Maverick’s Motivation: Brain Injury Recovery Through Inpatient Therapy
Maverick Martin experienced a brain injury moments before completing his first 5K; his heartbeat stopped steps from the finish line. 30-year-old Maverick and his wife, Jamie, were running in the LeRoy Razzasque Days 5k in July. He was flying through the race with impressive speed. His wife was about 10 minutes behind. Maverick was racing […]
Cornerstone University and Mary Free Bed Launch Nursing Partnership
Nursing partnership expands BSN clinical training, tuition support and workforce pathways in rehabilitative care GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – (February 19, 2026) – Cornerstone University and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital are establishing a new partnership to expand clinical experience, tuition assistance and professional pathways for students in the university’s Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. […]
Nour’s Next Chapter: Brain Injury Recovery Journey Through Day Rehab
Nour Yahya is thoughtful, kind and extraordinarily resilient. After a car crash caused a traumatic brain injury, the 23-year-old spent a year in the Mary Free Bed Day Rehab Program, rebuilding herself – and her independence – through specialized brain injury rehabilitation. Fast forward one year to the day she graduates from physical therapy. Her […]
Mary Free Bed Kids Earns Top Rankings in Pediatric Therapy
Families across West Michigan have recognized Mary Free Bed Kids as a leader in pediatric therapy, ranking its teams among the best in the 2026 GR Kids Family Care Providers Guide. Mary Free Bed Kids earned top honors across all three outpatient therapy disciplines, with its physical, occupational and speech-language therapy teams placing in the […]
Newsweek Ranks Mary Free Bed at Home Among America’s Best Home Health Agencies 2026
Mary Free Bed at Home is proud to be named among America’s Best Home Health Agencies for 2026 by Newsweek and Statista. Ranked fifth in the state of Michigan, and first in West Michigan, this prestigious recognition places Mary Free Bed at Home among the top 300 home health providers nationwide, selected from more than 10,000 agencies across the country. “We are incredibly proud to receive this recognition from Newsweek,” said Trey […]
Mary Free Bed Guild Names First Executive Director for Historic Organization
The Mary Free Bed Guild is proud to announce the appointment of Amy Stuursma as its first executive director, marking an exciting new chapter in the Guild’s 134-year history of service to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation ,the West Michigan community and beyond. Stuursma brings more than 17 years of nonprofit leadership experience as the executive director of […]
Making Spirits Bright: Celebrating the Holiday Season with Mary Free Bed Patients
The holidays are a time for family, warmth and togetherness, but for patients at Mary Free Bed recovering from complex conditions, including brain and spinal cord injuries, being away from home can be especially difficult. That’s why team members work hard to spread holiday hope and cheer for those who need it most. Thanksgiving Therapy Activities for Pediatric Patients On Thanksgiving […]
Taking it Day by Day: Greyson’s Healing Journey after a Brain Injury
The summer before his freshman year of high school, 14-year-old Greyson Schuelke walked out of the Mary Free Bed Kids Inpatient Rehabilitation Program after 41 days of intense recovery. Just weeks earlier, he had been relearning how to walk, talk and eat following a traumatic brain injury. His graduation was a milestone celebrated by family, […]
New Voice for Disability Advocacy: Madison Reid Wins Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2026
Michigan has a new voice for disability advocacy! Detroit native Madison Reid was crowned Ms. Wheelchair Michigan 2026, and she’s looking forward to getting to work. Four women took the stage at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids on Saturday, November 15, to share their platforms and stories. Madison’s platform, “Hope After Harm” […]
Central Michigan University Announces Partnership With Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation
Central Michigan University (CMU) Online is excited to announce a new partnership with Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, designed to provide expanded access to CMU’s educational programs for employees and their families. The agreement, signed recently in a co-branded ceremony, reflects a shared commitment to supporting lifelong learning and professional development. Through this partnership, over 2,500 […]
The Cost of One Fall: Why Hunters Must Prioritize Safety
In the quiet woods of Michigan, a single misstep changed Bill Pahl’s life forever. On November 11, 2022, while hunting from a tree stand, Bill fell nearly 20 feet to the ground. The fall resulted in a spinal cord injury (SCI) that left him unable to walk. Bill’s road to recovery has been marked by […]
Tiny Trailblazer: Little Miss Wheelchair Michigan Becomes Inaugural National Titleholder
Little Miss Wheelchair Michigan, Dahlia Swanson, made history Wednesday afternoon, becoming the first person to hold the title of Little Miss Wheelchair America. The 4-year-old was crowned in front of her family, friends and therapists at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, taking on this brand-new role and title within the Ms. Wheelchair America organization. “Dahlia was able to […]
Next Steps and New Friends: Madeline’s TBI Recovery
Madeline Bade is teasing her dad during his interview. While he’s trying to describe her, she flexes and points to her bicep. He laughs: “She’s tough. Spirited. Strong in every way.” At 23, Madeline is smack dab in the middle of five siblings, and she credits her family as a huge part of her recovery […]
Spook-tacular Fun for Pediatric Patients at Mary Free Bed
With Spooky Season in full swing, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital brought the Halloween magic to its youngest patients with its annual Trunk-or-Treat style event. Pediatric patients and their families enjoyed a haunted “Scare-apy Garden” filled with festive food, games, and trick-or-treating fun. Hospital staff and their families decorated dozens of tables and handed out […]
Celebrating Topping Out of Valley Health Winchester Medical Center Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Tower
Valley Health, in partnership with Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, proudly celebrated the topping out of the new Rehabilitation Tower at Winchester Medical Center (WMC), marking the placement of the final steel beam and a major milestone in the construction of this transformative facility. The topping out ceremony, a tradition in the construction industry symbolizing progress […]
Finding Cosmos in the Coffee Grounds After a Stroke
Bruce Najor, 39, prefers crisp communication. During his tenure as a speech and debate coach at Michigan State University, Bruce has continuously championed language and the written word. Following a stroke, Bruce spent 38 days at Adult Inpatient Stroke Rehabilitation Program at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan. During his stroke rehabilitation […]
Curve Appeal: 80-Foot Arch Installed Over Wealthy Street at Mary Free Bed
The new children’s rehabilitation hospital at Mary Free Bed is getting some curve appeal. This week, an 80-foot-tall arch was installed over Wealthy Street. This 126,000-pound arch spans 100 feet, stretching over the skywalk connecting Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital and Mary Free Bed. The steel arch was prefabricated in six sections, each roughly 60 […]
Mary Free Bed Nurse Desiree Zoet Receives Prestigious DAISY Award for Extraordinary Care
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital announced its first recipient of the DAISY Award, registered nurse Desiree Zoet. She’s worked with Mary Free Bed for 10 years and works on the hospital’s Brain Injury Rehabilitation Program. The DAISY Award is an honor given to nurses across the globe for their compassionate contributions to the lives of […]
Harvesting Hope: Crane Orchards Corn Maze Salutes Mary Free Bed
With fall around the corner, something special is happening at Crane Orchards. The six-generation farm is known for its U-pick apples, pumpkins and 20-acre corn maze, which features a different design and new challenges every year. This year, it’s designed in honor of two medical facilities that have made a difference in the Crane family’s […]
Championing Change: 18 Women Compete to Empower Disability Voices at Ms. Wheelchair America
For the past four years, the Mary Free Bed Guild has collaborated with Ms. Wheelchair America to host a week-long national competition. Last week, eighteen women made their way to Grand Rapids to compete for the crown. The titleholders met in-person for the first time for a collaborative week of workshops and outings with a […]
Run for Sight 5K Raises Funds for Visually Impaired
This weekend you can run, walk or handcycle along Michigan’s lakeshore and help raise funds for those who are blind or have low vision. Saturday marks the 19th year for the annual Run for Sight 5K held at the Pere Marquette Park in Muskegon. The Run for Sight 5K raise funds for the Association for the […]
Mary Free Bed Expanding Relationship with Beacon Health System
Leaders from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation and Beacon Health System have signed a new agreement to expand their relationship and increase access to high-quality rehabilitation services for patients in Indiana. In 2020, the two organizations started working together under a professional services agreement, and now they are deepening their connection with a new management agreement. […]
Breaking Barriers: National Ms. Wheelchair America Returns to Grand Rapids
Women from 20 states across the nation will travel to Grand Rapids this month to showcase how they embody an important mission: advocating for people living with disabilities. Ms. Wheelchair America highlights advocacy, achievement, communication and presentation. The 54th national competition will select the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman for persons with disabilities to hold […]
Mary Free Bed CFO and Former Patient Named Leader in Finance
It’s been 15 years since Ryan Podvin graduated from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital following a spinal cord injury. After completing his rehabilitation, he returned to Mary Free Bed—not just to visit, but to lead. For the past 13 years, Ryan has been a vital part of our finance team, helping guide the hospital’s continued […]
41st Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp to Empower Athletes and Inspire Community
It’s the highlight of the summer for dozens of kids and teens who take part in adaptive sports. Mary Free Bed’s Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp is making a return, celebrating 41 years of building friendships and offering athletic opportunities for kids. The five-day camp, designed for youth with physical disabilities, is hosted by the Mary […]
A Flamboyance of Care: How a Flamingo Named Andes Became Grand Rapids’ Most Unexpected Rehab Story
Mary Free Bed + John Ball Zoo = One Wild Collaboration When you think of physical rehabilitation, you probably picture people. Patients recovering from surgery, injury or illness—maybe learning to walk again with a new prosthetic. What you probably don’t think of is a 14-year-old Chilean flamingo strutting around in a custom (pink) orthotic. But […]
Hundreds of Athletes with Disabilities from Across the U.S. Compete at The Hartford Nationals in Grand Rapids July 11-17
The Hartford Nationals conducted by Move United, the largest and longest-running national sport championship event for athletes with a physical disability, visual impairment, and/or intellectual disability, will take place in Grand Rapids, July 11-17. A first for the city and only the second time in Michigan, the competition is hosted locally by the West Michigan […]
What If a Bicycle Could Help Someone Walk Again? A Michigan Man Is Making It Happen
What if a bicycle could help someone walk again? That’s the question Ben Hogan, a prosthetist and former bike mechanic, set out to answer when he created a functional prosthetic leg made almost entirely from bicycle parts. His goal: to provide an open-source, low-cost solution for amputees in underserved communities around the world. The idea […]