The Toughest Workout: Personal Trainer’s Recovery Following a Traumatic Brain Injury
Forest Hills Northern and Davenport University hockey alum is inspiring others through his determination and recovery following a traumatic brain injury. After an accident on his one-wheeler, Marc Anderson, a personal trainer at MVP Athletic Club, was fighting for his life. The 29-year-old sustained a severe traumatic brain injury in September 2024. Anderson underwent multiple […]
Nurse chooses chiropractic to relieve pain, fuel her health
A typical workday for Keren Nobel is logging 15,000 steps – the equivalent of nearly seven miles. As a registered nurse at Mercy Health St. Mary’s Hospital, she’s on her feet for 12.5-hour shifts four days a week – longer and more often during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Keren’s also an athlete who […]
Thumbs up: Teen recovers from toe-to-thumb transplant with help from Mary Free Bed’s Hand Therapy Program
Aiden Adkins was using a woodworking saw to create a gift as a prom proposal to his girlfriend when he accidentally cut off his thumb. Unable to find it, doctors repaired the wound, and Aiden went about his life, getting ready to graduate from Carson City-Crystal High School and competing on its clay target team. […]
Muskegon couple fights their battles against pain together, with help from physical therapy
When Kevin and Beverly Battle were married 36 years ago, they took their vows to love each other in sickness and in health very seriously. Beverly was diagnosed with a rare genetic eye disorder that causes loss of vision. Her balance was affected, which led to falls, and she suffered back issues that required surgery. […]
Heather uses discipline, hard work to manage fibromyalgia pain
Heather Galli is passionate about martial arts and the values it teaches. A third-degree black belt, Heather says honor, respect, discipline and hard work are principles she and her husband also instill in their children. Unfortunately, the 48-year-old’s years of training and teaching also took a toll on her body. She was diagnosed in 2018 […]
Pain Rehabilitation Program opens up ‘a whole new world’ for Gerry
Gerry King suffered with debilitating pain for three years. It became so unbearable, the 75-year-old was unable to care for herself at her Kalamazoo home and began living in a nursing facility. “You get to a point where you think, OK, if I have to be this way for the rest of my life, so […]
Wes battles SMA with help of Pain Rehabilitation Program and finds ‘the art of hope’
Wes DeVries has spinal muscular atrophy, a rare condition that affects the muscles, but he hasn’t allowed his physical limitations to quash his creativity. Diagnosed in 1996, the 59-year-old Grand Rapids native is a renowned local artist who dismisses his pain and limited mobility to create abstracts rich in texture and color. In this video, […]
Debbie credits Weight Management Program with new confidence, well-being
When Debbie Erickson’s physician told her she was pre-diabetic, she knew it was time to do something and joined the Mary Free Bed Weight Management Program. Not only did she lose weight, Debbie no longer was pre-diabetic. She gained self-confidence and belief in her ability to maintain her weight loss. Debbie shares her experience here: […]
Mary Free Bed Spine Center patient Ann Ward: ‘They truly gave me my life back’
Ann Ward has a posse of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild, and she doesn’t have time for pain. The retired Grattan Township paramedic suffered from near-disabling back pain and came to the Mary Free Bed Spine Center for treatment. In this video, Ann shares how Spine Center specialists helped identify the source of her pain […]
Kristy calls recovery from back pain ‘amazing’ with help of Mary Free Bed Spine Center
Kristy Reuss suffered with back pain for nearly two years. At one point, her pain was so debilitating she was unable to stand or walk and missed a month of work. Diagnosed with a disc herniation between the L5 and S1 vertebrae in her spine, Kristy’s course of treatment provided some relief but only for […]
After two years of suffering, Pain Rehabilitation Program teaches Nathan ‘you control the pain’
After she broke her ankle in 2016, it was several months before Nathan Parnell was able to put any weight on her injured ankle. Her recovery proved difficult, and Nathan endured disabling pain that reverberated through her legs, hips and back. She struggled for nearly two years before being referred to the Pain Rehabilitation Program […]
Mary Free Bed adds new outpatient rehabilitation locations to serve patients in Holland, Kalamazoo
Grand Rapids, Mich. – People who need specialized outpatient rehabilitation now have more options in the Holland and Kalamazoo areas. Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital has expanded its system of care to satellite locations in the West Michigan communities. “We’re excited to offer our specialized rehabilitation programs in convenient locations for Holland and Kalamazoo patients,” […]
Patient continues rehabilitation journey at home
Trula Schutt came to Mary Free Bed for rehabilitation after back surgery to treat spinal stenosis, a narrowing of the spinal canal that causes pain. She eventually gained enough strength to walk with a walker, then on her own before graduating from the inpatient program. But Trula still needed a little help, so she transitioned […]
Pitcher Bryce Baker credits Pain Center with restoring hope
UPDATE: Bryce Baker is continuing to pursue his dream of playing baseball professionally, and he credits Mary Free Bed’s Pain Center with providing him with the tools to do it. Bryce recently paid a visit to the Pain Center to see his team and to share that he’s off all pain medication. In the video […]
Jodi (Mata) Scott tackles adversity with hope, determination
Loss is a word Jodi (Mata) Scott knows all too well. In the span of three years, she lost three people she loved dearly: her mother, boyfriend and best friend. During that time, Jodi also lost all of her fingers and thumbs in a 2013 fire that destroyed her childhood home in Harrison, Mich. “It’s […]
Ghost Inside drummer Andrew Tkaczyk reunites with bandmates for first time since crash at Alternative Press Music Awards
Andrew Tkaczyk is walking. He’s also driving and playing drums, things the 28-year-old could only hope for after being seriously injured in a crash eight months ago. Andrew, drummer for Los Angeles-based metalcore band The Ghost Inside, spent five weeks as an inpatient at Mary Free Bed after their tour bus was involved in a head-on […]
Little Gemma finds strength to battle hypotonia, ‘courage’ to try new things
Gemma was 1 year old when she started outpatient therapy at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital for hypotonia, a condition that weakens the muscles, making it difficult to sit, stand or walk. As part of her therapy, pediatric physical therapist Kate Rustem has used Kinesio Taping to facilitate core muscle stability. “We use it to […]
The Ghost Inside drummer: ‘I have no doubt I’ll get back to doing what I love’
Guest blog: Andrew Tkaczyk is the drummer for Los Angeles-based metalcore band The Ghost Inside. He spent 5 weeks as an inpatient at Mary Free Bed following a November crash that killed two people and severely injured several others, including his bandmates. Andrew, 28, sustained head trauma and fractures to his spine, ribs and hip. […]
Restoring balance with vestibular rehabilitation therapy
A balance disorder can affect a person’s quality of life by significantly impacting his or her comfort and safety. A person who has vertigo, for instance, may have trouble performing daily tasks at home or work. Vestibular rehabilitation therapy, such as what’s offered at Mary Free Bed, can help to address these issues. Mary Free Bed therapists […]
Lauren Brasure is racing to recovery
Lauren Brasure is no stranger to hard work. The 2014 Rockford High School graduate was an all-conference and all-state runner named “Ms. Cross Country” by the Michigan Interscholastic Track Coaches Association. Her tremendous talent led to a scholarship to compete for the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville, where she’s also seen success for the Division […]
Ballroom dancing class helps Kathy feel ‘new’ and ‘normal’
Kathy Robinson is no wallflower. The 62-year-old retired school teacher loves to kayak, do yoga and dance. And despite her 2011 diagnosis of secondary-progressive multiple sclerosis, Kathy still does all three. Kathy is enrolled in Wheelchair & Adaptive Sports’ (WAS) new Ballroom Dancing course, which promote participants’ physical, social and emotional well-being. “Sometimes I can […]
The Ghost Inside drummer develops bond with Dr. Bloom on rehabilitation journey
Dr. Stephen Bloom visited Andrew Tkaczyk about 7 am every day for 5 weeks at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. He reviewed reports with his patient, and they talked about the next steps on his road to recovery. Then they talked about drumming. “Andrew’s nickname is Dr. Beats, and he calls me Dr. Drums,” said Bloom, […]
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” […]
Fall prevention should be a year-round concern
Falls are a significant public safety concern, no matter the season. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, millions of Americans 65 years and older fall each year. Head injuries and hip fractures are among the most common types of injuries sustained in a fall. Here at Mary Free Bed, fall prevention is […]
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 […]
Hunting safety tips for an injury-free season
This weekend marks the beginning of Michigan’s regular firearm season for deer (Nov. 15-30, 2015). Hunting is an important tradition for many Michigan families. With proper safety precautions in place, hunting can be a safe and rewarding recreational activity. Hunting safety is a topic of great concern at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. Each fall and winter, […]
Augmentative Communication provides options for speech
Augmentative and alternative communication can literally help to give a voice to individuals with diagnoses or conditions that can include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), autism, stroke, cerebral palsy, Rett syndrome, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury and Down syndrome. In Mary Free Bed’s Augmentative Communication Program, a speech-language pathologist and occupational therapist work with […]
I’ll keep going until I can’t go anymore’
Thirty-four-year-old Nate Denofre doesn’t have much use for the term “disabled.” Born without legs below the knee – a result of amniotic band syndrome – Nate prefers to focus on what is possible for him to do, instead of what isn’t. His latest undertaking embodies the odds-defying spirit that’s driven him to live a life […]
Advances in foot drop rehabilitation benefit wide range of patients
There have been tremendous strides in foot drop rehabilitation in the last few decades, and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital therapists have stayed in step with all the latest developments. “Foot drop” is the term commonly used to describe a difficulty in lifting the front part of the foot while walking. Foot drop can mean an […]
Scoliosis treatment uses teamwork and technology
Scoliosis, a sideways curvature of the spine, affects an estimated 7 million Americans. The spinal condition typically is diagnosed in childhood or adolescence, often discovered during back-to-school “well child” checkups. Mary Free Bed’s Orthotics & Prosthetics (O&P) professionals are well-versed in helping to fit patients of all ages with custom scoliosis braces. These specialized orthotic devices are […]