Go Back

Share this issue:

Virginia Madsen Issue

ABILITY Magazine Cover Virginia Madsen issue

Articles in the Virginia Madsen Issue; Humor — Livin’ on a Prayer; Harkin — A Step Toward Health Reform; VSA — A Gallery of Talent; Rudy Garcia-Tolson — I Am Ironman; Ashley’s column — Maintaining My Edge; Bad Boys — EEOC Tackles Job Discrimination; Assistive Technology — Suzanne Robitaille; The Eyes Have it — A Sneak Peek at Blindness; Joey Pants — No Kidding… Him Too!; Mark Goffeney — There’s No Business Like Toe Business; Haiti — Rebuilding an Accessible Future;Michael Roman — Faster Than the Speed of Pain; Endocrine Disruptors — The Dirt on Pollution; Madsen Women — Two Women Like That; Josh Sundquist — A Man in Uniform; Post Surgery Guide — A Patient Doctor; ABILITY’s Crossword Puzzle; Events and Conferences

Virginia Madsen and Elaine Madsen — “I Know Woman Like That”

Virginia Madsen is a Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated actress known for her work in Sideways, The Astronaut Farmer, and The Number 23. Her mother, writer-director Elaine Madsen, has a wide range of creative projects on her list of achievements, including a new book of poetry and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary. In their … Read more

Joey Pants — No Kidding… Him Too!

Circa 2010 Although best known for his scene-stealing roles in The Matrix, The Fugitive, and the popular HBO series The Sopranos, Joe Pantoliano isn’t just a celebrated character actor. His latest and perhaps most vital role is that of an activist. Called “Joey Pants” by fans and friends alike, Pantoliano strives to raise social awareness … Read more

Rudy Garcia-Tolson — I Am Ironman

Circa 2010 A hush came over the group of triathlon fans at the starting area for the Arizona Ironman. More than 2,500 athletes loosened their muscles, preparing to jump into the cool Tempe Town Lake for a 2.4-mile swim, the first leg of the three-event endurance race. And that’s when Rudy came walking by. People … Read more

Ashley’s Column — Maintaining My Edge

Circa 2010 Well, I’ve just started training and riding again for the 2010 season. After my crash last year, I took some down time so that my broken collarbone could heal. But just because I wasn’t racing doesn’t mean I wasn’t keeping busy. Whenever I have time off, my parents and I try and get … Read more

Bad Boys — EEOC Tackles Job Discrimination

Circa 2010 The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. The following are recent cases brought about by the EEOC. MERCHANT STATE BANK TO PAY $50,000 FOR DISABILITY BIAS Custodian Fired Due to Chemotherapy, EEOC Charges in ADA Lawsuit The EEOC today announced that Federal District Chief Judge Karen Schreier … Read more

Assistive Technology — Suzanne Robitaille

Circa 2010 An expert on assistive technology and disability issues, Suzanne Robitaille is a former reporter for Business Week Online and is the founder of abledbody.com, a consumer website focused on disability innovations in the workplace. Profoundly hearing impaired from an early age, Robitaille understands well the challenges of navigating the workplace with a disability … Read more

The Eyes Have It — A Sneak Peek at Blindness

Circa 2010 Nobody ever says coming of age is easy. Every teenager yearns to be better understood by friends, family, and perfect strangers alike, and even for many of the most outwardly confident high school students, the reality of growing up is one of unavoidable trial and error, of pleasure and disappointment, a challenging process … Read more

Haiti — Rebuilding an Accessible Future

Circa 2010 The aftermath of the earthquake in Haiti’s capital city of Port-au-Prince is, in a word, overwhelming. Relief efforts are in overdrive, collecting money, medicine, manpower and machinery. Images of front-end loaders moving bodies, and of cities of tents baking in the sun, will resonate for years to come. But there are survivors. And … Read more

Harkin — A Step Toward Health Reform

Circa 2010 HEALTH REFORM MISSION STILL CRITICAL The President’s directive for health reform in his State of the Union address was clear: do not walk away. I am glad that he reaffirmed his commitment to enacting strong and comprehensive health reform this year and delivered a message the country urgently needed to hear. For individuals … Read more

VSA — A Gallery of Talent

Circa 2010 Studies have shown that, among people of all ages, artistic creativity provides an outlet for exploration, discovery, and expression that can significantly enhance both personal and academic success. Recently, in collaboration with America’s largest pharmaceutical provider, CVS Caremark, the international organization on arts and disability, VSA Arts, sought to tap into that potential … Read more

Humor — Livin’ on a Prayer

Circa 2010 I don’t know if anyone’s ever done this, but last Sunday I ripped off my shirt, pounded my chest and yelled out, “Let’s all get naked and party!” And everyone in church looked at me like I was nuts. That’s a joke, folks. (Seriously, God, that’s a joke.) The last thing I would … Read more

Mark Goffeney — There’s No Business Like Toe Business

Circa 2010 We are very sad to report that Mark died on March 2nd, 2021 More than a decade since the release of his debut album, the new year finds Mark Goffeney hard at work on a collection of infectious rock that blends the poeticism of Death Cab for Cutie with the heavy indie flavor … Read more

Michael Roman — Faster Than the Speed of Pain

Circa 2010 Michael Roman’s life was over. He was receiving up to 60 milligrams of morphine a day. He was on 25 milligrams of valium daily. He was in an active state of delusion, out of his mind, unable to connect with his wife, three step-daughters and a son of his own. His life was, … Read more

Endocrine Disruptors — The Dirt on Pollution

Circa 2010 With its unique composition and multitude of resources, the planet Earth allows us to manufacture virtually anything we need and innumerable things we don’t. And how do we dispose of such resources when we’re finished with them? We “trash” them in the only place that we can: our planet. Herein lies the problem. … Read more

Josh Sundquist — A Man in Uniform

Circa 2010 FROM CHAPTER 10: At the race, Mark says that I’ll be competing in a category called “Three-Trackers,” since I make three tracks in the snow with my two outriggers and one ski. “How many other three-trackers are there in the race?” I ask. “You’re the only one,” he says. “So…who am I racing … Read more

Post Surgery Guide — A Patient Doctor

Circa 2010 Dr. Marc Wallack was a celebrated surgical oncologist and avid marathoner with a vibrant career. Then, unexpected symptoms of angina suddenly turned doctor into patient and changed his life and future forever. With the help of his wife, Fox News reporter Jamie Colby, Wallack has documented his experiences in recovery in Back to … Read more

Madsen Women — Two Women Like That

Circa 2010 Virginia Madsen is a Golden Globe- and Academy Award-nominated actress known for her work in Sideways, The Astronaut Farmer, and The Number 23. Her mother, writer-director Elaine Madsen, has a wide range of creative projects on her list of achievements, including a new book of poetry and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary. … Read more