Congratulations to Ryan Podvin, manager of Decision Support for Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, who’s been named one of the Grand Rapids Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Business Leaders. He is among the 2017 class of honorees selected for the honor based on business and career goals and achievements; industry expertise and leadership; and community…
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Anne Chamberlin has a simple mission: “My goal every day is to feel alive.” The 56-year-old East Grand Rapids native is a wife and mother of four, friend and philanthropist. And a cancer survivor ready to feel more alive than she ever has. Anne, a member of the Mary Free Bed Guild, will leave Oct….
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La Shon Diallo was working overtime at her long-time job as a Kalamazoo Metro Transit bus driver to earn extra money for a new roof on her home. She remembers the traffic light turning green. Then she remembers waking up in the hospital. La Shon, 47, was seriously injured when a suspected drunken driver traveling…
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UPDATE: Since Ken graduated from the inpatient Amputee Program, he’s returned to Mary Free Bed for outpatient therapy. His rehabilitation includes recreational therapy, which caters to each patient’s interests to improve their physical, social and emotional well-being, and to get them back to doing what they love. In Ken’s case, that’s being outside. Rachel Morse,…
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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…
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Brandon McElhenie couldn’t wait to drive his new 2016 Yamaha YXZ1000R at Silver Lake Sand Dunes. A fan of cars, dirt bikes and ATVs since he was young, the 25-year-old Battle Creek resident was excited to take the side-by-side UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) for an off-road ride with friends. Brandon, his girlfriend, Sara Roberts, and…
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Welcome to summer! Rising temps, humidity and sun exposure can make you break a sweat. When that happens, it’s important to replace the water you’ve lost. Water is a key nutrient and is essential for your body to function at its best. It is vital for most bodily functions, including digestion. It also helps transport…
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It’s been nearly a year since Paul Gobble graduated from Mary Free Bed. A survivor of the June 7, 2016 bicycle collision in Kalamazoo County that killed five others, Paul has been recovering from a head injury, multiple spinal cord injuries and a fractured fibula. “When I left Mary Free Bed, I was wearing three…
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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…
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At Mary Free Bed, we treat hundreds of people each year in our brain injury programs with a focus on helping each patient reach his or her maximum potential. Helmet use while riding a bicycle has been estimated to reduce the odds of head injury by 50 percent according to statistics from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety….
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