Breaking Barriers: Utah's TRAILS Adaptive ProgramBig Stories • Season 3, Episode 54
Mar 11, 2026 • 16m
Growing up in Finland with only one hand never slowed down Tanja Kari. If anything, it fueled her. She tore up the cross‑country ski trails with such determination that she eventually became a Paralympic legend—winning an incredible 12 gold medals across four Games.
But ask Tanja today about her proudest accomplishment, and she might point to the work she’s doing long after her competitive career ended.
Now at the University of Utah’s Craig H. Nielsen Rehabilitation Hospital, Tanja leads the TRAILS program—short for Technology, Recreation, Access, Independence, Lifestyle, and Sports. And what she’s building there is nothing short of transformative.
Through TRAILS, people with complex disabilities aren’t just getting therapy. They’re rediscovering independence and adventure. Much of that comes from innovations like the TetraSki—a groundbreaking piece of adaptive equipment engineered by university students and brought to life in the hospital’s own mechanical shop. Thanks to tools like these, individuals who once watched from the sidelines are now skiing down mountains, wake surfing, and even finishing marathons.
Guests:
Tanja Kari - Program Director at TRAILS Adaptive
Kimberly Kolstad - Social worker at Neilsen Rehabilitation Hospital and adaptive sports athlete