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Cheri Blauwet, MD, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s chief clinical officer and senior vice president, was a featured expert at the recent World Medical Innovation Forum.
Dr. Blauwet participated in a panel — entitled “Innovations in Disability Technology: Shaping a More Accessible Future” — along with other distinguished leaders in medicine and biotech research. During the panel, they discussed a range of emerging tools like advanced communication technologies and assistive devices that are reshaping patient treatment.
After the panel concluded, Dr. Blauwet participated in a one-on-one podcast discussion on innovation in technology solutions for people with disabilities.
At the outset of this discussion, Dr. Blauwet noted that the disability community is far from “a small subset of society or a niche group of people.”
“Disability affects everyone at some point in their life, whether in a permanent way or a temporary way,” she said. “Particularly with our aging population and increased survivorship from many chronic conditions like cancer and heart disease, the national and global prevalence of disability is increasing.”
This rapidly increasing population represents new opportunities to meet healthcare needs via assistive devices like exoskeletons, brain-computer interfaces, communication technology and more.
“This is a really hot area of tech and innovation,” said Dr. Blauwet. “It’s a really great time to think about how we can design new tools and technologies for the disability community.”
The World Medical Innovation Forum is hosted by Mass General Brigham in Boston.
Dr. Blauwet joined Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in September 2025. In her role, she provides clinical and strategic leadership across Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s entire enterprise — the organization’s downtown Chicago flagship hospital, more than 30 sites of care in Chicagoland, and partnerships with hospitals across the nation and internationally. She ensures world-class quality, safety and performance throughout all aspects of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s medical practice.
Dr. Blauwet is a longstanding champion of accessibility. She is a seven-time Paralympic medalist, representing Team USA in wheelchair racing. Additionally, in recognition of her impact, in 2025 she was named to Forbes’ inaugural "Accessibility 100."
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