Cheri Blauwet: Breaking the cycle
Cheri Blauwet is a Paralympic wheelchair racer and Harvard sports medicine doctor. She is a two-time Boston Marathon wheelchair division winner, a decorated Paralympian, and winner of multiple international marathons.
She began racing in high school when she was recruited by her school’s track and field coach and went on to the University of Arizona, where she was a member of the school’s wheelchair racing team.
Reflecting today on National Girls & Women in Sport Day, & how far we've come toward #TitleIXat50
All goals start with a spark 🌟 that is nurtured through mentorship, equitable access, and elevating the accomplishments of women
We've come so far – keep pushing! 💪🏽 #NGWSD pic.twitter.com/F4vvgN927X
— Cheri Blauwet, MD (@CheriBlauwetMD) February 2, 2022
After graduating from Arizona with a degree in molecular and cellular biology, Blauwet became the first wheelchair user to attend Stanford University School of Medicine. She completed her internship in internal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and her residency at Harvard Medical School, where she served as chief resident.
She now serves as a physician and associate professor at Harvard Medical School and Director of Kelley Adaptive Sports Research Institute at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
Blauwet has become a global leader who leverages her personal and professional experiences to advocate for inclusion and accessibility across the fitness landscape, community and beyond.
Her talk illuminated the phenomenon of lowered expectations and its intersections of “isms” such as ableism. Sports are what broke this cycle for Blauwet.
You can watch her full TEDxBoston talk here:
