Center for Limb Differences celebrates 70th anniversary
In addition to celebrating the 125th anniversary of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital this year, its Center for Limb Differences is marking its 70th year of caring for young patients with congenital and acquired limb differences. When it was established in 1946, the center – then known as the Juvenile Amputee Training Program – was […]
Formerly conjoined twin Josie Hull works hard for independence
Josie Hull and her sister, Teresa, made national headlines 13 years ago when doctors separated the conjoined twins. Born in Guatemala, the girls were just one year old when they were brought to the United States for the 23-hour life-saving surgery at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles. Since then, both girls have made great […]
Hetler family has ‘only positive expectations’ for daughter born with limb differences
Guest blog: Kellie Hetler is a photographer from Grand Rapids whose daughter, Gabriella, was born with congenital skeletal dysplasia, an upper extremity limb difference. Kellie chronicles Gabby’s story on a website called “Gabriella’s Hope.” Kellie also has organized a fundraiser for Mary Free Bed’s Center for Limb Differences. A special screening of Disney Pixar’s “Finding […]
Abigail Kopf’s recovery: ‘To see where she is today is amazing’
Abigail Kopf, the Battle Creek teen critically injured in the Feb. 20 mass shootings in Kalamazoo, graduated April 20 from Mary Free Bed after 6 weeks of intensive inpatient treatment. Since her admission to Mary Free Bed on March 8, Abigail has made significant strides in her recovery from a gunshot wound to the head. […]
3-year-old gaining strength, skills through ‘play’
Guest blog by Sharon Weber Elena is 3 years old. She was born in China and came home to our family when she was 15 months old. She is a funny kid who likes to tell jokes. She is a girlie girl who particularly enjoys shopping and trying on shoes. Elena is active and likes to […]
A princess of a patient: Jerrensia enjoys royal treatment
This is an update to a Nov. 18, 2015, blog about the Kroll family. Visit that post for additional photos and details about Jen Kroll’s viral Facebook message. Like many girls her age, six-year-old Jerrensia Caroline Kroll loves Disney princesses. Elsa, the noble heroine of the animated film “Frozen,” ranks high on her list of […]
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 […]
Bissell’s Howl-O-Ween boosts pediatric & pet therapy programs
Sometimes, a wagging tail is just the motivation a patient needs to push through an intensive therapy session. That’s where “pet recreation professionals” like Walter and Charlie come into play. The two friendly (and hard-working) dogs are part of the animal-assisted therapy program at Mary Free Bed. Penny Richards, an occupational therapist at Mary Free […]
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 […]
Kids enjoy success, teamwork at Mary Free Bed Junior Wheelchair Sports Camp
Campers, parents, staff and volunteers on Friday afternoon celebrated the conclusion to another successful Mary Free Bed Jr. Wheelchair Sports Camp. The free annual weeklong event, hosted at Grand Valley State University, offers kids of all ability levels and ages the opportunity to participate in 10 adaptive sports, ranging from kayaking and disc golf, to sled […]
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 […]
One-year-old girl defies the odds in outpatient therapy
At Mary Free Bed, we’re daily witnesses to our patients’ determination, grit and strength. This is particularly true of our youngest (and most vulnerable) patients. Aubry Maronek, who recently celebrated her first birthday, embodies this spirit of hope and resolve. After being diagnosed with hemimegalencephaly — a rare neurological condition in which one half of the brain is […]
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
My Disability Helps Motivate Me!
Oksana Parmenter was eight years old before she realized that people in wheelchairs could do more than simply sit around and watch the world go by. Born with spina bifida and raised in a Lithuanian orphanage, Oksana was told she’d never play basketball or swim in a pool. But then Jan and Bill Parmenter adopted […]
Pediatric patient Tamarah Williams finds independence at Mary Free Bed
Guest Blog by Sarah Williams, mother of Mary Free Bed alumnus Tamarah Williams Tamarah Williams is my 13-year-old daughter who was born with hydrocephalus, more commonly known as water on the brain. She suffered a brain injury during a medical procedure in June, 2013, which left her unable to care for herself. On July 3, […]
Student graduates from Mary Free Bed in style
Sixteen-year-old Hanna Rinkevicz was all smiles today as she walked out of Mary Free Bed. She was accompanied by her parents, Christy and Mark Rinkevicz, and a group of firefighters who work with her dad at the Grand Rapids Fire Department. They came to wish her well and provide a grand escort from the hospital. […]
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, […]
Devon Goebel: A Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital 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. Robin Bilotti’s Story: “I think I will end up being myself.” This was the prophetic note that my 17-year-old daughter, Devon Goebel, wrote when she was […]
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 […]
Melisa Davis Moore – 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. My son, Gabriel, experienced a traumatic brain injury due to a car accident on Aug. 16, 2001. He was 4 at the time. Gabriel was airlifted […]
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 […]