You may recognize Kristina Rhoades as a Cure Advocate or know her from attending Abilities Expo events. She’s a long-time roller, disability product spokesperson, motivational speaker and the founder of Flower of Life Retreats in New Mexico. She has travelled the country as an advocate for catheters made without scary chemicals, accessible taxis, access to medical devices and more social causes. You may have also read her articles on holistic wellness or parenting with a disability, here on the CURE NATION blog.
But, there’s another side to Kristina Rhoades that many never see – and it’s all about her passion for music. 
Coming from a family that valued music of all kinds, Kristina’s love for music was engrained at a young age. Her grandfather played trumpet in the Buddy Rich Band in the 1940s and her grandmother had a degree in music. Growing up, it was common for an uncle or cousin to break out an instrument at family gatherings and play. At home, the sound of music was ever-present on the radio.
“Some of my fondest memories as a kid were when my mom would turn out the lights, light all the candles and turn up the stereo,” Kristina recalls.
“We would dance around for hours and sometimes I would play DJ. Not only did it help fuel my love for music, but it made me realize that I enjoyed playing music for others. With all that practice, too, I learned how to dance like no one is watching – which I still do on a regular basis!”
After attending her first big concert at five years old, live music became a way of life for Kristina – something of a spiritual recharge. She seeks out live music wherever she can get it, even if its a person on the street playing for dollars.
Kristina Rhoades aka “DJ Hotwheels”
In 2005, while Kristina was the reigning Ms. Wheelchair California, she spent a lot of time as a guest host at a radio station in Sacramento. There, she fell in love with the radio culture and soon returned to college to study mass communication. She started a radio show during her first semester and continued to get more involved over the next few years.
After graduating, Kristina became the general manager of Brenau University’s radio station, 89.1 WBCX.
While managing the radio station, Kristina produced and hosted countless radio shows, facilitated live broadcasts and DJ’d dances, parties and weddings across Northeast Georgia.
These days, the Rhoades family resides in New Mexico and Kristina, also known as DJ Hotwheels, spins music at her hometown brewery in Truth or Consequences, NM.
The Rhoades Family Appears in Music Video
This summer, Truth or Consequences Brewing Company joined forces with the soulful husband and wife duo, Moody Little Sister, to shoot a music video for their song, I Got Soul. The group moved to the small town last year from Portland, OR and won the hearts of locals with their enchanting songs, beautiful storytelling and community involvement.
The music video portrays a spaceman (played by Kristina’s husband, Jacob) trying to find his place in the world. After stumbling upon the brewery, Kristina and her daughter, Kamryn, are able to coax the uncertain outsider onto the dance floor, where he finds a fun-loving and welcoming community.
The message? Everyone’s welcome in “T or C” and music connects people in a profound way.
Watch Moody Little Sister’s music video, I Got Soul:
Kristina Rhoades Participates in One-of-a-Kind Concert Event by Zac Brown’s Sir Rosevelt band
Kristina and her family are also big fans of the Zac Brown Band, so they were excited when Zac announced a few years ago that he was starting a second band in a new genre. The band is called Sir Rosevelt and features two other Zac Brown Band members, Niko Moon and Ben Simonetti.
Kristina’s husband Jacob was working in the film industry when the Zac Brown Band originally formed and had the opportunity to work with them on their first music video, Sunday’s Finest.
In July of this year, both bands put out a request on social media for fans to share a story about a friend that they would love to celebrate with a once-in-a-lifetime concert experience by Sir Rosevelt.
A close friend that Kristina had met at a former Zac Brown Band show submitted a comment about how the two of them had met. A few days later, a representative for Sir Rosevelt reached out and offered Kristina and her friend, Lisa, free tickets to a show that would take place in Denver and would also feature Cirque Du Soleil.
Yes, it was her dream come true! But, it gets even better.
Not only did Kristina and her friend get free tickets (or codes), but they were each given three extra tickets to give away. Each person that they gave codes to also received three to pass on, until 5,000 tickets had been distributed. Later, Kristina and Lisa found out that they were among the first few people to receive codes.
There was only one rule when giving out ticket codes for the Sir Rosevelt show: the people receiving them had to be making a positive impact on those around them.
The idea behind the “Share the Code” promotion was that Sir Rosevelt is changing the way we experience music and their fans are changing the world.
In August, Kristina and her husband joined some of their closest friends from across the country in Denver in eager anticipation. Before the show began, Kristina, Jacob, Lisa and her husband were invited to have a private meet-and-greet with the band.
“The experience was absolutely incredible and life-changing,” Kristina shares. “It was really special to be able to receive this gift from one of our favorite bands, then pay it forward to some of the people we love most, people who inspire and support us everyday.”
Kristina Leads Flower of Life Retreats and Local Live Music
Through her work with Flower of Life, Kristina Rhoades hosts holistic and personal development retreats in Truth or Consequences for people diverse groups, including the disability community. Music, from live concerts to intimate drum circles, will be an important component of guests’ experiences.
Her first retreat is for women of all abilities and takes place October 15-18, 2018. Learn more here.
“Music has a unique and powerful ability to heal, connect and even transport us to another place and time. It can evoke intense emotions and remind us that we’re not alone,” she explains.
When she isn’t hosting and planning retreats, Kristina is committing more time to supporting live music in her area. She’s working with local musicians and business owners to identify venues, attract traveling artists and promote live music in Truth or Consequences.
The area is an ideal music destination with serene landscapes, natural-flowing hot springs, the Rio Grande, beautiful forests and New Mexico’s largest lake nearby.
WHY KRISTINA USES CURE MEDICAL CATHETERS: THE CURE TWIST FOR WOMEN
She says, “I’ve had a spinal cord injury since I was under a year old. By the time I was in my 20’s, excessive antibiotic consumption had taken their toll on my gut and I struggled with chronic UTI’s, shoulder pain and muscle spasms. Unhappy with the traditional treatments for my ailments and not willing to continue feeling bad, I embarked on my holistic wellness journey.”
“I was shocked at how many foods and products in my home were loaded with toxins, chemicals, preservatives and just plain harmful substances.”
“That’s right, I learned that even the catheters I had been using all of my life contained chemicals that I had already been avoiding for years.”
“But, that’s now a thing of the past. Thankfully, I discovered catheters made by Cure Medical—they aren’t made with scary chemicals like DEHP, BPA or natural rubber latex. Now, with Cure, I can rest assured that I’m using medical products that I feel are best for my body,” Kristina explains.
To request free samples of the Cure Twist® Ready-to-Use Catheter or any Cure Medical catheter, contact your local distributor of quality healthcare products, or click here.
LEARN MORE ABOUT CURE ADVOCATE KRISTINA RHOADES
You can go to Kristina’s Facebook page or follow her blog at www.kristinarhoades.com to keep up with her adventures out West!
Enjoy Our Free Resources & Articles
CURE NATION is designed with you in mind, to offer assistance and education when you need it through a personal support program.
All of the information you find below and on our related social media pages is meant to guide you to places, topics and, resources that enhance your life, while also connecting you with a growing group of friends.
- Sign up for our free, CURE NATION e-newsletterto have our latest stories delivered directly to you, once a month.
- Get our FREE LIFESTYLE + TRAVEL BOOKS here.
- Have an idea you’d like to share? Let us know.
- Be sure to take a minute to meet our Cure Advocates too.