Name: Mary Free Bed
Address: 235 Wealthy St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503
Telephone: 800.528.8989

A caring approach to your journey.

Cancer rehabilitation patient walking with physical therapist at Mary Free Bed

You’re facing a unique set of challenges, but you’re not alone.

Mary Free Bed’s Betty Bloomer Ford Cancer Rehabilitation Program addresses the debilitating effects of cancer at every stage – from diagnosis to comeback.

Our coordinated team of physicians and cancer rehabilitation specialists works to help you better tolerate surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, heal faster and recover sooner.

We work closely with your doctors to provide the most comprehensive cancer rehabilitation care.

Cancer Rehabilitation at Every Stage

We’re here to help you thrive.

Mary Free Bed’s evidence-based program combines coordinated efforts across multiple, specialized disciplines to help you better tolerate surgery, chemotherapy or radiation, heal faster and recover sooner.

We offer pre-habilitation, inpatient, outpatient and home cancer rehabilitation care. Our program addresses physical, cognitive and emotional issues related to cancer and its treatment, including:

Pain or numbness
Fatigue
Balance problems
Memory loss & concentration difficulty

Incontinence
Sexual dysfunction
Lymphedema
Difficulty swallowing

Chemotherapy Induced Peripheral neuropathy
Weakness and deconditioning
Post-chemotherapy cognitive impairment

The First Designated Cancer Rehabilitation Program in West Michigan

The Betty Bloomer Ford Cancer Rehabilitation Program offers personalized care for patients with all types and stages of cancer.

Historians divide the evolution of cancer treatment into two periods – before Betty Ford and after. As sitting First Lady, she told the world about her breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy in 1974. Dialogue opened. Women scheduled screenings. Countless lives have been saved.

Our program honors the groundbreaking cancer efforts of Mrs. Ford. She and her mother, Hortense Neahr Bloomer, both held leadership positions in the Mary Free Bed Guild that governs our hospital.

We’re honored to host the Betty Bloomer Ford Cancer Rehabilitation Program. And, like our namesake, we help patients face cancer head on.

EXPLORE OUR OUTCOMES

Betty Ford, 10/2/1974 - while in hospital for breast cancer

CREW: Cancer Rehabilitation & Education Workshop

Mary Free Bed cancer rehabilitation doctors and Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids social workers provide quarterly, interactive community workshops for patients and families impacted by cancer. These community workshops are free to attend and open to anyone on a cancer journey – be it you or a loved one.

UPCOMING WORKSHOP

Thursday, November 2, 2023 | 6 – 8 PM
Gilda’s Club Grand Rapids
1806 Bridge St. NW | Grand Rapids, MI

TOPICS

Cancer-related medical terminology
Communicating with your medical team
Advocating for yourself or a loved one living with cancer
Asking the right questions for a smoother cancer journey

FOR MORE QUESTIONS
Advance registration is not required. For more information, please call 616.840.8954 or email us at pmr.residency@maryfreebed.com.

CREW Cancer Workshop Series Mary Free Bed and Gilda's Club GR

Make an Appointment - Cancer Rehabilitation

To make an appointment for outpatient programs or services, call 616.840.8005 or leave your name and contact information below. We'll be in touch!

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Home / Conditions / Cancer

/ Your Experience

The goal is to maximize your independence and quality of life.

Our program provides education, exercise, therapeutic techniques and resources that will help you regain and maintain function, from muscle strength to hand-eye coordination, improved memory and organizational skills.

Therapy:

The duration and intensity of your therapy will depend on your individual needs and tolerance. Research shows the sooner you begin rehabilitation at an appropriate level of intensity, the better your outcome will be.

You’ll work with the same specially trained team of physicians, nurses and therapists during your stay. The focus will be on improving your strength, flexibility, balance and more.

Patients typically do three or more hours of therapy at least five days a week, with recreational therapy activities, rest and visits with family and friends on the weekends.

Technology:

A variety of specialized technology and rehabilitation equipment  is available, including two therapy pools and a ceiling-mounted ambulation system. Dedicated gyms are located on your floor, and you can practice daily living skills in simulated environments, such as an apartment and car.

Support:

We know the lives of your family and friends also are significantly affected by your cancer. Your loved ones are an integral part of your treatment team. They will receive support and education, so they can be an important part of your recovery.

We also can connect you with other cancer patients who received rehabilitation with us. They truly understand your situation and often are able to offer helpful insights. Community organizations, such as  Gilda’s Club, provide beneficial support programs for patients with all types of cancer and their families.

Home / Conditions / Cancer

/ Meet the Team

Meet Our Physicians

Erin Beddows, M.D.

Dr. Beddows is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician who specializes in the treatment of cancer-related conditions, including breast cancer.

MEET DR. BEDDOWS

Naomi Kaplan, MBBS

Dr. Kaplan is double board-certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation as well as hospice and palliative medicine.

meet DR. KAPLAN

Meagan Smith, D.O.

Dr. Smith is a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician with a special interest in cancer rehabilitation.

meet DR. SMITH

Depending on your needs, you may see professionals from multiple disciplines:

Board-certified rehabilitation physicians, hand-selected for you and your condition(s).
Registered nurses with rehabilitation and wound care certification, as well as nurse technicians.
Occupational therapists to help you resume independence with daily activities, such as brushing your teeth, getting dressed, doing laundry and grocery shopping.
Physical therapists to evaluate your strength, mobility and level of independence, then provide rehabilitation.
Psychologists focus on your emotional well-being, which is just as important as your physical condition.
Registered dietitians to evaluate your nutritional needs and monitor your food intake.
Speech-language pathologists to help you, if necessary, with eating, swallowing, speaking, breathing and so on.
Recreational therapists to help you get back to doing things you enjoy or introduce you to new leisure activities.
A care manager who partners with you and your caregivers to help you adjust to your injury and prepare to return home.

Home / Conditions / Cancer

/ Outpatient Experience

Mary Free Bed provides a full spectrum of care, including specialized therapy, home and community services and life-long follow-up care.

We create a path to manage the physical, cognitive and emotional impairments that can come with cancer and its treatments. Our outpatient services are available either after you graduate from our inpatient program or as a new patient to Mary Free Bed. We also offer a home and community program.

You’ll participate in a thorough evaluation and assessment in a clinic setting. Our cancer rehabilitation team meets weekly to discuss the needs of each patient in the program, which will help your team members stay on top of any changes and adjust your treatment as needed.

We understand it can be exhausting to attend multiple medical appointments, so we schedule appointments in blocks out of respect for your time and energy. All of your therapies will be scheduled in either morning or afternoon sessions. We also offer you the opportunity to coordinate your therapy appointments with your other medical appointments and personal schedule.

Home / Conditions / Cancer

/ Services

Our specialty services are designed to enhance and enrich your life. Your treatment team will work with you to coordinate the services and programs that will best serve you. Here are just some of the services we offer:

Home / Conditions / Cancer

/ FAQs

Below are questions we often hear from patients with cancer and their families. Talk with your treatment team about specific questions or concerns.

What types of patients benefit from cancer rehabilitation?

We help patients recovering from all types of cancer, including:

Breast
Lung
Prostate and other genitourinary cancers, such as testicular cancer and bladder cancer
Brain cancer
Colorectal and other gastrointestinal cancers, such as gallbladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer and liver cancer
Bone
Gynecologic, such as cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine/endometrial cancer, vaginal cancer and vulvar cancer
Leukemia and lymphoma
Multiple myeloma
Kidney
Head and neck
Melanoma
Pediatric
Eye

What does cancer rehabilitation involve?

Here are the types of cancer rehabilitation we offer:

Prevention Oncology Rehabilitation (Prehabilitation)
When a disability can be predicted, preventive rehabilitation may be prescribed. For example, occupational therapists and physical therapists optimize arm strength, range of motion and cardiovascular conditioning prior to breast cancer surgery.

Restorative Rehabilitation
If your impairment isn’t expected to be permanent, rehabilitation can restore you to your former level of functioning. For example, physical therapists help you regain strength and muscle mass.

Supportive Rehabilitation
When your cancer treatment does cause a permanent impairment, we can help you get back as much function as possible. For example, we may recommend orthotics or prosthetics after surgical amputations. Physical and occupational therapy also helps with muscle strengthening, gait training and self-care. Care managers and neuropsychologists also may be involved in supportive rehabilitation.

Palliative Rehabilitation
Palliative rehabilitation provides supportive care and reduces complications that may develop as cancer progresses. Occupational and physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, dietitians and others may work with patients to help with mobility and positioning, swallowing, muscle mobility, eating and self-care.

What side effects do you treat?

Sometimes it’s difficult to know what’s more challenging— the side effects of cancer or the treatments used to fight it.

We help patients cope with a wide range of challenges, including:

“Chemobrain” or “chemofog,” which can leave you feeling forgetful, make it difficult to concentrate and generally cause you to feel out-of-sorts or unable to multitask
Decreased strength or range of motion
Fatigue
Generalized weakness/deconditioning
Pain
Numbness, tingling or pain in your hands and feet