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.
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…
view all newsWhen an infectious disease left their son, Jack, with a severe brain injury, Amy and Michael struggled to find resources to help him. Thanks to donors like you, they found expert, integrated care at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and, as a result, hope for the future.
Physical therapists (PTs) play a critical role on the care teams at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab —helping patients regain function and improve balance, mobility, strength, endurance and range of motion.
Follow along for a day in the life of Mary Yonkaitis, a PT in the Margaret & Mark Stephan Legs + Walking Lab at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s flagship hospital in Chicago, where she primarily cares for patients recovering from stroke.