The girl on the website wearing the pink shorts and the blue tye dye shirt. When I was ground level, my parents hugged me and told me I spent almost half an hour on that stupid pole. I later found that my "able bodied" cousin quit after two pegs. My older brother, (who's also had the injury) who I could tell was very proud of me, even though he didn't directly say it, I could tell. We bonded a lot over this event in my life. I know there's going to be a lot more mile stones in my life. But right now, I'm glad this one is over. As a young athlete, if you have any advice, I'll be happy to hear it.

Thanks a lot for this opportunity,
Lauren Kelly

Hi Adrian, my name is Peyton Tillman(yes, my mom is a huge Peyton Manning fan) and I am 14 almost 15 years old. I was born with a severe right arm OBPI. I have been in therapy since my first week of life. My mom even had to argue with our local school system to provide therapy after the early intervention years even though I was not yet enrolled in school. I have had 4 surgeries in Houston, TX., with the first being when I was only 2 months old. I can't tell you one thing that has helped me overcome my short falls except that mom has always told me I could do anything that I set my mind to! From playing t-ball like Jim Abbott, to following my true passion of football. The latter took some strong convincing on my part! My parents were very afraid to let me play a contact sport knowing the consequences that could occur. But I gave it my best shot and they let me play my last year of middle school for the first time. Being new to the sport was scary, but I was very focused and proved to my parents and coaches I could do it. After the first practice, my coach was yelling at everybody and telling them that he had a kid out here playing harder with one arm than they did with two! Nobody knew who he was talking about! You see, I try to hide my disability. I don't openly discuss it with people unless it's a cute girl, and I make up some crazy, cool sounding accident. Lol!
My mom showed me the article about you and I was very inspired! I searched up film on you and watched it several times. I now play freshman football for my high school team and I am a left guard. I love it! My center told me at practice that as long as he has been playing, he has never seen anyone play the position as good as I do. This is another obstacle that I have overcome! I am so grateful for role models like you that are an inspiration to all of us! Thank you Adrian!

I would like to start out by saying I don’t see my injury at birth as an obstacle in life, but more of a blessing to my life. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason and I believe that if I didn’t have Erb’s Palsy I would not be the person I am today. As a child my parents and my family did everything they could to make my life as normal as it could be. During my childhood I did go through an unsuccessful surgery and through years and years of physical therapy to a point that I just wanted to give up. I’ve overcome and managed to learn how to button my pants, blow-dry/flat iron my hair, do a pony tail, basically do all the things that at one point in my life I needed assistance with. Sometimes we also face obstacles in our own community. For example, in recent years I was harassed by an individual in a dark empty parking lot because that individual simply didn’t like the fact that I was parked in a disabled parking space. This individual thought I didn’t have the right to park there because I walked normal. When that incident happened to me I was in complete shock and disbelieve that a strange adult person could be so ignorant, insulting, and intimidating. As always, I didn’t let this incident put me down or terrify me. It actually led me to my new sports interests and favorite hobbies. After the incident I started taking Krav Maga (which is a self defense class) and I’ll tell you I felt like super woman every time I left that class. I also take boxing and kickboxing classes and love to go shooting at the range. So, at the end of the day I am glad that this incident happened to me because it made me realize once again that I have no limits. None of this has stopped me from having a normal life, going to college and becoming an independent person that now works as a digital court reporter. I can tell you that yes I have had to struggle but there is nothing out there that I CANNOT do (although sometimes it may take me a little longer).


Thank You for this opportunity,

Lizbeth Vazquez

You are AWESOME, Lizbeth!YOu are and inspiration to me. I am still learning.
((((HUG))))
Carolyn J
LOBPI/75