WELCOME TO THE PROFILES OF MARTIAL ARTISTS WITH DISABILITIES BLOG

I hope that this blog with inspire other people with disabilities to enter into the martial arts. In addition, I encourage instructors and school owners to use this blog as resource for their existing students with disabilities, or to bring in new students.

This blog is by no means complete. I would appreciate hearing about new nominations, organizations, articles, links, etc to be added. Please send me an email to info@not-me.org regarding what you would like see added to this blog.

All the martial artist are listed alphabetically.

Sincerely,

Erik Kondo

SHEILA RADZIEWICZ


HOMETOWN: Peabody, Massachusetts
TYPE OF DISABILITY: Thrombocytopenia-absent radius (TAR) syndrome
AGE: 32
OCCUPATION: Legal Advocate for victims of domestic violence
PERSONAL: Single
MAIN STYLE OF MARTIAL ART: Taekwondo
SCHOOL AFFILIATION: Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts
CURRENT RANK: Black belt
TIME INVOLVED IN THE MARTIAL ARTS WITH A DISABILITY: 6.5 years
WEBSITE: www.sheilaradziewicz.net
VIDEO LINK

As a child Sheila learned about martial arts through her cousin. She would make him show me kicks and she would practice with him. Years later she saw a flyer in a coffee shop advertising martial arts and she thought it would be fun. She never realized the journey that she would have with this one decision.

In April 2010 the Salem News wrote a story on Sheila as a student at Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts. Sheila had inspired many at the school over the last 3 years. During that time, she had gone to class two or three times a week. Sheila challenged herself as often as possible while maintaining enduring knee pain. As much as she gave to Tae Kwon Do, the same was given to her through teaching, support, respect and understanding.

In June 2010 Sheila became the first woman with TARs to receive a Black Belt in the World Federation of Tae Kwon Do.

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