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 […]