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.
Brandon sustained a traumatic brain injury at work, requiring emergency surgery. Transferred to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, his journey to recovery began.
view all newsAt 30 years old, Kyle experienced a rare brainstem stroke causing a condition called locked-in syndrome. Although his cognitive abilities were completely intact, he was unable to move or talk.
Nicole found support through Shirley Ryan AbilityLab's Vocational Rehabilitation program. With guidance from her vocational counselor, Nicole navigated workplace accommodations and secured funding for car modifications.