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Spider-Man, Spider-Man / Does Whatever a Spider Can!
The Roll Up
Sarah Elliott
March 17, 2026
~4 min read
Well hey there folks,
I’m just going to dive right in today. Tariffs are back in the group chat. Ceasefire talks, again. Another AI model drops, and somehow it’s already obsolete. Global elections are lining up like dominoes. Airlines are discovering that wheelchairs are, in fact, mobility devices and not checked luggage. Adult changing rooms are finally getting their much deserved space in all major airports (or will be). And we had the closing of the Paralympic 2026 games (did you check out the Aigner sibs?!).
Oh and speaking of The New York Times… Okay, I did promise to try and be more brief, but I would be remiss if I didn’t at least welcome some newcomers to the newsletter. The reason being (I’m happily concluding) because we were featured in the NYT Travel Section on Friday. No big deal. Just the scrappy little accessibility app now getting a shout-out in the travel section of the paper of record. ICYMI: Read for free here.
So, a big welcome to our weirdly wonderful little corner of the internet, we are glad you’re here. And before you ask, yes, there will be talk of baboons, and yes, there will be snark with heart, and yes, it is a real live person (and persons) that both write this newsletter, do our social media, and of course, develop and steer this app that we so happen to think is the greatest thing since sliced bread (are we sure sliced bread IS the greatest thing ever?! I feel like this saying needs some updating. What are your favorite inventions or suggestions for changing this saying to? Make it accessible. Go ahead. I’ll wait for the email.) Okay, now that the newcomers are either smashing that ‘unsubscribe’ button, running for the hills screaming, or BEGGINGFORMORE, we have something very important to share:
The Colorado Paralysis Foundation is launching a new paid caregiver training program designed to expand access to qualified healthcare for people living with spinal cord injuries and other complex disabilities that cause paralysis. A training will be held and is supported by the Chanda Center for Health. Both of these amazing organizations have long been leaders in community-driven solutions and as the disability community knows all too well, when systems fall short, we tend to build the missing pieces ourselves. The program also connects to broader national efforts supported by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to strengthen caregiver networks and resources, and we at Roll Mobility are grateful to the Colorado Paralysis Foundation for the introduction to the Reeve team.
The upcoming caregiver training will be held this weekend – March 21-22, so if you or someone in your orbit could benefit, now’s the time to do it.
If anyone gets the mission, it’s these organizations. They know acutely, we go further, together.
As always, thank you for the support,
~Sarah
😄 Wheel-y Good News 😁
Good Folks Doin’ Good Thangs
Straight from the Marvel Multiverse! and trigger warning for those with Arachnophobia or John Goodman aversions: SPIDERS 🕷️ 🕸️
Researchers connected to the University of Oxford and backed by the start up Newrotex are experimenting with spider silk as a scaffold to repair damaged nerves. Real spider silk. From the Madagascar golden orb-web spider. Not radioactive. Not spun by a teenager from Queens. Scientists spin ultra-thin silk fibers and use them to bridge gaps in damaged nerves, giving regenerating nerve cells something to grow along, essentially creating a biological guide rope helping nerves reconnect. Early studies suggest the silk is biocompatible, incredibly strong, and flexible enough to support delicate nerve regrowth. Leading the team is Dr. Alex Woods who is both a trauma and orthopaedic surgeon and a former zoologist, a combination that helps to explain how spider silk ended up in a medical start-up. Peter Parker approves. (Though my personal favorite is Miles Morales.)
If the research holds up, it could eventually help people recovering from peripheral nerve injuries caused by trauma, surgery, or neurological conditions – areas where regeneration is notoriously slow and difficult. And if there is a theme in disability tech and medical research right now it’s “look to nature”. And we love that scientists herald this trope. They get it.
Gif by boomunderground on Giphy
Spiders have been cast as villains for decades, yet here they are quietly helping solve complex medical problems. Somewhere Charlotte is sipping tea and calmly weaving into a barn web, “I tried to tell you.”
Photograph of golden orb spider by Jack Hill of The Times
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