At 180 Medical, we remain committed to positively impacting lives through our compassionate service and high-quality catheter and ostomy supplies. Our dedication extends beyond providing products; we aim to touch lives through personal connections and heartfelt stories. Today, we are excited to share the inspiring spina bifida journey of Brendan, one of our dedicated Territory Sales Managers, and his unwavering desire to pay it forward by supporting others.
Get to Know Brendan and His Journey with Spina Bifida
Before Brendan was born, his parents found out he had a condition called spina bifida, which is one of the most common congenital disabilities in the world. This condition occurs when the neural tube doesn’t fully close while a baby develops in the womb. It can have a range of side effects, including partial or full paralysis. Plus, spina bifida can also sometimes affect the bladder and bowels, leading to the need for intermittent catheterization or incontinence supplies.
With a new baby with spina bifida, Brendan’s parents could have been overwhelmed. Luckily, they received plenty of helpful guidance early on from medical professionals and peers, which helped as Brendan faced numerous surgeries over the years as he grew.
Today, Brendan channels that passion into his role as a Territory Sales Manager at 180 Medical. He also loves the idea of “paying it forward” by supporting the needs of families and caregivers of children with spina bifida. Keep reading to find out more about Brendan and the amazing work he’s doing!
Brendan, what do you love most about your job at 180 Medical?
I love that I can positively influence my community on a broader scale. I can introduce my story to families and clinicians across the country while also helping educate them on some challenges that families like mine may face.
What drives me every day boils down to one word: HOPE. Hope is a powerful motivator in our world, and it can mean many different things for many people. There always seems to be at least one thing that people want to accomplish someday, and I love helping them find that hope. It can be as simple as learning that even with a disability, they can still fly somewhere on a plane, play a certain sport, or drive a car.
What else do you hope to accomplish on your own bucket list?
Travel, travel, and more travel!! For example, I would love to return to Australia sometime and visit Ireland, to name a few. I believe a bucket list should be full of experiences, not things. We only get this one life to live, and I want to make the most of it.
Tell us about your life and growing up with spina bifida.
My family has always been my biggest support system since I was born. My parents are possibly the biggest reason I am the successful, independent person I am today. I owe so much to them. They knew I had a disability, but that did not change them from raising me any differently than my younger brother and sister.
Having spina bifida gave me a unique perspective on life, and I truly believe it helped me appreciate the smaller things in life, such as independence. The unique perspective is that we are all just trying to be the best versions of ourselves. The only thing we can do in life is to play the hand we’re dealt. With that said, spina bifida is just a condition I was born with. It’s not who I am.
Being born with a disability led me to many opportunities, including participation in wheelchair sports, becoming scuba-certified, traveling, and more. For instance, during high school, I represented my country twice in wheelchair basketball tournaments in Australia. Through hard work and lots of practice, I was able to sign a full scholarship to play wheelchair basketball for the University of Arizona (graduating with my B.S. in Secondary Education) and for the University of Missouri in Columbia (graduating with my Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis).
What do you love to do in your downtime from work?
I love spending time with my wife, Molly, and our new baby. My wife is a driving influence in my life to be a better friend, husband, brother, son, and father.
Also, I stay active in anything and everything related to sports. I play wheelchair basketball with the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks and wheelchair softball with the Minnesota Rollin’ Twins. I recently became certified in Scuba Diving through an organization that certifies people with disabilities called Dive Pirates.
Participating in all my hobbies has improved my quality of life by allowing me to learn from others in similar situations. Perhaps most importantly, it has allowed me to learn necessary life skills and grow the confidence to live a completely independent and successful life as a person with a disability.
What are some challenges you’ve overcome on your spina bifida journey?
I think everyone living with a disability gets asked this question. To me, the answer is very simple, and it’s the same whether you have a disability or not. We are each given certain circumstances in our lives, and it is up to us individually whether we make the best of them.
So, I don’t keep a list of challenges I have “passed” or anything. Instead, I keep my eye on one goal. Am I better than yesterday? Sure, we all have bad days, but if I can consistently answer that question as “yes,” then I will continue to overcome anything.
What advice would you offer to others with spina bifida or another disability?
The most valuable thing I can say is that we all have to realize that the value and quality of life don’t automatically diminish just because we have a disability. Coming from somebody who has traveled the world, graduated college with a Master’s degree, married the woman of my dreams, and recently became a father, I want to let people know it’s all possible if you are willing to pursue it. Strive to be better than yesterday.
We love having Brendan as a valued member of the 180 Medical family. It’s awesome to see the positive impact he makes through sharing his personal experiences and helping families, caregivers, clinicians, and children.
180 Medical is a leading nationwide provider of intermittent catheters and ostomy products. Our goal is to turn lives around with top-quality supplies and caring service our customers can rely on. Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your or your loved one’s product needs.
