Crafting Vision: Celebrating Blindness Awareness Month with ABVI

From Lowell to Paris: Gold Medal Winner Kate Brim Shares Her Journey to the 2024 Paralympics

Welcome back to Rehabilitationships a podcast from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation. This is the podcast we talk about the intersection of rehabilitation and relationships.  In another segment of "Where Are They Now?" we catch up with Mary Free Bed graduate and handcycle team member, Kate Brim. She won a gold and bronze medal at the 2024 Paralympics in Paris in handcycling. Kate's been traveling the world competing the past few years and living with Team USA in Colorado Springs, CO. We are also joined by Christy VanHaver, she's a recreational therapist and a sport coordinator for Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports program. Enjoy the conversation! #Paralympics #Handcycling #TeamUSA #AdaptiveSports

A Vision for Inclusion: How a Personal Connection to Blindness Drives a Company's Inclusive Employment Opportunities

Rehabilitationships is back with an inspiring conversation with Isaac Shapiro, co-founder of Cleanlogic, whose body care company is empowering the lives of individuals with disabilities. He’s joined by Tim Tuthill and Osman Koroma from the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI) as they discuss their partnership during Blindness Awareness Month.  Learn how Cleanlogic, inspired by Isaac's blind mother, is changing the beauty industry through inclusive employment practices, Braille packaging, and community support. Discover how this collaboration is creating meaningful employment opportunities and raising awareness for visual impairment across the United States. During this discussion you'll also learn more about the services of ABVI, which has been dedicated to serving West Michigan’s low-vision and blind community since 1913. Founded by Roberta Griffith, the first blind woman in the U.S. to graduate from a school for sighted students, ABVI offers a wide range of services including low-vision care, rehabilitation, education, and vision aids. In 2020, ABVI became an independent subsidiary of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation, expanding services to benefit individuals across both organizations. Each year, ABVI’s team of experts supports more than 1,000 children and adults across Michigan, empowering them to thrive in a sighted world. Learn more about Cleanlogic at: www.cleanlogic.com Learn more about the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired at: www.abvimi.org

Breathing New Life: Inside Mary Free Bed's Respiratory Care Program

Respiratory Care Week is a great chance to highlight the important work of respiratory therapists and teams at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation and across the nation. In a special edition of Rehabilitationships, a podcast from Mary Free Bed, we are back with another episode of our “Meet the Team” series. Host Chris Mills is joined by Maria Gordon, Digital Marketing Coordinator at Mary Free Bed, and they share two conversations they had with members of the Respiratory Therapy Program. The first half of the episode highlights the origins of our ventilator program and respiratory team. It features Dr. Eric Geiser, who specializes in internal medicine and pulmonary critical care. He works with patients in Mary Free Bed’s Intensive Medical Rehabilitation Program. Dr. Geiser was joined by Rebecca Brower, a Registered Respiratory Therapist, who’s been a part of the Mary Free Bed team through its growth and expansion of services. In the second half of the episode, we look at the education within Mary Free Bed and our respiratory team. Guests for this conversation were Molly Bennett, Lead Respiratory Therapist, and Sharijo Taylor, a Speech-Language Pathologist and a Clinical Rehab Educator at Mary Free Bed. Listen to the episode to discover how this unique program is transforming ventilator and respiratory care and helping patients transition from survival to living fuller lives.   Want more? Learn about Mary Free Bed’s respiratory team and its Intensive Medical Rehabilitation Program [https://www.maryfreebed.com/conditions/intensive-medical-rehabilitation/].

Crafting Vision: Celebrating Blindness Awareness Month with ABVI

For our next episode of Rehabilitationships, we share a conversation for October's Blindness Awareness Month with the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Discover the unique challenges and triumphs of individuals living with low vision, and learn about the essential services ABVI provides to empower their community. Hear from Tim Tuthill, Executive Director for ABVI, Teresa Weakley, Morning Anchor at WOOD TV8, and Tanis Hooker, a client at ABVI. They share about two events occurring in October: the Crafting Vision fundraiser on October 10th, and the White Cane Awareness Day walk on October 11th. Plus, find out about a special partnership with Cleanlogic that allows you to support ABVI while shopping at Meijer.  Listen in to gain insights into the world of visual impairment and learn how you can make a difference in the lives of those with low vision or blindness.  Please share this episode with others, as well as rate, review, and subscribe. Have any feedback you can email us at podcast@maryfreebed.com  If you'd like more info on our Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired visit www.ABVImi.org.

A Voice Regained: LaSonya's Journey of Recovery and Resilience

In this episode of Rehabilitationships, we share the inspiring story of LaSonya Alhasan, a COVID-19 survivor who found hope and healing at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation. After a battle with the virus that left her in a coma for weeks and paralyzed her vocal cords, LaSonya embarked on a remarkable journey of recovery, that brought her to Mary Free Bed at two separate times. Listeners will hear firsthand about her experiences, from fear and uncertainty to the triumphs of regaining her voice and more independence.  This episode also serves as a heartfelt tribute to Monica Vaughn. Monica, who worked at Mary Free Bed for nearly 40 years, was LaSonya's dedicated occupational therapist who passed away unexpectedly this year. Through the conversation with LaSonya, some of her family, Monica, and other team members, we explore the deep bonds formed between patients and caregivers at Mary Free Bed. Listen to the power of perseverance, the importance of family support, and the transformative impact of compassionate rehabilitation care as LaSonya navigates her new reality and finds strength in vulnerability. This story of resilience and hope shows how the human spirit has the capacity to deal with life’s challenges. Learn more about Rehabilitationships [https://www.maryfreebed.com/rehabilitationship-podcast/] and make sure to rate, review and subscribe for more stories like this.  If you or your family member is in need of rehabilitation, find out how you can Ask for Mary [https://www.maryfreebed.com/patients-visitors/askformary/].