Mary Free Bed is all-in for patient Keith Stone
An accident on a golf cart left Keith Stone with a severe spinal cord injury. Even though Keith lives in Grand Blanc and the accident occurred in Petoskey, he and wife Sarah decided to come to Mary Free Bed for his rehabilitation. Watch the video to learn how Keith’s time at Mary Free Bed had a positive impact […]
Marcus’ message of determination: ‘Whatever you want to be, you can be it’
Congrats are in order for Marcus Fairfield and Liz Lauer! This week, the new parents welcomed a beautiful baby girl into their family. A rollover accident in April left Marcus with a paralyzing spinal cord injury. He graduated this fall from Mary Free Bed after months of intensive inpatient rehabilitation where he focused on maximizing his strength, […]
Chaffee brothers face challenges, celebrate triumphs together
UPDATE: Good Housekeeping published a story about the Chaffee brothers’ journey on Nov. 20, 2015. Click here to read the story. Brothers Adam and Matt Chaffee stick together through thick and thin. That support system and brotherly bond will be crucial as the two adjust to a new life in the coming months. Twenty-three-year-old Adam […]
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, […]
Educational opportunities abound at 2015 SCI Symposium
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital was pleased to welcome 160 guests to the 2015 SCI Symposium held Thursday, Oct. 22, at the Prince Conference Center at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. The event, “Living | Loving,” covered a wide range of topics and drew a diverse audience. “As leaders in rehabilitation, it’s important for us […]
Faith & friendship guide Mildred’s rehabilitation at Mary Free Bed at Sparrow
An unexpected fall led to the discovery of Mildred Mendenhall’s rare spinal tumor. The condition affected the use of her legs and necessitated months of intense rehabilitation at Mary Free Bed at Sparrow in Lansing. “They taught me how to sit up and maintain my balance,” Mildred says of her 5-month stay. “It was hard […]
Ryan Podvin continues to thrive at Mary Free Bed as an employee after diving accident
Summer is a time for fun and recreation, but it’s also known as trauma season. Unfortunately, accidents can occur during every day, familiar activities, like swimming, diving and playing sports. Ryan Podvin, an experienced swimmer, suffered a spinal cord injury after barely nicking his chin in a diving accident in Lake Michigan. Five years later […]
Mary Free Bed alum finds inspiration 12,000 feet above ground
Buddy Gargus, 50, has long been an adrenaline junkie. A paralyzing spinal cord injury, sustained in a July 2010 diving accident, didn’t diminish his bold spirit. Post-accident, Buddy spent two months in rehabilitation at Mary Free Bed where he focused on maximizing his strength and mobility. “Mary Free Bed for me was a wonderful experience,” Buddy […]
It’s a girl! Recreational therapist helps father-to-be attend ultrasound
Marcus Fairfield, 27, didn’t think he’d get to attend the 18-week ultrasound for his first child. With a bit of creativity, teamwork and careful planning by Mary Free Bed Recreational Therapist Kaitlin Salowitz, Marcus was able to be in the room when he and his girlfriend, Liz, learned they would become parents to a baby girl this November. Kaitlin […]
Pre-wedding teamwork gets mom on her feet
Even though she’s been paralyzed from the waist down for more than 3 decades, Pat Shipley was able to “walk” her daughter, Lindsey Eickhoff, down the aisle thanks to the generosity of Mary Free Bed staff, patients and vendors. “It was the first time I really got to hug my mom standing up,” Lindsey says. For […]
MFB’s Jocelyn Dettloff feels the ‘need for speed’ at Berlin Raceway
Jocelyn Dettloff, Annual Fund Director for the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, isn’t one to shy away from a high-adrenaline adventure. When Jocelyn — who in 1997 was paralyzed in a sand sledding accident in Namibia, Africa — was recently given the chance to drive a race car on the Berlin Raceway, she embraced the […]
People + technology = a winning combo for patient with spinal cord injury [Video]
Dean McClellan, a patient of the Mary Free Bed Spinal Cord Injury Program, has made great strides in his journey to once again walk. Leading-edge technology — like the LokomatPro and ZeroG — plays an important role in physical rehabilitation. But the human factor is just as crucial for a meaningful recovery. The videos below demonstrate […]
River Bank Run with Mary Free Bed handcycle and wheelchair athletes
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital is proud to sponsor the Fifth Third River Bank Run Wheelchair & Handcycle divisions. The following videos show you first-hand what it’s like to train and race on a handcycle or wheelchair. Please contact Wheelchair & Adaptive Sports if you’re interested in being involved with the team. #MFBRollin | #53RBR – Join […]
Two women from different generations form bond during rehab
Sometimes you find a great friend when you least expect it…
Still hunting – and still walking
Ed Spoelma has three words of advice for anyone who hunts from a tree stand: Wear your harness. Three years ago, Ed was hunting from a tree stand near Remus, Mich. when he fell 20 feet, breaking his sternum and back. He suffered permanent nerve damage and now has two rods in his back. “I […]
What a difference a year can make
Guest Blog by Becca Willis, wife of Mary Free Bed alumnus On September 25, 2013, Adam Willis had a life-changing accident on a mountain bike trail. He went over his handlebars and hit the ground head first. His neck was snapped back and he sustained a spinal cord injury. Without his helmet, he would have […]
Ken Taylor recovers, regains strength at Mary Free Bed after spinal cord injury
Thomas “Ken” Taylor, 77, was working in a hilly part of his yard last spring when he lost his balance. He fell into a tree, which caused him to fracture is neck (C1 vertebrae). Ken was immediately taken to the emergency room at Holland Hospital. After a few days in the hospital he was referred […]
Third time’s the charm for Megan Reynolds
Megan Reynolds is pleased to be a “repeat customer” at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital. “I requested to come back here because it feels safe. I trust everyone here,” says Megan, who is 27 and lives in Hudsonville. Last week, as she wrapped up her third stay as an inpatient, Megan spoke fondly of the […]
Jennifer Crowell – A Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Story Part 2
Jennifer Crowell, Mary Free Bed graduate, decided that her accident wasn’t the end. In fact, it was the beginning of her decision to inspire and encourage others in similar situations. Listen as Shelley Mishler, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital Guild President, shares Jennifer’s story of hope and determination.
Diamond Lee – 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. I went to Mary Free Bed after I broke my neck in a car accident. I loved being there. The nurses and therapists made me feel […]
Jennifer Crowell – 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. Who would have thought that a life-changing injury would bring such incredible people into my life? It was July 15, 2008 – a gorgeous summer day […]
Adam Willis – 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 husband, Adam Willis, was a patient at Mary Free Bed from September 30 – November 17, 2013 after a mountain biking accident that resulted in […]
Mary Free Bed Patient Gets Back to the Hunt
“It’s about getting me back to me…and who I’m going to be for the rest of my life,” says Mike Kibben of his time spent in the Spinal Cord Injury Program at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in 1997. Mike fell from a tree while hunting, paralyzing him for life. But with the help of Mary […]
Mary Free Bed Spine Center Gets Ballerina Back On Her Toes
Aurora Lewis decided at 16 she wanted to be a professional ballerina. She realized that dream as a freshman in college, but severe back pain soon followed and lead to her having to cancel her contract. The next two years were a mix of pain, confusion and disappointment as Aurora went to more than a […]
Man Returns to Hunting after Experiencing a Spinal Cord Injury
As an experienced hunter, Breck Lonier was familiar with the safety precautions. However, one mistake led him to fall from a tree stand and become paralyzed. The only thing Breck remembers during that hunting trip in October 1999 was that he wasn’t feeling well. “I actually fell from the tree stand twice,” Breck explains. “I […]
Man Overcomes Spinal Cord Injury and Publishes Book
As a former firefighter and father of three, Steven P. Christians always had an active lifestyle. When he wasn’t fighting fires, Steven ventured outdoors, spending his free time fishing, hunting, or camping. However, Steven’s life took a drastic turn when doctors found a syrinx, a fluid-filled cyst, in his spinal cord. At age 35, Steven […]
Johnnie Tuitel Motivated by Mary Free Bed
Johnnie Tuitel came to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in March 2013. The celebrated West Michigan author, motivational speaker, and disability advocate with cerebral palsy was found barely conscious, having spent nearly 9 hours in freezing temperatures after falling from his wheelchair. Emotionally drained, with frostbitten fingertips and a mild brain injury, Johnnie found in Mary […]
Motivation Leads to Remarkable Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury
Last March, Chris Graystone was enjoying a fun evening with friends. However, the night filled with good laughs and memories took a turn for the worse when a few friends decided to take a polar bear plunge. Chris decided to join them. While making his way to the lake, Chris tripped over uneven ground just […]
Horseback riding accident leaves competitor with spinal cord injury
Dr. Alice Gale has always been active. Last year, if she wasn’t at her dermatology practice, she was outside running, riding her bike or maybe at the gym. For as long as she can remember, she’s ridden horses, and for the past 20 years, she’s jumped horses competitively. Last February, Alice was in Florida for […]
Told he’d never walk again, Bob is back on his feet
For the second time that winter, Bob Dykstra and his friends jumped on their snowmobiles and shot into the woods. Always a fan of snow sports, Bob was eager to tear up the powder. They approached a hill that they’d gone over hundreds of times before. Bob flew over the pinnacle and instead of landing […]