Meet Megan! Megan was diagnosed with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy - Related Inflammation in February 2024. In her words:

“I don't believe there is any aspect of my life that hasn't been impacted by my diagnosis! Daily tasks, chores/errands, the ability to keep up our home, relationships, and work...they've all had to change. I can no longer work, nor can I be the contributing member of the household that I used to be. It has been a real journey of loss and acceptance, but I am learning to adjust how I contribute, as well as pace myself so that I can still be productive in some sense and also enjoy life."

I’ve been a member of Outdoor Mindset since 2013 when I moved to Colorado to continue rehabilitation from a brain injury. I’ve always appreciated that OM has less of a focus on the problems of neurological challenge and more of a focus on the adventures ahead. Our tag line should read “I have a brain challenge, you have a brain challenge…so what…let’s climb a mountain.” I’ve found a community of people who understand neurological challenge but who refuse to let the challenges define the ability to adventure well. These are my kind of people and I’m so thankful for the community and the Outdoor Mindset!

In golf, it’s called a handicap. We all have one. The parents we were born with, Bad things that have happened to us. Poverty. Illness. Bad decisions that weren’t really our fault. Any life condition(s) that make it difficult, if not impossible, to be the best at something. And yet you can still be the best (whether or not that means being better than everyone else).

Most days I feel like a “normal person” but sitting at my annual neurology appointment yesterday, I remembered that in fact I was not entirely “normal.”

Ten percent of Americans live with an invisible disability. Some of us are beyond stubborn about it. As one of 525 members of the Outdoor Mindset group, I place myself in this subset.

We are so excited to share this story with you. It truly exemplifies what our Adventure Scholarship program is all about. The meaningful experiences shared by OM members help transform how people perceive their neurological challenges, and find ways to overcome them. Our hope is to grow our outdoor-focused community full of shared experiences just like this!