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Ashley Spalla

@ashleyspalla

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Adaptive Athlete ♿️ EDS Warrior 🦓 Hip Dysplasia Advocate 🎤 Miles4Hips Board Member ❤️ Army Vet 🫡, Catholic ✝️ & Chronic Badass 💪🏼 Isaiah 6:8 🙏🏼

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Check out Episode 12: Peer Mentor Support in Hip Dysplasia Care Featuring Ashley Spalla, out on Spotify and YouTube now!

In this episode, I interview Ashley Spalla, an Army veteran and patient advocate who has undergone over 29 hip surgeries due to hip dysplasia. Ashley shares her journey from diagnosis to surgery, emphasizing the importance of education, awareness, and patient-centered care. We discuss the emotional toll of surgery, the role of mental health in recovery, and the significance of finding the right care team. Ashley also shares about her advocacy work with Miles4Hips, highlighting the impact of social media in providing support and resources for patients.

Connect with Ashley: @ashleyspalla
Miles4Hips: @miles4hips

#PatientPerspectivesPodcast #PatientAdvocacy #SharedDecisionMaking #HealthcareJourney #PatientCenteredCare #MedicalEducation #MedicalAdvocacy #PatientEmpowerment #HealthcareCommunication #PodcastForACause #HipDysplasia #ChronicPain #StorytellingMatters #Medical #PeerMentor #EDS by @ashleyspalla

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a year ago

Last week I went on my 3rd annual disabled Veterans ski trip with Rehab. Hospital of Indiana to the Adaptive Sports Center in Crested Butte, CO. It was with an amazing group of people from IN and all of the staff at the Adaptive Sports Center always makes it a highlight of the year! This trip truly is a dream and trip of a lifetime and I’ve been blessed to do it the last few years and look forward to 2024! It is 5 days of adaptive skiing and for me it is so much more! I get to be more independent and have access to the most beautiful location. I learn more and more skills every time I’m there working towards full independence on the ski. But, I get to have a feeling that I rarely feel since losing my hip and that’s freedom and the feeling of flying on skis. It’s something I can barely put into words but it’s such a dichotomy of peace and excitement when being on the mountain. I feel re-charged and can’t thank all of those @adaptive_sports_center enough! 🎿❤️❄️ taken in Crested Butte, Colorado by @ashleyspalla

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4 years ago

Allow me to introduce myself a bit further…

I’m Ashley (obviously) I’m 38 & have lived in Indianapolis, IN., since I started undergrad in 2005 & never left.

I was diagnosed with Classical Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome or cEDS, among other things, back in 2011, & have been passionate about spreading awareness ever since. by @ashleyspalla

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4 years ago

I ask for everyone to join me on my 39th Birthday this year by donation and/or participation in Extortion 17. Extortion 17 was a U.S. Army CH-47D Chinook helicopter call sign that was shot down by a Taliban rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) in Afghanistan’s Tangi Valley on August 6, 2011. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of all 38 people on board. 17 U.S. Navy Seals, 3 U.S Airforce Personnel, 5 U.S. Army SO Aviation Crew Members, and 7 Afghan Commandos tragically lost their lives that day.

I’m taking part in the Extortion 17 Memorial Run/Ruck to honor the sacrifices of the warriors lost on August 6, 2011, and to support the families of the fallen. Help me reach my fundraising goal to benefit the special warfare community connected to the Travis Manion Foundation (TMF). All proceeds support TMF in its mission to empower veterans and families of the fallen to develop character in future generations.

This day occurred 15 years ago on my 24th birthday and coming from a long line and large military family, I felt very connected for this incredible loss. So, in honor of those who cannot I am going to roll/push myself a measly 3.1 miles during the period of Aug. 6th-31st. I lost my ability to run years ago, but as an Army Vet that has never stopped from pursuing what I have wanted. Here’s to the 31… taken in Indianapolis by @ashleyspalla

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3 months ago

June is Hip Dysplasia Awareness Month and very near & dear to my heart. I’ve had 29 hip surgeries and counting bc of HD and it’s the reason I’m in a ♿️ for mobility. If you want to check out more on hip dysplasia, info, education, awareness, or how to get involved head over to….(www.Miles4Hips.org) or @miles4hips by @ashleyspalla

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4 months ago

Going through an album and found this gorgeous shot by @hunter_bigdawg_herrera! 📸 This was the sit-skier group of the Adaptive Sports Center Winter Ladies Session March 2025! It was such a blast a beautiful reminder of that week! 🫶🏻🎿 I wish this year’s Ladies Session Part 2 a great time and hopefully lots more snow! ❄️ taken in Crested Butte, Colorado by @ashleyspalla

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8 months ago

This last week I spent in Telluride, CO with @tellurideadaptive Women’s Camp for a 2nd year in a row. I was blessed to stay at the Peaks Hotel thanks to wonderful donors. I also spent the week adaptive skiing with @arehofsunshine, @yulia_mslife, Debra J and Lauren! Thank you ladies for all your encouragement and support throughout the week! It means so much! Thank you TASP for the opportunity, definitely falling in love with Telluride! 🎿 taken in Telluride, Colorado by @ashleyspalla

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8 months ago

Had an amazing week last week with Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana’s Disabled Veterans’ 🫡 Annual Ski Trip to Crested Butte, CO., to the Adaptive Sports Center! It was 5 fun, amazing days, full of skiing, beautiful sunshine, a little snow and so much joy and exhilaration! And thank you to Nolan Blunck for the 📸 skills because these are insane! Thank you everyone involved; it was a blast; can not wait to be back! 🎿 taken in Crested Butte, Colorado by @ashleyspalla

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8 months ago

June is Hip Dysplasia Awareness Month and this is just a bit of a stroll down my hip journey and what I have been through since this began in 2009 and over 29 hip surgeries ago! by @ashleyspalla

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a year ago

taken in Mount Crested Butte, Colorado by @ashleyspalla

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a year ago

This Sunday, hear from Ashley Spalla (@ashleyspalla) on her experience navigating the healthcare system with multiple medical conditions, including EDS and hip dysplasia.

Ashley is also a dedicated advocate, peer mentor with @miles4hips, artist, and an adaptive athlete!

Episode 12 releases on Sunday, April 13th on Spotify and YouTube 🎙️

#PatientPerspectivesPodcast #PatientAdvocacy #SharedDecisionMaking #HealthcareJourney #PatientCenteredCare #MedicalEducation #MedicalAdvocacy #PatientEmpowerment #HealthcareCommunication #PodcastForACause #HipDysplasia #ChronicPain #StorytellingMatters #Medical #EDS by @ashleyspalla

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2 years ago

I was on a trip to the @tellurideadaptive sports program’s women’s winter camp when I was returning home via @southwestair I made it to Denver without an issue with my wheelchair intact but a few scratches. I even have a sign on the back of my chair saying to handle with care please, and how to handle the chair so nothing is accidentally broken.

I get home to Indy from Denver and they are taking an extreme amount of time to unload my chair. The other chair user gets her chair and I am still waiting on mine…then they wheel it in. And the rep says I am so sorry it’s been damaged. I got SO ANGRY! I was like it is more than damaged you obliterated the tire AND frame of the wheel itself into pieces! I told her it’s not usable, the value of the chair and her response was “ to calm down”, “she didn’t break the chair”, I wasn’t angry at her, I was angry at the situation AND had every right to be! I then was told I could get a loaner (it was an old hospital chair, not even REMOTELY close to custom wheelchair that would be acceptable to use. The kicker to all of this is that I have medical appointments the next 10 days before I leave on another trip and I HAVE to have a new set of tires and hand rims and my chair thoroughly looked over for more damage.

I was then told by the claims dept. “that sometimes these things happen, the chairs get jostled in the plane”, I replied, “NO”! “This was not jostled, this was thrown off a plane and destroyed into multiple pieces or fell of something because of someone’s incompetence. AND I told her that 40-50 chairs PER DAY are totaled by airlines due to negligence and poor handling. This was a poor handling error. Not the plane being “jostled.” And to top it off the pilot or copilot was standing right next to her, no apology, no nothing. NO ACCOUNTABILITY! DO BETTER @southwestair !!!! taken in Denver International Airport by @ashleyspalla

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2 years ago