Patient Story
Mike's life changed instantly after he fell down cement stairs, sustaining a spinal cord injury that left him unable to move from the chest down. When he arrived at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, he could not breathe, eat, speak or walk on his own.
After six months of intensive therapy and a new research treatment, he left able to speak clearly, walk in a harness, eat independently, and breathe free of tubes. Watch his story and learn more about our spinal cord rehabilitation programs.
When Caleb Z. was 13 years old, he and his family set out early one Friday morning to swim at a beach near their Florida home. Though this was only the second time that they went to the beach as a…
view all newsThe Camino De Santiago is a network of ancient pilgrimage routes that wind through Spain and end in Santiago de Compostela. Today, the Camino is enjoyed by those seeking spiritual nourishment, as well as others seeking to clear the mind, get exercise and take in the beauty of Europe’s cities and countryside.
The entire family was injured in the car accident, but Lucy’s injuries were the most severe. She experienced a spinal cord injury, a fractured femur and a large break between the base of her skull and first vertebra. She was barely able to use her right arm or hand, she could not sit up on her own — and she was unable to walk.