Client Spotlight: Patricia Harris

In December 2023, Patricia Harris experienced a life-changing fall. She was at home on a ladder when she lost her balance and tumbled to the floor. At first, she didn’t realize the full extent of her injury. She wasn’t paralyzed — she just noticed it was difficult to walk. She followed up with doctors, completed physical therapy, and tried to stay optimistic as she regained mobility using a walker, then a cane.

By August 2024, her condition was getting worse. One day at work, the pain became so unbearable that she left early, made it home, and collapsed.

Just days earlier, she had seen a specialist who suspected something was happening with her spinal cord. Tests confirmed that the damage stretched from T2 through T10. On August 18, 2024, Patricia underwent spinal surgery. When she woke up, her paralysis was worse.

Her recovery journey since then has been one of remarkable determination. After a difficult hospital stay and a brief rehabilitation experience, Patricia heard about NeuroHope through a presentation by Founder Chris Leeuw. In February 2025, she arrived at DRIVEN NeuroRecovery powered by NeuroHope in a power wheelchair, unsure of what to expect. What she found was a team who believed in her even before she fully believed in herself.

“When I spoke to Will, he told me, ‘You can do this.’ Not, ‘maybe.’ Just, ‘You’re going to do it.’ And he was right,” Patricia says.

Her first goal was simple but life-changing: to get out of her power chair and regain independence. Doctors had estimated she wouldn’t be able to start walking until a full year after surgery, but with relentless work and faith, she was up on her feet and walking within two months.

“Right after surgery, I remember trying to move my big toe. When it finally moved, that was my first miracle,” she recalls.

Patricia’s spinal cord injury journey has not been easy. She has navigated vision loss, rebuilt her strength, and even worked with her family to create makeshift accessibility solutions at home — including a homemade ramp and a used van to get to therapy.

Through it all, Patricia has been surrounded by an incredible support system: her husband, children, and grandchildren, who have stepped up in ways that deepened their already strong bond. Now, Patricia is back in the kitchen, rediscovering one of her greatest joys — cooking for the people she loves.

“Before my injury, I was a big cook — everyone came to our house. I couldn’t do that for a while. But now, I can move around again. The therapists taught me little things that stick with me — how to stand, how to balance, how to move safely. Those reminders carry me through.”

When asked what motivates her to keep going, her answer is immediate:

“I’m just thankful to be alive. So every step I take now — it’s a blessing.”