Client Spotlight: Jenny Rosebrock

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Over the course of a long career as a nurse, Jenny Rosebrock served many patients recovering from neurologic injuries, but she never imagined she would be on the receiving end of such care.  That changed in March of 2020, when Jenny suffered a brainstem stroke causing left side paralysis.  It would be the start of a long and grueling road to recovery.

Jenny spent three weeks at a local rehabilitation hospital before she was discharged home.  With outpatient clinics closed last spring due to COVID-19, she was not able to begin outpatient therapy at the hospital until June.  By the fall, Jenny had made significant gains.  She had regained some movement, and could take her first steps with a hemi-walker.

Unfortunately, in October of 2020, just seven months after her stroke, it was determined that Jenny had “plateaued”.  Her recovery was deemed complete and she was discharged from rehabilitation.    It is a story that is familiar to so many patients battling the rehabilitation process.  Neurologic injuries take months, sometimes years, to recover from.  NeuroHope was created to help patients like Jenny maximize their recovery.  Fortunately, her outpatient therapist recommended NeuroHope so she could continue her progress. (story continued below video)

Over the last four months, Jenny has been a regular in the NeuroHope gym with Nora, Megan, and Lydia, pushing her recovery.   She has inspired everyone with her enthusiasm, and came up with the idea for our “Key West Challenge”,  a therapy and workout challenge involving everyone at NeuroHope that tracks therapy and wellness “miles” on a virtual journey to Florida.

Most importantly, Jenny’s recovery continues!  The video above captures the emotional moment when she left her walker behind and took her FIRST STEPS after her stroke.

“I am so grateful to NeuroHope,” Jenny says.  “With an atmosphere of positivity and encouragement, and a great staff and facility, I have made progress and can use a walker without a leg brace now.  My ‘stroke-aversary’ is in March. As I reflect on the past year, I am thankful for family, friends, my therapists, and for NeuroHope!”

Keep pushing Jenny!  This is why we’re here!

 

 

 

 

 

Happy Holiday Season from NeuroHope!

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From the NeuroHope family to each of yours: Merry Christmas, and Happy Holiday season!  May the holiday season provide a respite from stress and a chance to reflect on the blessings we have!

We are thankful to be in the lives of each of our patients recovering from life-changing injury, and we appreciate every supporter that follows their inspiring journeys.  In 2020, NeuroHope helped 96 people receive continued therapy.  Additionally, the Wellness program we launched thanks to your donations and support from the Indiana Department of Health gave 25 members access to open gym and assisted gym hours at NeuroHope to stay as active as possible after injury.

It’s all part of our ongoing mission to provide a location where long-term, affordable rehabilitation and wellness is possible.  We are proud to make it happen!

2021 will mark our 6-year anniversary, and the opportunity to help our 200th patient!

Happy Holidays everyone! We appreciate you all!

NeuroHope Receives $25,000 From OrthoIndy Foundation

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The year 2020 has been turbulent for non-profit organizations.   Fundraising is always a challenge, but never more than this year   Charities had to sustain temporary closures due to COVID-19, and need to raise more funds than usual to make up for lost time and to implement program changes.

Thankfully, there are angel organizations, donors, and foundations that believe in NeuroHope and are eager to help!

I’m thrilled to announce that NeuroHope is the proud recipient of a $25,000 program grant from the OrthoIndy and Indiana Orthopedic Hospital Foundation!  This generous gift is made possibly by the Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF).  The OrthoIndy Foundation was created in 2012 with a mission to improve mobility and function for residents of central Indiana.  The Foundation supports local programs that work  to increase self-sufficiency, promote wellness, and improve the quality of life for individuals in need.

The Foundation first believed in our vision back in 2016, when it supplied NeuroHope with a generous expansion grant to help our clinic move to our current location.   In the four years since, NeuroHope has grown to form a true continuum of care program for people living with and recovering from paralysis, and we’ve helped 184 people on their road to recovery.

Our program revolves around providing supplemental therapy and exercise for patients.  Most people attend NeuroHope because their insurance coverage for physical therapy has been capped.  These patients need extended therapy and more time with specialists to work on goals that maximize recovery and improve their quality of life.   This award from the OrthoIndy Foundation helps fund the supplementary care we provide, and will ensure our program remains strong in 2021 and beyond.  We are humbled and honored to have their support!

3rd Annual “Swing Fore Hope” Raises $53,000!

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What a day! Our 3rd annual “Swing Fore Hope” charity scramble was a smashing success. 132 golfers, 18 sponsors, a silent auction, raffle winners, patient speeches by Mitch Dankert and Chris Nichols, and a day’s worth of free food and drinks for all. Most importantly, we raised a grand total of $53,000 for NeuroHope!

There are many people to thank who made this year’s ONLY fundraiser such a success:

Every golfer that came out to support our patients, the auction item donors, the NeuroHope events committee led by Justin Davis, who planned the outing for months, Indy Biplanes for an exciting tee-off flyover, Ironwood Golf Club for being such great hosts, all of our pizza donors, Jack’s Donuts, Fuzzy’s Vodka, Four Day Ray Brewing, and Havana Cigar Lounge for the presence and product donations all afternoon!  

A special thanks goes to our Event Sponsors: Hensley Legal Group, Langdon Shaw Wealth Management, hc1.com, Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Rehab Medical, and Delta Faucet

A special thanks also goes out to all of our hole sponsors:  

Ameripak, Aero Industries, Axiom HR, Brenda Bowman – FC Tucker, Bright Ideas of Broadripple, Burger King of Kokomo & Muncie, David Bruce – State Farm, Greg George Insurance Agency, Justus Real Estate, Kimball Electronics,  KSM Consulting, The Laviolette Group, Lynch, Harrison, & Brumleve, Lannie Thompson – FC Tucker, National Bank of Indianapolis, Patterson Horth General Contractors, Rehabiliation Associates of Indiana, Sparenberg Farms, The Spickelmier Family, Systemmax Corporation, Tim Allen Photo.

Congratulations to all of our contest winners who took home Delta Faucet merhandise (Longest Drive, closet to the pin).  And, cheers to the new “Swing Fore Hope” Champions: Austin Bowman, Josh Martin, Craig Costello, and Drew Schroeder!

Don’t forget – you can support NeuroHope year-round by choosing “NeuroHope of Indiana” as your Amazon Smile charity.  You can also set up easy, monthly recurring contributions by clicking here.  Just $25 per month from 100 people would be an extra $30,000 per year for our patients!!

Thank you all!  We’ll see you next year!

Client Spotlight: Tim Owen

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In March of 2019, 45-year-old Tim Owen was driving his car when he was overcome by a paralyzing stroke.  Thanks to quick thinking and the life-saving work of paramedics, he survived.  But the effects of the stroke were significant, initially leaving him completely paralyzed on his left side.

Tim’s recovery has been long and tedious.  He spent two months at Community Hospital and came to NeuroHope for continued therapy in September of 2019.   Over the last 12 months Tim has worked tirelessly in his recovery and made MAJOR strides.  One of his more recent goals – GET BACK ON THAT GOLF COURSE!

Check out the inspiring video below of Tim working with Bart and Megan to get his swing back while strengthening his legs and core on a vibration plate AND his FIRST LIVE SWING at Top Golf with his son behind the camera!

Gotta love it.  GO TIM!!

 

Tim is one of the 52 current clients at NeuroHope that is recovering from a life-changing injury or neurologic condition that we provide with continued rehabilitation and exercise programs.  Spinal cord injury, brain injury, and stroke take months, or sometimes years to maximize recovery.  Unfortunately, most insurance plans limit the amount of therapy coverage each year, and traditional healthcare facilities are unable to provide continued care.

NeuroHope was created to fill the void in care by offering affordable rates for patients AFTER insurance is exhausted so patients like Tim can continue their inspiring journeys and be in a better position to reach their goals.

 

Partial Re-Open After COVID-19

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We’re back!! As of May 18th, it’s partial re-open for client re-evaluations this week. During our two-month closure we have remained engaged with clients through video visits and home programs. Remote programs remain available for all clients. However, we have revamped our COVID-19 safety and infection control policies per OSHA and CDC guidelines and have re-opened in a limited capacity for clients who wish to return.

Some of the new policies in place to best protect clients and staff:

-Caregivers and/or visitors are not permitted inside the building unless needed for cognitive purposes or to accompany a pediatric client.
-All staff and clients are screened daily.
-The number of scheduled clients per hour has been limited to preserve social distancing in the gym at all times.
-We have strict disinfectant and hygiene protocols in place every hour as per CDC and WHO recommendations.

NeuroHope continues to follow the State of Indiana and Marion County orders and guidelines.

Stay healthy and stay aware everyone! We look forward to seeing our amazing clients soon!

NeuroHope at Inaugural Reeve Summit

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When Christopher Reeve became paralyzed 25 years ago, spinal cord injury was launched into the public eye.  Paralysis can happen to anyone anywhere.  There are 18,000 new injuries in the United States every year.  It is a community no one expects to join.  When we become a part of it – the fear, suffering, pain, & emotional despair is more than we think possible to bear.  But, we also discover strength, the capacity to overcome mental and physical adversity, and an appreciation and outlook on life we never knew was possible. We experience a healthcare system in need of change, a research community in need of a road map for collaboration and funding, and a paralysis community fighting for a voice for advocacy.

The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation has been the primary force behind advocacy for these issues ever since its creation, and it will continue to be the guiding light in the ongoing effort for both cure and care for years to come.  The inaugural Reeve Summit brought researchers, physicians, rehabilitation centers, spinal cord injury survivors, and advocates together for three days in Washington D.C. to discuss cure, care, and the future of spinal cord injury research and awareness.  Keynote addresses were made by Christopher Reeve’s daughter, and Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors Alexandra Reeve Givens, Chief Scientific Officer Ethan Pearlstein, and Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts.

While still a long way from a cure – the spinal cord injury world is at an exciting time as research and knowledge of both neurorecovery and rehabilitative interventions are advancing. It’s important for scientists and researchers to challenge each other , but also communicate and collaborate for CURE and CARE.  In the meantime, the paralysis community – people recovering from and living with paralysis need to be ready, stay healthy, and ENJOY THIS LIFE!

The healthcare system must build an infrastructure for a proper continuum of care to improve lives, and provide adequate access to interventions NOW!  That is part of the small role we are proud to play at NeuroHope.

When the injured “join” this community, we realize there are passionate voices that will not give up on advocacy for cure, care, and rehabilitative access.  Research, healthcare, quality of life, and disability rights are all connected in this world.

Many thanks to the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation for being the force that brings these voices together.

NeuroHope Presents at APTA National Conference

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The NeuroHope story was presented at the American Physical Therapy Association’s (APTA) Combined Sections Meeting in Denver, Colorado on February 14th!

Dr. Stephanie A. Miller from the Krannert School of Physical Therapy at The University of Indianapolis and NeuroHope’s Director of Therapy, Nora Foster presented preliminary findings of our ongoing research study at the APTA’s annual summit where thousands of physical therapists and researchers from around the globe gather to share the latest developments and practices in the physical therapy world.

It was an exciting opportunity to showcase our unique mission and program.  NeuroHope was created with a model that defies traditional healthcare.  Instead of relying solely on insurance reimbursement and billable hours – we focus on patient access and affordability above everything else.  Maximal recovery from catastrophic injuries depend on this standard of care, but adequate access to therapy, exercise, and expensive rehabilitative technology is difficult for healthcare systems to provide.  The irony: knowledge, science, and rehabilitative technology is advancing, but patient access is declining.

Most people recovering from life-changing spinal cord and brain injuries stop therapy when insurance coverage is depleted, which may only be a few months following injury.  The severity of neurologic injuries, the length of time needed to recover from them, and the lack of long-term quality of life programs in most communities leaves a void in care that NeuroHope was created to address.

Thanks to support from the Indiana Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Fund, NeuroHope has partnered with a research team from the University of Indianapolis to track the long-term outcome measures of patients that have access to NeuroHope’s model of ongoing care.  Since January 2018, patients attending NeuroHope have been evaluated extensively to monitor their motor fuction, physical activities and health-related quality of life during participation in our program. Patients with varying degrees of injuries, ages, and length of time since the injury, all participate in a rigorous 2-hour evaluation that consists of tests that measure neurologic function, balance, range of motion, reach, endurance, and walking,  in addition to surveys to monitor their satisfaction and quality of life.  Tests are repeated every 3 to 6 months to evaluate progress.

Patients are being tracked through the summer of 2020 in order to capture the clearest picture we can, but even now,  preliminary results have shown improvements across most outcomes.   In the coming months, we look forward to sharing complete results over a three-year period to gauge the effect that continued therapy and aggressive exercise  may have for both recent and chronically injured patients recovering from neurologic injury.

Thanks to our supporters and partners, we are making affordable rehabilitation a reality!

Client Spotlight: Alexa Cantwell

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Alexa Cantwell, a 27 year old from Indianapolis, didn’t become a wheelchair-user instantaneously like so many others who injure their spinal cords. Instead, when she was just 8 years old, Alexa sustained a spinal stroke which resulted in a gradual decline in her mobility through her teens.

The spinal stroke caused damage from the C2 to T2 vertabrae.  “Because of the nature of the stroke, it took doctors a long time to discover what actually happened,” Alexa says. “I started using AFO leg braces when I was around 10 years old and later used forearm crutches.  I didn’t use a wheelchair full-time until I was seventeen.”

Since a spinal stroke can cause an incomplete injury, Alexa’s entire body is affected in some way.  She still has some sensation throughout her body. “Just a little less in my legs and feet. I can also move my legs a very small amount,” she says.

When Alexa was 12, her family moved into an accessible home as a precautionary step.  By the time she was in her teens she needed to use the elevator and accessible apartment in the basement. “When I was in college, we renovated my bathroom so I could use it independently.  We installed a roll-in shower with a bench, a sink I can roll under, and bars by the toilet. I’m so grateful to have a house that I could easily transition to,” Alexa says.

Since her injury was not traumatic, she did not go through traditional specialized neurological rehabilitation. Instead, she was sent to general physical therapy. “Before being at NeuroHope, I had gone to a facility that specialized in helping patients with neurological injuries and conditions, but it was still pretty traditional in a lot of ways. I wasn’t showing enough improvement after a short time so I was discharged.”

Frustrated with the results of therapy, she wanted more and was introduced to NeuroHope when she saw a post on Instagram.  “I checked out their page not realizing NeuroHope was in Indiana. I was surprised and excited to find out they were so close to where I lived. I wanted to try out a place that offered something different from traditional physical therapy but everything I found was too far away.”

Alexa has now been coming to NeuroHope for more than a year and has seen exciting results. “I’ve always been drawn to alternative methods instead of the traditional route when it comes to my health, so NeuroHope was right up my alley. One of my favorite things is the Xcite machine (Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation). At my first appointment, I got to use it and stand up with a walker. It felt really good to be on my feet again.”

Now working as a self-employed lifestyle and wellness coach after graduating with writing and business administration degrees, Alexa stays busy with family and friends when she’s not working. “They’re so supportive and I don’t know what I’d do without them,” she says. “I also enjoy serving at church and traveling. I haven’t been out of the country since I’ve been in my chair, but it’s on my bucket list.”

2nd Annual “Swing Fore Hope” Raises $24,000!

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Major thanks to the 100+ golfers and all sponsors that made the “2019 Swing Fore Hope” charity golf scramble a success! We had a blast at Ironwood Golf Club and raised $24,000 for NeuroHope, which provides long-term rehabilitation and wellness programs for people recovering from neurologic injury.

We have new “Champions of the Cup”: Brad Matthews, Steve Vance, Kevin Vance, and Jon Rolfsen who have 12 months to reign supreme! A special thanks goes to our event sponsors  Hensley Legal Group, PC, Incrediplex, Delta Faucet Company, and Langdon Shaw Associates.

It was a fantastic day made possible by the volunteers that secured our auction items, and the hole sponsors that made the day a success:

The National Bank of Indianapolis, Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine, Sunrise Medical, Circle City Reporting, Bright Ideas of Broadripple, F.C. Tucker (Lannie Thompson), hc1 .com, Indie Asset Partners, Systemax Corporation, BATS Wireless, Rehabilitation Associates of Indiana, Patterson Horth General Contractors, tsAllen Photos, Lynch Harrison & Brumleve Inc., Burger King of Kokomo and Muncie, The George Insurance Agency, Sparenberg Farms, Ben Franklin, The Spickelmier Family, and The Phil and Karen Thomas Family.