🚨 MY FIRST OP-ED IN STAT NEWS: PATIENT SAFETY ISN’T UP FOR AUCTION
https://www.statnews.com/2025/10/21/cms-catheter-supply-competitive-bidding/
Fifteen years ago, I almost died because of the wrong catheter. I was hospitalized with sepsis after being forced to use products that didn’t meet my medical needs. It took years to find the right catheter — the one that protects my health, gives me independence, and allows me to live fully.
🌟 I’m honored to share that my first op-ed was published in STAT — one of the most respected health policy publications in the country, with over 2 million readers including national media, policymakers, and industry leaders.
This isn’t just a personal milestone. It’s a call to action to protect millions of patients whose lives depend on the right medical supplies.
🧠 WHAT’S HAPPENING
On November 1, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will add urological, ostomy, and tracheostomy supplies to its national competitive bidding program.
On paper, it’s pitched as a cost-cutting, fraud-fighting move. In reality, it would:
🌿 Strip away patient choice
🌿 Limit access to essential products
🌿 Force lower-quality substitutions
🌿 Increase infection, hospitalization, and death risks
♿ WHY THIS MATTERS
I live with a C6 spinal cord injury and rely on specialized catheter supplies every single day. The difference between the right product and the wrong one is the difference between independence and a medical emergency.
This policy endangers millions — including but not limited to:
read more…✈️ AIRLINES VS. WHEELCHAIR USERS: WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING
(And how to do your best to NOT BREAK YOUR LEGS)
Earlier this year, U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) passed a rule to protect wheelchair users in air travel — one of the biggest steps forward we’ve seen in years.
But fast-forward to now… major airlines are pushing back hard — and winning.
🧾 WHAT THE RULE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO
🛠️ Handle wheelchairs with care — and be accountable.
🔧 Repair or replace damaged chairs quickly.
🧑✈️ Train employees properly to assist disabled passengers.
🪙 Accept responsibility when mobility equipment is damaged.
⚖️ WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW
🧳 Major airlines and their trade group sued the DOT.
🧨 DOT announced it won’t enforce key parts of the rule while it “reconsiders.”
🪫 That includes the strongest protection: holding airlines financially responsible when they mishandle wheelchairs.
🚨 In short: what was a win earlier this year is already being rolled back.
💥 WHY THIS MATTERS
A wheelchair isn’t luggage. It’s mobility. It’s safety. It’s independence. When an airline breaks a wheelchair, it can mean:
🚫 Being stranded in an airport.
🚑 A medical emergency.
💰 Huge repair costs.
🧠 And trauma most people never see.
🛡️ MY SAFETY PROTECTION STRATEGY
While we fight for systemic change… we still have to travel. I fly often for work and fun, and I’ve built my own survival plan to protect my wheelchair.
read more…🎉 GRATITUDE TO BE FEATURED IN VOYAGE RALEIGH MAGAZINE 🎉
I’m truly humbled to be highlighted in Voyage Raleigh Magazine—part of the Voyage family that started with Voyage LA. What I love most about their mission is simple but powerful: creating a space where people’s real voices and personalities aren’t filtered out.
✨ Their platform lifts up small businesses, independent artists, entrepreneurs, local organizations, and the changemakers who make our communities vibrant.
When they reached out for an interview, I had no idea just how many incredible stories they were telling—right here in Raleigh and across the country. It was such an honor to be included among so many amazing humans shaping the places we call home.
💙 Deep gratitude to the team at Voyage Raleigh for spotlighting stories that matter, and for reminding us that authenticity builds stronger communities.
https://voyageraleigh.com/interview/community-highlights-meet-ali-ingersoll-of-qq-adventures-llc
#Gratitude #Community #Raleigh #KeynoteSpeaker #Storytelling
AAAHH — I DID IT — AN EPIC VICTORY 🎉 NEW WHEELCHAIR BATTLE WON –> THE APPEAL THEY SAID I COULDN’T WIN — I DID. 💥
📬 The most nerve-racking piece of mail I’ve opened in years: a denial letter from my health insurance provider.
Not just a denial for a new wheelchair — a denial of continuity of care. A denial of common sense.
WHAT I ASKED FOR
That my long-time wheelchair provider — Stalls Medical — historically in-network for years, be put back in-network to supply my new wheelchair (a Permobil F3).
Why? Because a wheelchair isn’t a “buy it anywhere” item. It’s a complex, custom medical device that determines my health, independence, and survival.
WHY IT MATTERS
This isn’t about a chair. This is about the ATP (Assistive Technology Professional) I’ve worked with for nearly a decade.
ATP’s aren’t salespeople. They are highly trained experts in seating systems, pressure relief, biomechanics, and mobility. My ATP knows my body inside and out — how the smallest adjustment can keep me healthy.
Since working with this ATP, I haven’t had a single serious pressure sore. That’s not luck. That’s skilled care. Without that? I’d be back in a hospital bed, costing the system hundreds of thousands more than a properly fitted chair.
HOW I BACKED IT UP
I didn’t just beg. I built a case:
📚 Peer-reviewed journal articles
📁 Past medical records
💸 Billing data showing the costs of pressure sores vs. the cost of a chair
🩺 Letters from my medical team
THE RESPONSE I GOT
Still denied. Their reasoning? “Members can go to any in-network provider.”
read more…THE MOST SUCCESSFUL NIGHT OF MY LIFE: UNBREAKABLE(ISH) BOOK LAUNCH 🚀💙
(200 PEOPLE. 1 BOOK. 1 WILDLY UNFORGETTABLE NIGHT.)
I’m rarely speechless (and let’s be honest, that never happens) — but my book launch for Unbreakable(ish): I Wasn’t Built for Boring hosted & donated by the North Carolina Museum of Art left me totally blown away.
(Audio version coming out mid October. 25 hours in the recording studio next week)
WHAT WENT DOWN:
⭐ 200 incredible humans from all across the country
🎨 A breathtaking venue at NC Museum of Art
🎤 An improv interview that was… let’s just say a 21+ conversation
😂 Nonstop laughter, jaw-dropping stories, and community magic in every corner
WHAT MADE IT EPIC:
💙 Friends I’ve known for 20 years sitting next to people I met last week
💼 My legal world, advocacy world, speaker world, corporate clients — all mixing with bikers I randomly met at bars (true story)
👨👩👧 My whole family actually flew up — which is saying something, because they didn’t even all show up at the same time when I broke my neck 🤣 Apparently I need to write more books
🌍 People who couldn’t make it in person still cheering from all over the globe
🤝 Strangers walking in… and leaving as friends
📰 And oh yeah… we made the news too (link coming soon 👀)
15 YEARS PARALYZED TODAY AND HERE’S WHAT I KNOW
I don’t believe my accident happened for a reason. I believe bad things happen to great people every second of every day.
What I do believe is this: the way you move forward when life feels impossible is what defines you.
Today I’m sitting quietly, reflecting on August 27, 2010. Fifteen years ago I broke my neck in shallow water. I thought my life was over.
And yet—here I am.
HOW I MEASURE MY LIFE
I don’t measure my life by what I lost. I measure it by what I’ve built:
✅ Surviving 7 years in a hospital → building an advocacy career in health equity
✅ Guiding corporations on access, inclusion, and disability research
✅ Creating a keynote speaking business that takes me around the world
✅ Delivering a TEDx with over 500,000 views
✅ Becoming a published author
✅ Donating 20% of my time to nonprofit boards advancing equity
✅ Always engaging in the most crazy adventures
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT: 📚 BOOK LAUNCH EVENT FOR MY MEMOIR à UNBREAKABLE(ISH): I WASN’T BUILT FOR BORING
I never imagined my story would become a book— Not after the injury. Not after the detours. And definitely not after the monkeys at the Playboy Mansion. But here we are.
My memoir is a collection of the wild, raw, hilarious, and brutally honest moments that shaped me—and now, I finally get to share it with all of you.
Join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating the launch of Unbreakable(ish) sponsored by the North Carolina Museum of Art and Lenovo.
📅 WHEN: Wednesday, August 27th at 6:00 PM
📍 WHERE: North Carolina Museum of Art — 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh, NC 27607
👉 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER –> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1419971546119?aff=oddtdtcreator
WHAT TO EXPECT
🍷 Meet Ali Ingersoll and hear the stories behind her powerful memoir
📖 Books available for purchase at the event
🥂 Lite bites and refreshments sponsored by Lenovo
😂 An evening of inspiration, laughter, and authentic storytelling
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
A portion of book sale proceeds will be donated to the North Carolina Spinal Cord Injury Association, supporting vital programs and services for individuals and families affected by spinal cord injuries.
🎟️ FREE ADMISSION — LIMITED SPACE
Because unforgettable nights like this one don’t come with a price tag, admission is completely free. However, space is limited and we expect a large turnout, so reserve your tickets today to guarantee your spot.
⚠️ Friendly reminder: This book is spicier than late-night premium cable, so arrange for childcare first and then settle in for some seriously adult storytelling!
DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY
Celebrate a remarkable story of resilience, humor, and the extraordinary power of the human spirit.
🍸 Cash bar available (because free drinks only exist in fairy tales and corporate events).
📘 ABOUT THE BOOK
From caviar on deserted islands and monkeys at the Playboy Mansion to surprise jail time overseas and directing her own rescue after a dive that left her paralyzed from the chest down—Ali Ingersoll’s life has been wild.
Unbreakable(ish) is a no-filter, laugh-out-loud memoir that turns pain into persistence and paralysis into power. With a splash of neuroscience, a pour of rebellion, a twist of dark humor, and a raw bold voice, Ali proves that when life goes sideways, you don’t have to.
✨ If you’ve ever had to start over more times than you can count, this story is fuel for rewriting yours—your way.
🛠️ Because often reinvention comes with detours, duct tape, and delightfully twisted stories.
👉 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER –> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1419971546119?aff=oddtdtcreator
I JUMPED OUT OF A PLANE 🚀🪂 QUADRIPLEGIC SKYDIVING AT 14,000 FEET
Because if you’re going to live life on the edge, make sure it’s properly harnessed. Skydiving has been on my bucket list since forever—but I didn’t get the chance before I broke my neck in a shallow water dive and became a C6 quad, paralyzed from the chest down with limited arm and hand movement.
And yet… I still jumped.
With my legs hanging out the door of that plane, 14,000 feet in the air, I had one thought:
👉 “I’ve arrived.”
MEET THE DREAM TEAM
I met the All Veterans Group last year when we went racecar driving together (because… obviously). Their motto? “We want to make the world a better place.” And they mean it. This nonprofit is made up of active duty service members, veterans, patriotic civilians, and their families. They:
🪂 Jump into stadiums at events around the country
🪂 Create unforgettable experiences
🪂 Help people with disabilities live their wildest dreams
With the help of the Golden Knights and a top-notch engineering crew, they designed a custom harness just for me:
✅ Protected pressure-sensitive areas (huge when you’re paralyzed)
✅ Locked in my arms so they didn’t go flying
✅ Allowed my legs to be lifted safely during landing
It was so effective, they’re now working on a patent.
WHAT SKYDIVING FELT LIKE AS A QUADRIPLEGIC
Honestly, it’s hard to put into words—but I’ll try:
🌀 Like falling into freedom
💨 Like fear turning into laughter mid-air
🌤️ Like weightlessness… in every way
🧠 Like shutting off the noise and turning on wonder
We freefell for 90 seconds at 120 mph before the chute opened. And then? Quiet. Peace. Absolute joy. I couldn’t stop smiling. I even convinced my boyfriend to jump with me (He’s a keeper!)
I’M AN ADRENALINE JUNKIE… WITH A SPREADSHEET
Yes, I chase wild experiences—but always with precision. I research, plan, and partner with people who prioritize safety and accessibility. Before the jump, someone told me:
💬 “You’ll always have one more landing in life than you do takeoffs.” It made me laugh… but it also stuck with me. There are moments in life when the only thing between you and joy is a leap—one made with courage, trust, and a really good team.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Who knows. But here’s what I do know:
💡 I live with intention
💡 I appreciate every moment I can do something extraordinary
💡 I say yes to things I once thought were impossible
If sharing this helps even one person take their own next bold step—whatever that looks like—then every second of that freefall was worth it.
(Behind the Scenes Video coming soon)
THE 10-10-10 RULE: THE BRAIN HACK THAT SAVED MY BUTT (LITERALLY)
Let’s face it: your brain is dramatic.
Not theater-kid-in-high-school dramatic. More like toddler-who-dropped-their-Fruit-Roll-Up-in-a-sandbox dramatic.
Every day, your decisions are being pulled in a three-way battle between:
🧠 The impulsive part that wants dopamine right now
🧠 The responsible part trying to avoid long-term chaos
🧠 And the existential part that wonders, “Will this matter when I’m 85 and crocheting revenge sweaters in a retirement home?”
That’s why you need the 10-10-10 Rule.
WHAT IS THE 10-10-10 RULE?
This isn’t just another productivity hack invented by a tech bro who drinks kale for breakfast and has never known the betrayal of a soggy burrito.
This is neuroscience—disguised as a life raft.
Whenever you’re about to make a decision that might involve drama, cake, or texting someone whose name you should’ve deleted long ago…
Ask yourself:
How will this choice affect me in…
- 🔟 10 minutes
- 🔟 10 months
- 🔟 10 years
It gives your brain a timeout. A little pause button. A moment to stop the emotional toddler from hijacking the steering wheel of your life.