NeuroHope on Boombostic Health Podcast

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NeuroHope Founder and Executive Director Chris Leeuw joined healthcare entrepreneur Bradley Bostic on the Boombostic Health podcast to share his story recovering from spinal cord injury, gaps in the healthcare system, and the current state of neuro rehabilitation.
Conversation Points:
1:42 mark: Detailed account of the spinal cord injury that initially left Chris paralyzed from the neck down.
8:54 mark: The “second odyssey” beyond paralysis – the gap in prolonged care.
11:27: His journey to Neuroworx in Salt Lake City, Utah and the life-changing care he received.
13:16: The creation of NeuroHope, a hybrid model of rehabilitative access and continued wellness, and research with the University of Indianapolis.
18:30: Our partnership with Conquer Paralysis Now and the new DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center.
22:40: The business of healthcare and our solution to high-cost care for  vulnerable patient populations.

IU “Skills On Wheels” Returns for Community Training!

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A special THANK YOU to the “Skills On Wheels” (SOW) team from Indiana University for making a return to NeuroHope!

Skills On Wheels travels the community with volunteers from the IU Occupational Therapy School with mobile ramps, stairs, and more to help wheelchair users hone their skills with their equipment navigating curbs, inclines, difficult terrain, and other obstacles.

Video of day below!

Thanks to Krista Kaufman (OTD) and the rest of the NeuroHope team for making it a great day!

Grand Opening of the DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center Powered by NeuroHope!

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An incredible THANK YOU to the 400+ supporters, patients, and community partners of NeuroHope and Conquer Paralysis Now (CPN) who celebrated the Grand Opening of the DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center Powered by NeuroHope with us!
Ten years ago, NeuroHope started with a single therapy mat at the University of Indianapolis.   In the years since, thanks to Indiana CTSI, the Incrediplex, the OrthoIndy Foundation, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Impact 100 of Greater Indianapolis, and many others , we grew to a 24-person multidisciplinary outpatient clinic, changed state legislation , raised millions of dollars , and most importantly helped more than 600 people in their journey battling paralysis!
Now, we are honored to begin our biggest partnership yet with Sam Schmidt and CPN in the opening of the DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center where we are proud to relocate our clinic and manage clinical care and programs at the center.  This partnership is centered around our singular and joint mission: Recovery from neurologic injury takes more time than traditional healthcare will allow, but that doesn’t mean access to the resources patients need should be limited.
The renovation of the former “Five Seasons” Sports club into the 110,000 square foot DRIVEN center allows NeuroHope to grow our mission of providing affordable, extended care for people living with paralysis, and creates a future campus for adaptive sports, recreation, community support programs, research opportunities , and other like-minded organizations to reside.
This is a landmark moment for the community and we are eternally grateful for Sam Schmidt and all of our supporters and staff through the years that have made this facility a reality.
Now the work continues to make this center the best in the Midwest!
Watch a video of our team’s move-in below!

NeuroHope Hosts Locomotor Training Seminar by Neurorecovery Learning

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On August 10th and 11th, NeuroHope served as a host site for a Locomotor Training seminar by Neurorecovery Learning (NRL).   Led by Dr. Susan Harkema of the University of Louisville and her team from Frazier Rehabilitation Institute, we welcomed guests from other Activity-based neurorecovery centers for two days of treadmill training and reviewing the principles of activating the nervous system after spinal cord injury.

Locomotor Training uses a body-weight-support treadmill and a team of four clinicians delivering specific hand placement and sensory cueing to promote neuroplasticity and a reflexive stepping response after injury.  Weight bearing, balance, trunk / motor control, cardiovascular health, respiratory strength and, ultimately, overall health and quality of life can all be improved through locomotor training.

Thank you to the NRL instructors,  NeuroHope’s lead trainer Steven Bowser, and to the patients that volunteered time on the treadmill.  It was a great weekend!

Learn more about Neurorecovery Learning’s online and live training here.

 

“Swing ‘Fore’ Hope” Golf Scramble: October 7!

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The 7th Annual Swing “Fore” Hope  golf scramble Presented by Valeo Financial is set for Monday, October 7th at Ironwood Golf Course in Fishers!

Register here!

This year we’re proud to announce a partnership with fellow non-profit “Conquer Paralysis Now” (CPN), established by former IndyCar driver and team owner Sam Schmidt, to expand our services, relocate our clinic, and re-shape the entire rehabilitative landscape in the community.  The transformation of the former “Five Seasons” Sports Club on the northside of Indianapolis into the 115,000 square foot DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center is nearly complete.  We are RAISING FUNDS for NeuroHope’s relocation!

Join us on the golf course or sponsor the festivities to help reach our $50,000 goal to cover moving costs as we grow our programs, add aquatic and speech therapy, and continue to help people hundreds of people recover from paralysis.

 

Special thanks to our Event Sponsors:

Our New Home at the DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center Nears Completion!

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Last summer, we proudly announced a major partnership between NeuroHope and fellow non-profit “Conquer Paralysis Now” (CPN), established by former IndyCar driver and team owner Sam Schmidt, to expand our services, relocate our clinic, and re-shape the entire rehabilitative landscape in our community.   Now, the transformation of the former “Five Seasons” Sports Club on the northside of Indianapolis into the DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center is nearly complete.

We remain on track for a September relocation to the 115,000 square foot campus that will expand our physical therapy, occupational therapy, and adaptive exercise programs, unveil a new accessible fitness center, and add speech and aquatic therapy to our programs. The campus will eventually feature sports courts for adaptive recreation, and leasable space for other like-minded healthcare and non-profit organizations.  Take a video tour of the construction below!

 NeuroHope and CPN / DRIVEN have followed each other’s work for years.  Our missions are aligned in a purpose to change the model of healthcare access for people living with neurologic conditions.   We live in an exciting time when breakthroughs in research, technology, and innovation in neurorehabilitation happen every year, yet insurance-based access continues to diminish.  Our goal is to make adequate access to these resources possible for anyone in need.

Since 2014, the NeuroHope family has created a model that has made continued care a reality in Indiana.  Along the way, we have raised millions of dollars, scaled our programs, and helped hundreds of people in their recovery.  Our success has been possible thanks to the generous support of organizations like the University of Indianapolis, the Indiana Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Fund, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, CICF, the OrthoIndy Foundation, and the many donors who have believed in our work over the last decade.

We are proud to have a new partnership with CPN at the DRIVEN center, and an exciting path to create a neurorecovery and adaptive wellness center unlike any other.

 

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation at NeuroHope

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We are excited to add Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation (TSS) as a therapy intervention at NeuroHope!

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation

This alternate method of Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) differs from the more traditional form of NMES that we already provide, by using electrodes to stimulate the spinal cord directly, as opposed to placing electrodes on the affected muscle groups and the peripheral nervous system.

The goal: increase motor signal strength by tapping into the excitability of the nervous system at the spinal cord (with increased electrical parameters). When the stimulation is turned on, there has been marked improvement in voluntary movement for both chronic and acute injuries for many patients in trials around the country.
The video below shows NeuroHope patient Ethan Fuller working with physical therapist Ali Peters.  Just four months after his incomplete cervical spinal cord injury, and using TSS for the first time, there is improvement in Ethan’s ability to step with his left side, and raise his left arm.
It’s important to remember that every injury is different, and no recovery is the same!   Different forms of electrical stimulation (TSS / NMES) may be more appropriate for some patients than others.  Our philosophy is to have as many “tools” in the therapist’s toolbox as possible, and to ensure access to them is adequate to maximize recovery and improve long-term quality of life.

Video: NeuroHope’s Trip to Bradford Woods!

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On April 27th, NeuroHope went to the Woods!

NeuroHope started as a rehab center – but over the years has turned into a community!  It was our second annual retreat to Indiana University’s Bradford Woods outdoor adaptive recreation center for a day spent boating, fishing, ziplining, canoeing, and at the archery range.  More than 100 clients and caregivers joined us, and we added a few programs this year with meditation time in forest, a nature tour, and a campfire to cap off the day.

Check out a video of our day below!

Thanks to the sponsors Sparenberg Farms, Summit Consulting, Burger King of Kokomo, and Stride10 Coaching that made it possible!

Client Spotlight: Laura Burdick

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In the height of the Covid pandemic, yoga instructor and The Hot Room manager Laura Burdick, was traveling to Chicago to open a new yoga studio. She was thrilled to open a new Hot Room location and get people back into yoga studios, after months of quarantine. Laura’s journey to Chicago quickly turned her life upside down when her car was struck by a drunk driver. Laura sustained a spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury from this tragic accident.

After two months of healing in the ICU, Laura began her recovery at Shirley Ryan Ability Lab in Chicago. As in many recovery stories, Laura’s journey did not stop there. After a couple of months of recovery at Shirley Ryan, she left to continue her recovery in Omaha, Nebraska at QLI to participate in their in-patient brain injury rehabilitation program. She spent nine months at QLI before moving back to Indianapolis.

When Laura returned to Indianapolis, she was motivated and encouraged to relentlessly push to achieve new goals. She engaged in rehab at RHI briefly before transitioning to NeuroHope. At NeuroHope, Laura has been working with Neuro Exercise Specialist Steven Boswer for approximately a year and a half. She has been working with Steven on her tricep strength, core strength, mobility, and stability. Laura appreciates Steven’s creativity and commitment to helping her achieve her goals. Laura recently had a nerve transfer surgery on her left arm to gain more mobility and she is excited to begin OT with NeuroHope’s Occupational Therapy team soon!

Laura has become an important part of NeuroHope’s peer mentor team, and she offers health coaching services to the NeuroHope community! Laura’s advice to everyone is to take really good care of yourself, some challenge will always pop up in your life and you will wish you had been taking care of yourself. Take care of yourself because you deserve it!

A Night of Fun at NeuroHope’s Holiday Patient Party!

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We had a blast at this year’s Holiday Patient Party, organized by our Guided Exercise Intern Hadley Fisher and our First Friday team who helped coordinate cookie donations! We celebrated our amazing community and kicked off the holiday season with the best folks we know! The party was complete with an Ugly Sweater Contest, Gingerbread House Decorating, Cookie Walk, games, delicious pizza (thanks to Domino’s on Sunnyside) and a festive Hot Chocolate Bar with all the fixings! Thanks to everyone who made it a memorable night of fun!

1300 E. 96th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46240

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NeuroHope is a 501(c)3 non-profit that provides long-term physical rehabilitation and wellness following neurologic injury.   TIN: 46-1842276

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