The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation brings together people living with paralysis, caregivers, researchers, clinicians, advocates, and policymakers for three days of conversation, connection, and action in Boston.
Actress, Disability Rights Advocate
Marissa Bode will deliver the keynote address at Reeve Summit 2026. She made her feature film debut as the principal character Nessarose in Universal Pictures' Wicked duology, directed by Jon M. Chu. Bode is the first wheelchair user to play the role, and her performance brought widespread visibility to disability representation in major studio films.
Bode has been acting since the age of eight and trained at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Beyond her screen work, she is an outspoken disability rights advocate focused on expanding access and employment opportunities for disabled creatives in the entertainment industry.
At the summit, Bode will participate in a fireside chat covering the history of disability in entertainment, access barriers in Hollywood, and what it takes to build a creative career as a person with a disability. Her session reaches across culture, advocacy, and lived experience, which is exactly the range the Reeve Summit is designed to cover.
Reeve Summit 2026 covers issues that affect daily life for people living with paralysis, not just clinical research. Sessions span the full range of topics that matter to this community.
Updates on spinal cord injury research, clinical trials, and emerging therapies from investigators working to restore function and improve recovery outcomes.
Sessions on therapeutic advances, secondary health conditions, pain management, and medical care strategies designed for people living with paralysis.
Discussions on psychological wellbeing, peer support, adjustment after injury, and resources for managing the emotional dimensions of living with paralysis.
Practical guidance and support for family caregivers, including managing daily care routines, accessing respite services, and maintaining caregiver wellbeing.
Conversations on disability rights legislation, Medicaid and Medicare access, attendant care funding, and how policy decisions affect the paralysis community at federal and state levels.
Strategies for finding and keeping work, workplace accommodations, remote work opportunities, and programs that support people with disabilities in the job market.
Information on home modifications, accessible housing programs, and community-based living options that promote independence for people with mobility limitations.
Tips and resources for traveling with a disability, including airline accessibility, adaptive vehicle options, and destinations with strong accessibility infrastructure.
Guidance on working through benefits programs, managing disability-related expenses, ABLE accounts, Social Security, and financial planning for long-term independence.
Information on wheelchairs, power mobility devices, standing frames, and other assistive technology, including insurance coverage and equipment trials.
Planning for natural disasters, power outages, and medical emergencies when mobility or medical equipment needs add layers of complexity to standard preparedness protocols.
Frank, practical sessions on dating, relationships, intimacy, and sexual health after paralysis, led by clinicians and individuals with lived experience.
The Reeve Summit is the only national event built specifically around the full paralysis community. It is not a medical conference in the traditional sense and it is not limited to researchers or clinicians. The summit brings together individuals living with paralysis, family members, caregivers, healthcare providers, scientists, medical device innovators, disability rights advocates, and government policymakers, all under one roof.
The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has hosted this gathering annually since 2019, and the event has grown each year. Reeve Summit 2025 drew attendees from across the country for keynotes, breakout sessions, an evening reception, and an exhibit hall featuring assistive technology, community organizations, and research groups. The 2026 edition in Boston continues that momentum with an expanded program and a new keynote speaker.
The Reeve Summit differs from other SCI and disability conferences in its emphasis on community. Sessions cover research and medicine, but they also address housing, employment, mental health, relationships, financial planning, travel, education, and public policy. The people most directly affected by paralysis are not just attendees here. They are speakers, session leaders, and active participants in shaping the conversation.
The Reeve Summit is built for you. Whether your injury is recent or years ago, this event connects you with peers, resources, and the latest information on research, health, and daily living.
Sessions on caregiving, respite, mental health, and financial planning speak directly to the people who provide daily support. The summit also offers space to connect with other caregivers who understand the experience.
Physicians, therapists, rehabilitation professionals, nonprofit leaders, disability rights advocates, and government officials will find sessions on clinical care, public policy, systemic barriers, and the lived reality of the people they serve.
The North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium will be presenting at Reeve Summit 2026 in Boston.
Research consistently shows that people living with spinal cord injury want to be involved in setting research priorities, yet 83% report being left out until researchers need clinical trial participants. This session examines how an externally-led PFDD meeting for SCI can address this gap, outlining the steps needed to align stakeholders, ensure diverse representation, and translate what the SCI community has long said matters most into actionable outcomes for regulators, researchers, and medical product developers.
Ian Burkhart is a C5 tetraplegic, advocate, and neurotechnology innovator. He is the past President of the North American Spinal Cord Injury Consortium, where he championed research, technology, and policies that center on lived experience and drive meaningful improvements in health, independence, and quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries.
Barry Munro, a quadriplegic since 1987 and lawyer by trade, serves as Chief Development Officer of the Canadian/American Spinal Research Organization and Treasurer of NASCIC. For over 30 years, he has championed SCI research, policy, and community-driven efforts to cure paralysis.
| Date | Day | Activity |
|---|---|---|
| May 6 | Wednesday | Summit opens at 2:00 PM ET. Opening sessions, welcome reception, and initial networking |
| May 7 | Thursday | Full day of keynote address, breakout sessions, exhibit hall, and evening reception |
| May 8 | Friday | Morning breakout sessions and closing program. Summit concludes at 1:00 PM ET |
Full agenda is forthcoming. Visit the official Reeve Summit page for the most current schedule.
The Reeve Foundation has built accessibility into every layer of the summit. This is not limited to physical access. The event addresses communication, sensory needs, dietary requirements, and health and safety considerations, so that every attendee can participate fully regardless of their disability or support needs.
The Sheraton Boston Hotel is fully wheelchair accessible with wide doorways, ramps, elevators, and accessible restrooms throughout. Clear signage will be displayed to guide attendees between sessions and event spaces.
ASL interpreters will be available for sessions when requested in advance. Closed captioning will also be provided. Conference materials are available in alternative formats on request. Indicate your communication needs when registering.
The foundation recognizes that loud noises, bright lights, and fragrances can be overwhelming for some attendees. Quiet spaces will be available, and all participants are asked to be mindful of fragrance use.
The Sheraton has set aside ADA-accessible rooms within the summit room block. These are available first-come, first-served and must be reserved by April 13, 2026. Call the Sheraton's Group Housing Team at (617) 236-6164 to book.
Service animals are welcome. Dietary accommodations are available if noted during registration. The summit is mask-friendly, and hand sanitizer stations will be placed throughout the venue.
For accessibility questions or to request specific accommodations, email ReeveSummit@Reeve.org before the summit.
The Reeve Summit is the annual flagship event of the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the largest nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of people living with paralysis. The foundation funds spinal cord injury research, operates the Paralysis Resource Center (a national information and referral service), and advocates for disability policy at the federal and state levels.
Since its first year, the summit has featured speakers including the late disability and civil rights leader Judy Heumann, disability rights activist Imani Barbarin, Tony Award-winning actress Ali Stroker, Wesley Hamilton (founder of Disabled But Not Really), Dr. Feranmi Okanlami of the University of Michigan, former U.S. Senator Tom Harkin, Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts, and author and disability advocate Leon Ford.
Attendees at the Reeve Summit have the opportunity to hear directly from researchers, connect with other individuals and families affected by paralysis, participate in an evening reception, and visit an exhibit hall featuring assistive technology companies, nonprofit organizations, and community groups.
The Reeve Summit is supported in part by a financial assistance award from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Registration for Reeve Summit 2026 is open through the Accelevents platform. Pricing starts at $175. Sponsorship and group packages are also available at higher tiers for organizations that want to support the event while attending.
Your registration includes access to all keynote and breakout sessions, the exhibit hall, networking events, and the evening reception.
The Sheraton Boston Hotel on Dalton Street serves as the summit venue and official hotel. The Reeve Foundation has secured a room block at a negotiated rate. All hotel reservations are handled directly by the hotel, not through the foundation.
ADA-accessible rooms are available within the room block on a first-come, first-served basis. Request yours early. Contact the Sheraton's Group Housing Team at (617) 236-6164 to reserve an ADA room.
Reeve Summit 2026 brings together the people, science, and policy shaping the future for individuals living with paralysis. May 6–8, 2026. Sheraton Boston Hotel.
