Video Showcases Four Unique Patient Journeys at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

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Every patient who comes to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab brings a story all their own. Each rehabilitation journey is deeply personal, shaped by individual goals, challenges and possibilities.

A powerful video puts the spotlight on four patients at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab — Yaretzi A., JR, Kellan T. and Brett G. Their stories are a testament to what is possible when care and research come together to facilitate better, faster patient recoveries.

The video made its debut at Spark!, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s annual signature event that celebrates many ways the hospital is reimagining possibilities for patients.

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Yaretzi has spina bifida, a lifelong neurological condition that affects the spine and is usually apparent at birth. She has been coming to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab since she was a baby.

Now, at age 15, she uses a manual wheelchair and most recently participated in outpatient therapy due to shoulder pain. Notably, Yaretzi is an active athlete who plays wheelchair basketball and softball through Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s adaptive sports program.

Through both therapy and adaptive sports, Yaretzi is building strength and endurance, as well as learning protective strategies to sustain her function and reduce her risk of injury while living with spina bifida.

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Before the age of 40, JR had a stroke while driving — he lost consciousness and was in a head-on collision. He came to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for stroke recovery, participating in intensive therapy in inpatient, DayRehab and outpatient rehabilitation.

Today, JR has recovered his speech. He wears braces and uses a cane to help with his mobility. He also experiences ongoing challenges with using his left hand.

To further support his recovery, JR participates daily in Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Community of Hand Ability Training (CHAT), a community-oriented group program that provides opportunities for patients like JR to focus on rebuilding upper-body and hand function. Through CHAT, JR also connects with other stroke survivors to stay motivated as he continues to heal.

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Kellan is a high school student and excellent athlete — having been on the varsity tennis and cross-country teams. He experienced a severe stroke during a rite of passage for many teenagers: a routine wisdom tooth extraction.

When he first arrived at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for his stroke recovery, Kellan had complete paralysis on his right side that greatly impacted his mobility and speech. During rehabilitation, his therapists incorporated tennis-based activities into his treatment to help restore movement, strength, dexterity and coordination in his right arm and hand.

Now, Kellan is back in school full time, and he’s back on the varsity tennis team … achieving a winning record!

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Brett’s story is an example of how Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s performing arts medicine team helps performing artists stay in peak performance.

Brett started performing as a child. Since then, he has held several television and musical theater roles, most recently performing on Broadway in a role requiring a significant amount of movement and dancing.

While preparing for the role, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s skilled performing arts medicine physicians and therapists conducted a comprehensive, head-to-toe assessment. They designed a tailored plan to meet Brett’s needs, utilizing specialized, targeted interventions to prepare him for a demanding performance schedule. In the process, they’ve helped Brett perform at a higher level and in a way that minimizes pain, with a focus on his long-term mobility and endurance.

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Donor support drives our mission and vision — enabling Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to provide the highest-quality clinical care to patients, conduct groundbreaking recovery research and offer a wide array of programs that improve quality of life. Visit our giving page to make a donation.

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