Mary Free Bed alumnus Chad Bush offers support to pediatric program
Pets can positively impact our health, reduce stress and make us happy – especially kids. That’s why it’s important to Chad Bush to help Mary Free Bed’s youngest patients. Chad is CFO of U.S. Retail, which owns and operates Pet Supplies Plus franchises across the country, including 6 in West Michigan. During the holiday season, […]
Silas helps inspire ‘SO Awesome’ gift
UPDATED January 19, 2016: Silas Camp, a former patient treated about 4 years ago for plagiocephaly and torticollis, visited Mary Free Bed’s Outpatient Pediatric Therapy team with a special gift for other young patients. During the holiday season, his family’s business, SO Awesome, gives back to the West Michigan community through its “One for One” […]
Jerrensia & Jen make national splash with message of inclusion
Guest blog by Jen Kroll, whose daughter Jerrensia has sought outpatient therapy at Mary Free Bed. This fall, Jen wrote a Facebook post about Target’s Halloween advertisement that included a little girl with leg braces and arm crutches. The post went viral and drew attention from Mashable, Upworthy and other publications. This is a follow-up […]
4-year-old Ayden experiences joy of riding his very own bike
Four-year-old Ayden Wilson wanted to ride a bike, just like the rest of the kids in the neighborhood. Born with a form of dwarfism, Ayden experiences pain in his hips and knees. Though he lives in northern Ohio, he earlier this year visited a doctor in Wisconsin. That physician referred him to Dr. Michael Forness at […]
Lylah Gritter battles Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) & defies the odds with help from Mary Free Bed
Guest Blog by Holly Gritter My daughter Lylah was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) at 6 months old. SMA is the No. 1 genetic killer in children two years and younger. Much like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, SMA is an atrophy that will slowly take away Lylah’s ability to talk, smile, swallow, […]
They believe in Anna, so Anna believes in herself’
Guest blog by Juliana Morano, mother to pediatric patient Anna Morano Anna was born with a bilateral cleft lip and palate. She is being treated by Dr. Mann, which is where she first met her speech therapist, Jenn Bobb. Due to her cleft, Anna was having a very difficult time making sounds and forming words […]
Little Abby decides to “give back” to MFB Pediatric Patients
Guest Blog by Shannon Almassian (Abby Almassian’s mother) Abby’s birthday theme was “Giving is Good.” She decided to donate to Mary Free Bed because she wanted the kids (in the inpatient pediatric program) to know other kids care and hope they would feel what comfort a stuffed animal can bring. She and her friends picked […]
Teens raise money for limb difference program
Recent Hudsonville High School graduate Bailey Gulch was all smiles when she handed a white envelope to Mary Free Bed Annual Fund Director Jocelyn Dettloff. It contained checks totaling $1,000, all made payable to Mary Free Bed. During her last semester of high school, 17-year-old Bailey spearheaded a fundraiser to help with the cost of […]
New pink helmet elicits lots of smiles [Photo Gallery]
Violet Pratt is a spunky 4-year-old. With big brown eyes and a wide smile, she twirls and laughs as she waits with her family in an Orthotics & Prosthetics examination room at Mary Free Bed. On this May afternoon, Violet is here to receive a helmet – “a pink one,” she tells Kim Nequist, the […]
A vintage look at kids of courage
From the Grand Rapids Press – Sunday, April 12, 2015 CLICK the image to open a larger version in a new window. For more Mary Free Bed historical photos go to: bit.ly/maryfreebed
Tearra Garth – A Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Story
Editor’s note: As part of our holiday campaign, Mary Free Bed is asking former patients to tell us about their rehabilitation experience. What follows is one of those stories. Mary Free Bed patient, Tearra Garth, has had quite a journey these past few weeks and is very excited about her future… Listen as Kent Riddle, […]
Young Jack Stoner doesn’t let cerebral palsy keep him down
Nine-year-old Jack Stoner smiles a lot these days. He’s often setting aside his wheeled walker in favor of crutches and even endeavoring to take a few steps without the aid of either. “My toes are forward. It’s easier to walk and I can go faster,” he says. In early October, Jack underwent a selective dorsal […]
Mom and Son Receive Support from the Mary Free Bed Feeding Clinic
When Clare Griswold watched her newborn son, Desmond, sleep, she noticed his body would twitch. The twitching would wake him up, which led to even less sleep — for both of them. At two months old, Desmond was evaluated by a doctor and diagnosed with benign neonatal sleep myoclonus – a sleep disorder common among […]
Family learns what life is like with Arthrogryposis
“Following the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, my heart knew we needed to go. Not to photograph, though I did do a little of that, but to restore what was broken and give hope where there was none. We found ourselves in a mountainside orphanage above Port-au-Prince less than three months following the earthquake. Little […]
Teenager with Cerebral Palsy Graduates from Mary Free Bed
During her month-long stay at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Kat agreed to share her rehabilitation journey with the world. She was featured on WOOD-TV’s eightWest program and was Mary Free Bed’s first guest blogger. In this final video entry, Kat reflects on her time at Mary Free Bed and looks forward to a bright […]
Mary Free Bed Receives 100 stuffed animals from Bedside Healers
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital was the recent recipient of 100 Bedside Healers, stuffed animals with velcro straps that make it possible to attach them to bedside railing, wheelchairs, walkers, and even wrists. This generous donation was made possible by Augusta Tower Technologies, Inc. Jason Peach of Bedside Healers announced the Mary Free Bed […]
Pediatric Therapy at Mary Free Bed
This video montage showcases the Mary Free Bed Pediatric Program and our dedicated nurses and therapists who work alongside our patients ever day. You will hear directly from our pediatric patients and their families as they describe the “miracles” that happen at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital.
Teenager Documents Journey with Cerebral Palsy Part 4
We are excited to welcome Katharine as our first Mary Free Bed Guest Blogger. She came to Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation following a complicated surgery to correct her gait. Kat is blogging about this experience, and she is allowing us to share her thoughts with you. Keep on keepin’ on Well hey! So far […]
Teenager Documents Journey with Cerebral Palsy Part 3
We are excited to welcome Katharine as our first Mary Free Bed Guest Blogger. She came to Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation following a complicated surgery to correct her gait. Kat is blogging about this experience, and she is allowing us to share her thoughts with you. My new home. Today was a big day […]
Teenager Documents Journey with Cerebral Palsy Part 2
We are excited to welcome Katharine as our first Mary Free Bed Guest Blogger. She came to Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation following a complicated surgery to correct her gait. Kat is blogging about this experience, and she is allowing us to share her thoughts with you. Hi! So I’m still getting the hang of […]
Teenager Documents Journey with Cerebral Palsy
We are excited to welcome Katharine as a Mary Free Bed Guest Blogger. She came to Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation following a complicated surgery to correct her gait. Kat is blogging about this experience, and she is allowing us to share her thoughts with you. My Story. Hi! My name is Katharine, and I created […]
Young girl learns how to thrive with epilepsy
Epilepsy is a general term for a variety of neurological conditions characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. It is the fourth most common neurological disorder in the United States after migraine headaches, strokes and Alzheimer’s disease. About one percent of Americans have some form of epilepsy, and nearly one in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some […]
Little Girl’s Determination Helps Her Graduate from Feeding Therapy
Since the day she was born, it was quite clear that Erin Hughes knows what she wants. This determination helped her become the healthy little girl she is today. In January 2011, Erin and her twin brother, Will, were born 3 months early, each weighing just over a pound. The twins spent a combined 279 days […]
Baby Roman wears helmet to correct flat spot on his head
Early on Eric and Debbie Boersma had concerns about the back of their son, Roman’s, head. “We thought it looked a little flat, but given we see him every day it was difficult for us to really know if it was flat or if it was normal,” said Eric. During Roman’s four month check-up they […]
Feels like home: Ohio family chooses Mary Free Bed for pediatric rehab
On February 5, Donnie and Jill Acuff’s 5-year-old son, Reese, was in a snowmobiling accident that resulted in a brain injury. After 5 brutal days, Donnie and Jill were told that Reese would live, but he was sedated to protect his brain. The doctors stressed how critical rehabilitation would be in Reese’s recovery, but Reese […]
Baclofen pump helps two boys with severe spasticity
Thirteen-year-old Kordell Rodrigues has cerebral palsy. Seven years ago, he suffered from such severe spasticity that his body was like a stiff board, according to his grandmother, Debra Rodrigues. Doctors recommended that Kordell have a baclofen pump surgically implanted into his abdomen to alleviate his spasticity. Debra said the decision to get the baclofen pump […]
5-year-old overcomes eating struggles
by Molly Cartwright Like many kids, Cerelle is a bit of a picky eater. She loves to eat cake and ice cream, but won’t eat salty foods, such as French fries. For Lynn and Pat Pohl, Cerelle’s parents, the fact she wants to eat at all is something to celebrate. For the past 4 years […]
Girl born with gross motor skill delays learns to crawl, walk
By Molly Cartwright Emily Callahan, like any other 18-month-old, likes playing with her stuffed animals. A year ago, however, her mother, Heather Callahan, was worried that Emily wasn’t showing signs of physical development. Babies typically begin crawling between 6 and 10 months. By the time Emily was 6 months old, she hadn’t yet started rolling over. […]
Teen embraces the hard work of physical therapy
Vinnie Baker, 15, has cerebral palsy, which affected the way walked. After a complex sugery to help him walk more upright, Vinnie comes to Mary Free Bed for intense physical therapy (and has some fun, too!).
Tummy time: Tips to help you position, carry, hold and play with your baby
Your baby needs supervised time on her tummy throughout the day while she’s awake. Mary Free Bed’s pediatric specialists offer these ideas and activities to ensure your baby gets the exercise she needs. How you play and interact with your baby helps her increase strength and decrease the risk of tight muscles. Increasing tummy time […]