Movin’ On THE LATEST FROM CRAIG HOSPITAL
Vol. 31, No. 2 • 2015
Making it work: back to work series 6
Craig earns another Top 10 ranking 4 Sculpture unveiled 12 Bridge renamed 20 Hobie Day 27 Alumni stories + more
Letter from the president Movin’ On is published two times a year by Craig Hospital in an effort to share the stories of the patients and families who pass through our doors. Craig Hospital sees patients from nearly every state each year. It is our hope to inspire and educate people about catastrophic injury, prevention and care. Craig Hospital is licensed by the state of Colorado and accredited by The Joint Commission. Craig Hospital is located in Englewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. It is world-renowned for specialty rehabilitation and research for patients with spinal cord injury and brain injury.
Dear Friends, As we head into a holiday season, we continue to see a lot of change at Craig. Inside and out, it’s not hard to see how our major campus expansion and revitalization project is changing the face of Craig. One of the most visible new attributes you’ll see when you come to Craig is the new garden plaza where Clarkson Street used to be. The accessible landscaped area now connects the east and west buildings. The campus expansion project is on schedule for completion in August 2016. I can’t thank Craig Hospital staff enough for providing the best care possible to our patients and families as we finish up this construction project. Our patient and family satisfaction scores continue to be excellent, despite some of the challenges we face with logistics and noise.
PRESIDENT Michael L. Fordyce MEDICAL DIRECTOR Thomas E. Balazy, MD EDITOR Lisa Stites CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jordan Ames Spencer Fortier PHOTOGRAPHER Kayla Lawson DESIGN The Write Design
On the cover: Craig Hospital grad Claire Simon shares her story about getting back to work following a traumatic injury. © 2015, Craig Hospital 3425 S. Clarkson Street Englewood, CO 80113-2811 303.789.8000 www.craighospital.org
Mike Fordyce enjoys a moment with friends of Craig Hospital at a special celebration. See page 20.
As we near the completion of this project, we’re setting our sights on what we want to accomplish over the next three to five years. We’re looking into possibly expanding our patient family housing and outpatient services offered on campus. As always, everything we do is with our patients, families and staff in mind. I also wanted to let you know about some grassroots outreach we have been doing to encourage employers to increase their coverage for catastrophic injuries. I run into so many patients and families who were not aware that their insurance policies only covered 30 days of rehabilitation before they arrived at Craig. Many employers are also unaware of this limited coverage. Our hope is to encourage employers to provide employees a 90-day benefit. We have actuarially determined that this additional coverage only costs about 29 cents a month more for each employee. We’re starting to make some headway in this area. Please visit our website, to read our whitepaper about catastrophic coverage and send to anyone you think might benefit! I hope you have a happy holiday season. I encourage you to visit our website which we continue to update with new resources for patients, grads and families. Happy Holidays, Mike Fordyce President and CEO
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Five years ago, we presented the plan to create this campus to the hospital and foundation boards. At the time, I had no idea how we were going to raise the $50 million for this project. Our Foundation staff has done an incredible job. We went out into the community to share the amazing stories of our patients and staff and the community answered back. We have now successfully raised $49.6 million!
Contents
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Back to work: Three Craig grads share their stories Craig news
Craig Hospital earns Top 10 ranking for 26th straight year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Three Craig physicians named to 5280 “Top Docs” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Nursing excellence matters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Craig Hospital receives 2015 Press Ganey NDNQI® Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Craig Hospital announces scholarship partnership with Kelly Brush Foundation . . . 5 New sculpture unveiled at newly renovated front entrance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Advancements
Craig is a national center of excellence that provides specialized and comprehensive rehabilitation and research for individuals and their families who are affected by spinal cord injury and traumatic brain injury. Craig is a federally designated SCI and TBI Model System by NIDRR and a Magnet® Recognized Hospital, 2005–2010, 2010– 2015 and 2015–2020. Craig treats patients from nearly every state each year. Craig is a nonprofit, freestanding hospital committed to providing the highest-quality treatment available. Our staff commitment and expertise, clinical excellence, state-of-the-art facilities and programs, and personal caring make us uniquely qualified to meet this commitment. Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Rehabilitation • Inpatient Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Programs • Inpatient Ventilator Dependent and Weaning Programs • Outpatient Re-evaluation Programs • Outpatient Therapy and Follow-up Clinic Services • Medical and Surgical Programs • Rehabilitative Neurosurgical Programs
Walk to Victory over Paralysis raises money and empowers patients . . . . . . . . . 14 What’s new online and on our blog . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Redefining Possible portrait series on display at Denver International Airport . . . . 17
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Rehabilitation • Inpatient Brain Injury Rehabilitation • Outpatient Brain Injury Programs
Foundation
PEAK Center at Craig Hospital • Wellness and Fitness Center
Craig receives $1 million challenge gift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Craig Hospital bridge renamed in honor of campaign benefactors, Craig grads . . . 20 Local family gives back to Craig in memory of husband, father . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Community Engagement Team hosts second annual Block Party . . . . . . . . . . . 23 PUSH Dinner 2016 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Alumni
Profile: Doug Murphy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Profile: James Murtha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Alumni updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Craig moments
Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
SCI and TBI Research • Federally designated Model System for SCI and TBI by the National Institute on Disability Rehabilitation and Research (NIDRR) • TBI Model Systems National Data and Statistical Center Craig Hospital Foundation • Supporting Craig Hospital’s patients, programs and facilities If you are interested in making a patient referral to Craig, please contact Laura Brown, admissions director, at 303-789-8344 or admissions@ craighospital.org. If you would like to make a donation or would like information about planned giving, please contact the Craig Hospital Foundation office at 303-789-8650.
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CRAIG NEWS
Top 10! U.S. News & World Report names Craig the No. 7 rehab hospital in America for 2015-16 For the 26th consecutive year, Craig Hospital has been ranked in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals list as a Top 10 rehabilitation hospital in the United States. Craig has ranked in the Top 10 every year since the rankings began in 1990. A survey of rehabilitation physicians from across the country results in the annual rankings, in which Craig was chosen No. 7 in the U.S. for rehabilitation. “We’re proud to be recognized by physicians as one of the best rehabilitation hospitals in the nation,” says Mike Fordyce, president and CEO of Craig Hospital. “Our reputation as a leader in rehabilitation has held strong for decades. Most importantly, our patients and graduates live more independently because of our individualized patient care, innovative therapy, technology and research.”
Craig physicians recognized as top docs For 22 years, Denver magazine 5280 has released a list of the Top Docs in the Denver metropolitan area. The list is a compilation of survey results from area doctors who vote for physicians in other Dr. Balazy Dr. Johansen Dr. Weintraub specialties who they would trust to treat themselves or their families. This year’s list is made up of 315 physicians from 95 specialties. Three Craig Hospital physicians made the list once again. This year’s Top Docs at Craig Hospital are Tom Balazy, MD, Mark Johansen, MD, and Alan Weintraub, MD.
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Nursing excellence matters Magnet recognition has become the gold standard for nursing excellence and is taken into consideration when the public judges health care organizations. A recent study published in Health Services Research shows Magnet hospitals have higher patient ratings of care than do other hospitals. In March 2015, Craig Hospital was granted recognition as a Magnetdesignated organization for the third consecutive time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet Recognition Program®. Craig Hospital is the first freestanding rehabilitation hospital and one of fewer than 100 Magnet hospitals in the world to achieve three consecutive Magnet designations. More than 7,000 nurses and nursing executives from top hospitals gathered in Atlanta to celebrate Magnet Recognition and share evidence-based practices at the ANCC National Magnet Conference® in October. Representatives from Craig Hospital’s nursing staff were there to celebrate Craig Hospital’s recognition for nursing quality.
Craig receives 2015 Press Ganey NDNQI® Award Press Ganey Associates, Inc., has named Craig Hospital a winner of the 2015 NDNQI Award for Outstanding Nursing Quality, which honors hospitals that have made impressive and measurable improvements in nursing performance and patient outcomes. The award is given annually to the top-performing facility in each of seven categories: academic medical center, teaching hospital, community hospital, pediatric hospital, rehabilitation hospital, psychiatric hospital and international hospital. Press Ganey is the nation’s leading healthcare performance improvement company and partners with more than 11,000 healthcare facilities, including more than half of all U.S. hospitals, to reduce suffering and improve the patient experience. Craig received the award for topperforming rehabilitation based on overall performance in nursing quality indicators. This is the fifth time in six years Craig Hospital has received this recognition.
Craig Hospital announces scholarship partnership with Kelly Brush Foundation Craig Hospital and the Kelly Brush Foundation announced a new partnership to provide much-needed scholarship funds to help Craig Hospital graduates with spinal cord injuries continue to lead an active lifestyle. The scholarships will provide funding for adaptive sports and recreational equipment. The Kelly Brush Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to incorporating sports and recreation into the lives of people with spinal cord injury, as well as preventing injuries in ski racing. Kelly Brush Davisson, for whom the foundation is named, is a Craig Hospital graduate and has dedicated her life to helping others get back into active lifestyles, since discovering the benefit of adaptive sports following her injury. “Kelly has always been an athlete, and getting back to sports after her injury helped her feel like herself again,” says Zeke Davisson, executive director of the Kelly Brush Foundation. “She wanted to help others get back to doing what they love.” The “Granting Independence” SCI Adaptive Equipment Scholarship was introduced this year. Craig Hospital and the Kelly Brush Foundation are proud to announce that six recipients will receive scholarships for adaptive equipment this October. The total scholarship amount is $10,000. “Sport and recreation can help develop confidence, independence and strength — both physical and emotional. At Craig Hospital we often see the barrier to participation is the ability to afford the piece of equipment,” says Tom Carr, director of therapeutic recreation for Craig Hospital. Adaptive sports equipment, like handcycles or monoskis, is often too expensive for someone facing medical bills after a catastrophic injury. Costs for adaptive equipment typically start at $3,000. Recreation is an important part of daily life and helps many people after a spinal cord or brain injury adjust to their “new normal.” Craig Hospital also offers an adaptive equipment scholarship for Craig Hospital graduates with traumatic brain injury. All Craig Hospital graduates interested in incorporating sports and recreation into their daily lives are encouraged to apply. Application deadlines for the next scholarship period end September 15, 2016.
See craighospital.org/scholarships
Pedal 4 Possible: June 18, 2016 Jenn Biggs Arnold, BA, RN, MSN, CNRN, associate chief nursing officer, and Diane Reinhard, DNP, MBA, MSCIS, RN, CRRN, NE-BC, vice president of patient care services and chief nursing officer
Help support Therapeutic Recreation at Craig Hospital and our scholarship program. Save the date for Craig Hospital’s century ride Pedal 4 Possible, June 18, 2016. See pedalforpossible.org
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Regaining a sense of purpose Watch Brian’s story on our website
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Car dealership creates position for injured employee
Brian Nordstrom’s story “Hi, would you like a water or popcorn?” Brian Nordstrom asks customers in the service lobby of Larry H. Miller Nissan in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Brian looks tired and determined as he pushes a cart filled with popcorn, bottles of water and car parts. His pace is slow and steady. A scar runs along the top of his skull. “I love it,” Brian says. When he talks, it takes him a little longer to formulate his thoughts into words. “It gives me something to do. Sure beats sitting at the house looking at the walls.” His work is important to him. Before his accident, Brian quickly made a good impression at Larry H. Miller Nissan. He often worked six days a week doing window tinting. On Saturdays, his sixth day, he would bring in doughnuts for all the service technicians. Two years ago Brian’s life came to a halt. While on a lunch break with a coworker, Brian’s car collided with a city bus. The bike rack on the bus broke through his windshield and hit him in the head. “I saw Brian in the car. It was hard to tell whether he was breathing or not. There was blood. The car was obviously totaled. It was tough. We were scared,” says Matt Carpenter, the service director for Larry H. Miller Nissan.
continued his doughnut tradition, bringing in a dozen every weekend. “Even though Brian wasn’t here physically, he was here spiritually and mentally; everyone was thinking of Brian,” says Matt. For two years, Brian has dealt with the lasting affects of a traumatic brain injury. It hasn’t been easy. After the accident and initial rehabilitation at Craig Hospital, Brian went home. “Many of our patients like Brian are used to being breadwinners in their families, and really they just long to have that back again,” says Kelly Lombardi, community reintegration specialist at Craig Hospital. Brian had worked his entire life. He felt lost at home. During an interdisciplinary outpatient evaluation, Brian met with Craig Hospital’s Community Reintegration team. Community Reintegration is a unique Craig Hospital program that helps patients address their needs returning to home, work and school. The program is funded through the Craig Hospital Foundation. From their first meeting, Brian told Kelly he wanted to get back to work. “We weren’t certain if going back to work was going to be a good fit for Brian. But he hung in there,” says Kelly.
Matt was one of the first to arrive at the accident scene. Ten of Brian’s coworkers followed the ambulance to the hospital. They weren’t sure if he would live. The service department rallied around Brian’s family, bringing food to the hospital for weeks. Brian’s family rallied around the dealership. His parents
Brian was concerned he was not hirable. “Because of my injury, because of the way I talk, because of the way I look, because of the way I am, because of my attitude,” he says. Many times people with brain or spinal cord injuries run into barriers trying to get hired. They often need modified job responsibilities and hours. Larry H. Miller Nissan stepped up to the challenge and worked with Kelly to tailor a position for Brian’s new abilities. “We wanted to make sure one of our family members was able to get back to where he had been prior to the accident. We knew that sitting at home was not going to allow Brian to get the social interaction and the physical rehabilitation he could get here,” says Matt. The dealership created a special position for Brian — customer service concierge. These days, Brian brings the doughnuts on Saturdays for the technicians on his own. He also bakes cookies for the staff at the dealership and brings in a crock pot with his famous homemade green chili. He helps out where he can and works about 12 hours a week. “What it does for your employees and the morale in your store can far outweigh any salary or compensation you can give to an employee. It creates loyalty and an atmosphere of love and happiness and smiles,” Matt says. As Brian slowly walks through the dealership, people smile when they see him. He says he’s happy to have a sense of purpose. “I know they created this position for me, and I’m very thankful. It’s been very good for me. My mom and dad said they could already see a difference in my balance,” says Brian.
Brian’s car following the accident.
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Making it work
Taking the right steps to reach goals
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Claire Simon’s story Claire Simon was riding her bike to work in downtown Denver late one evening in September 2014. Like many patients who sustain a brain injury, she doesn’t remember the accident, only what bystanders told her. People who witnessed the accident told her that a taxi minivan hit her on the left side. At the time of the accident she was on her way to Denver Health’s ER to work as a medical scribe, but instead she was brought by ambulance as a patient.
“The doctor I was scheduled to work with that night became my emergency doctor without recognizing who I was,” Claire says. Claire came to Craig Hospital a few weeks after the accident, where she began working on her balance, strength and memory. “To help my brain get up to speed, I learned different note techniques, watched online educational videos and even got to create a presentation on the medicinal uses of honey — which as a beekeeper, I was thrilled about,” she says.
Be proud of where you are, what your body has done for you, and how it has healed itself. —Claire Simon, ’14
Q&A with Claire Simon on going back to work after a brain injury Q: What was the hardest thing about going back to work? Claire: The unknown. I was aware of risks for fatigue, slower cognitive functions, and my weakened and limited left arm. I did not know if or how these potential problems would arise at work. The fatigue was also challenging. If there was something new and interesting at work, I felt engaged and the fatigue would disappear. However, it would resurface once I got home and finally sat down, where it would all wash over me and I would feel brain-dead and heavy. I felt fatigued at work if it was slow or felt repetitive. Q: What type of strategies did you use at home and work to help you with these challenges? Claire: I found that feeling uncomfortable was inevitable, and it took time and practice to be able to speak about my accident with confidence. Having a good attitude and sense of humor about my accident and challenges instantly put people at ease and established an open tone. I wanted them to feel comfortable asking questions about what happened; I liked talking about it. I took initiative to be straightforward about any accommodations I needed at work. For example, I asked to work Tuesdays through Saturdays so I had a Monday to take care of follow-up medical appointments. That made it easier to accommodate any residual medical needs and therapies without missing work. I also made resting a large priority in my free time, especially in the beginning. Q: What was the most rewarding thing about going back to work? Claire: I love gaining experience as a healthcare provider and am excited to continue working toward my goal to go to medical school. It is rewarding to give back to patients by providing education and care. I have also made new friends and regained my independence. Q: What other advice would you give a patient or family? Claire: Going through a serious medical trauma is a lifelong experience. I am still gaining new perspective, understanding and acceptance of the accident after a year. I expect this story to continue evolving. No matter what your outcome is, be proud of where you are, what your body has done for you, and how it has healed itself. Also, friends and family are just as important for healing, for they give support, love and comfort. Be brave enough to accept help, and keep an underlying positive attitude, because improvement is always possible.
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Claire is working as a medical assistant and plans to apply for medical school.
I was excelling at my job, making friends, making progress on medical school applications and getting positive feedback while healing. —Claire Simon
Claire’s main goal during rehab was to be able to finish applying to medical school. She also wanted to go back to work to gain more experience in the medical field before going back to school. She realized she would need a different job. “As a medical scribe I occasionally worked overnight shifts, which would not have been good for my healing brain,” Claire says. She found a day job as a medical assistant. She often wondered how much her brain injury was affecting her. “While training for this job, I was hyper-aware of my performance and analyzed my efficiency and abilities. If I forgot to do something, it was hard not to wonder if it was because of my brain injury,” she says.
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She says she put a lot of pressure on herself to not make mistakes, which was exhausting. She says she learned to stop wondering if her brain was different. “If I was slower, not as good at remembering instructions and more easily fatigued than before my accident, that was okay. I was excelling at my job, making friends, making progress on medical school applications and getting positive feedback while healing.” Claire says a positive attitude has been important in her healing. “No matter what your outcome is, be proud of where you are, what your body has done for you, and how it has healed itself.” She plans to apply for medical school in the fall of 2016.
Paving the way ’74 grad helped to make his workplace accessible
Ron Lehr’s story “It was a different time then,” Ron says. Before the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, many like Ron Lehr faced discrimination when trying to get hired. Ron, a Craig ’74 grad, has been living with paraplegia for more than four decades. A passionate and persistent man, Ron faced an uphill battle when trying to get hired after his injury. He says Craig provided him the tools to get to where he is now.
Ron is an architectural drafter for facilities management at his alma mater.
Ron went back to school after his accident and earned two associate’s degrees in architectural design and mechanical drafting, and eventually he earned a bachelor’s degree from Colorado State University. After a brief stint with Hewlett-Packard, Ron returned to his alma mater as an employee. Ron was hired as an architectural drafter for facilities management at Colorado State University. He helped the department move to digital software.
“I found that they were doing all of their work on paper and even napkins. I had been working with AutoCAD for about 15 years already, so I started putting stuff together that is still a standard here.” Ron also helped to make the campus more accessible. “When I was first here, there were classes that I couldn’t get into because they had no accessibility. Now I would say that 95 percent of this campus is accessible; whereas when I was going to school here, only about 60 percent was accessible,” says Ron. Ron helped create accessible parking and design ramps and building entrances that are still in use today. Ron is currently entering his 10th year at the Fort Collins campus and plans on retiring in the next year or two. Throughout his life, Ron has worked relentlessly to overcome all barriers that have been presented.
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New sculpture graces Craig’s accessible garden plaza
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The concept came from the care and hope of improvement, when we didn’t really believe it was possible for him to move again, but each day gave more hope. —Madeline Wiener, sculptor This fall, Craig Hospital unveiled a new sculpture at the hospital’s newly renovated front entrance. Colorado sculptor Madeline Wiener created the marble piece, which depicts a woman helping a man off the ground. “I hope that people immediately grasp the care given at Craig and the determination of the patient who may be in the worst shape on entry to Craig, but accomplishes the impossible,” says Wiener. She says she wants patients and families to take away an important message: “Not to lose hope.” Wiener’s connection to the project is considerably poignant given that her husband, Matt, was a Craig Hospital patient in 2010. He sustained a spinal cord injury in a surfing accident in 2009. “The concept came from the care and hope of improvement, when we didn’t really believe it was possible for him to move again, but each day gave more hope.” Wiener named the work “Redefining Possible.” She says the teamwork between the staff and patient is an important message. “‘Redefining Possible’ is what the staff does every single day at Craig, so when I learned that motto, it was natural to design a sculpture that showed the tender and determined strength of the staff and the willingness of the patient.” The placement of the sculpture was also important to Wiener. “He is facing east, which is the progression of a patient: Enter through the west [side of Craig] and leave through the east. The east represents his or her future,” she says. Wiener studied at the New York School of Visual Arts from 1968 to 1974. She is the founder and director of The Marble Institute of Colorado. Her sculptures are all over the world, including in Scotland and in India. Opposite: The finished sculpture is displayed in the front circle drive near Craig’s new accessible garden plaza, part of Craig’s major campus expansion and revitalization project that began in 2011. The accessible garden plaza connects the west and east buildings to create a unified campus. Left: Scheduled for completion in 2016, the campus project adds approximately 85,000 square feet of new space, and includes the renovation of approximately 135,000 square feet of existing space in the west building.
Above: Madeline Wiener shows preliminary work on the sculpture. Her model sits atop the marble slab, quarried from Marble, Colorado. Top: Many small-scale models rest on a shelf in her studio.
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ADVANCEMENTS
Walk to Victory over Paralysis raises money and empowers patients at Craig Hospital
See more about the NeuroRecovery Network at Craig Hospital: craighospital.org/NRN Craig Hospital, along with 11 clinical and community fitness sites across the country, hosted “Walk to Victory over Paralysis” in October. This nationwide step-a-thon raises funds and awareness as well as builds community for the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation NeuroRecovery Network, a cooperative network of cutting-edge rehabilitation centers designed to provide and develop therapies to promote functional recovery and improve the health and quality of life for people living with paralysis. Each site kept its treadmills running with patients and supporters for the entire 12 hours in an effort to proclaim victory over paralysis, one step at a time. Craig Hospital’s NeuroRecovery Network (NRN) is an outpatient intensive therapy program designed to improve functional mobility, independence and quality of life in individuals who have sustained catastrophic spinal cord injury through physical and occupational therapy. Craig Hospital joined the cooperative network of six leading rehabilitation centers across the nation in 2012.
NRN is designed to provide and develop therapies to promote functional recovery and improve health and quality of life of people living with paralysis. Craig Hospital’s NRN team expanded the step-a-thon opportunities beyond the treadmill. Registrants participated in multiple activities or exercise within their capabilities, including FES cycling using arm and leg bikes, robotically stepping using the Lokomat®, stepping with physical assistance using the TheraStride®, walking with body weight support in our Alter-G® anti-gravity treadmill, riding recumbent bicycles, enjoying the beautiful Colorado fall day with an outdoor walking route or inline skating, or walking/running on a
standard treadmill. For 12 continuous hours Craig Hospital supporters including past and present NRN patients, PEAK community members, and several inpatients and their families stayed active and kept accruing mileage for the cause. Several Craig Hospital fans participated from afar with our “Virtual Walker” option. Photos and mileage/activity updates were coming in all day from places like Moab, Portland, Seattle, Iowa and as far away as Mexico. The Craig team exceeded its goal of $20,000.
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Do you know about Craig’s patient and family resource library? Craig Hospital has a number of resources about spinal cord and brain injury for patients and families. See craighospital.org/resources
What’s new on the blog: Understanding rehabilitation after a traumatic brain injury for family members Life after TBI can be difficult not only for the individual who was injured but also for the family members. While no two situations are the same, there are many common problems that families face, including having less time for yourself, financial difficulties, role changes of family members, problems with communication, and lack of support from other family members and friends. View our resource guide and our video stories on the Rancho Los Amigos Scale of Cognitive Functioning.
See craighospital.org/tbifamilyresource
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Redefining Possible portrait series on display at Denver International Airport See redefiningpossible.org
Redefining Possible, Craig Hospital’s groundbreaking portrait series, is now on display at Denver International Airport. The portraits were installed at the airport on November 9 and will be displayed through the end of February 2016. The portrait series examines the lives of 12 people living with spinal cord and brain injuries and showcases the power of the human spirit. Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Barry Gutierrez collaborated with Craig Hospital in presenting the series. The exhibition is still on display at the Wildlife Experience at CU South Denver until December 31, 2015. Saturday, August 29, 2015, was proclaimed Redefining Possible Day in Denver, to coincide with the grand opening of the Redefining Possible portrait series, presented at the Wildlife Experience. The public was invited to view the exhibit and tour the museum at no charge. Don Mares, executive director of Denver Human Services, presented the proclamation for Redefining Possible Day on behalf of Denver Mayor Michael Hancock. “The City of Denver is proud to recognize this portrait series as a change motivator in our community. Redefining Possible seeks to raise awareness about the reality of disability, and we believe it does just that,” says Mares. “It is important to realize that people who face the challenges of disability are not all in the same boat. They are individuals,” Mares says. “This portrait series explores the individual lives of 12 people after life-altering injuries and celebrates their triumphs. I believe it will also motivate and inspire those people who are facing the toughest days ahead of them after injury.”
PHOTOS PROVIDED COURTESY OF DENVER INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
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Challenge gift meant to inspire others
Don Digby, center, and his family at the 2011 Craig Hospital PUSH Dinner, where he was honored with the Inspiration Award for serving as an inspirational role model to individuals with spinal cord or brain injury.
If I can make a bit of a difference — that’s what matters. —Don Digby, ’00
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When Don Digby was lying alone, paralyzed, in the dark on a California sand dune, he was afraid. He could hear coyotes calling nearby and wondered when they would close in on him.
in his room so that he could attend. His son Don Jr., would frequently bring Navajo executives by to visit with him and keep him up-to-date on happenings with the trucking business.
Digby had been bringing up the rear of a group of friends on a nighttime four-track motorcycle ride when his quad flipped, sending him flying 75 feet end over end. He lay still with a broken back and neck, calling for his friends — who didn’t even realize for quite some time that he was missing.
“It was pretty different than most hospitals that you think of,” Digby laughs. “My door seemed to be open all the time.”
His friends eventually discovered him, and he was taken to the nearest town, 50 miles away, and then airlifted to San Diego. Ten days later, the Denver native was flown to Craig Hospital. It was the start of a relationship that would change not just his life, but many. “I lived just one mile from Craig, and I had always known it was recognized as one of the best places for people with injuries like mine,” says Digby, the founder and CEO of Navajo Express, a national transportation provider with refrigerated, dry van and intermodal transport services. “I was there for two and a half months, and was able to walk out the doors; it was amazing.”
Digby remains in touch with many members of his Craig cohort. Before the Family Housing apartments were built, he and his wife, Lydia, regularly housed family members of Craig patients in their home. He also supported individual patients financially. When he sees a Craig family out to eat at his favorite Italian restaurant near the hospital, he anonymously picks up their tab. Even now, 15 years after his injury, Digby visits the hospital weekly to mentor patients and encourage staff members. “I make it a priority — it’s a part of my life and I’m going to continue,” he says. “I will always take time to see someone who needs help.”
While he was at Craig, Digby befriended many of the other patients. “Without a doubt, I was one of the oldest people on the floor,” he says. “I enjoyed these 19-year-olds so much; they would bring their friends to my room, like I was the entertainment.”
He enjoys talking with patients about their accidents and their experiences at Craig. “There’s not a person there who doesn’t want to tell you about their accident; they need to talk about it,” he says. “I don’t want to give anyone false hope, but I am so fortunate that I got through what I did, I can share my experiences too.”
His wife and five children were always at his side, and his fellow church board members conducted business meetings
The couple has donated more than $1.8 million to the Craig Hospital Foundation over the years, including a
FOUNDATION recent gift of $1 million to Redefining ROI: The Campaign for Craig Hospital, for the capital project that will fund Craig’s expansion and renovation, and to Craig’s Patient Assistance Fund. They earmarked $700,000 of the gift to challenge other donors to help the Craig Hospital Foundation complete fundraising for the $50 million capital campaign goal. The remaining $300,000 of the gift will benefit Craig’s Patient Assistance Fund, which helps patients with minimal income or inadequate insurance to purchase adaptive equipment, remodel homes for accessibility, train caregivers, pay mortgages and meet other urgent needs.
“We are so grateful for Don and Lydia’s support and friendship over the years,” says Mary Feller, executive director of the Craig Hospital Foundation. “Their willingness to give back and help other patients is inspiring.” Digby says that he will continue to support Craig Hospital because he can see results in the patients he visits. “I talk to people up there, and I know [their injury] is a tough pill to swallow,” he says. “But if I can make their minds more positive, to show them that they can live with what they have, if I can make a bit of a difference — that’s what matters.”
I don’t give for notoriety; I give because of the lives that are changing at Craig Hospital. —Don Digby
Won’t you join me? Or better yet, beat me? by Don Digby When I was a patient at Craig Hospital in 2001, I stayed in a double room. The gym was not much to speak of. The people were wonderful, but the facility was not. Now, when I visit Craig, I am amazed at the contrast. Patients have beautiful private rooms with their own bathrooms. The PEAK Center offers incredible technology, from the ZeroG® track to the TheraStride® treadmill. The therapy pools and gyms are amazing. It is a state-of-the-art facility. This transformation will make a huge difference for Craig patients, now and in the future. That’s why Lydia and I have chosen to donate to the Redefining ROI Capital Campaign to help fund the expansion and renovation project. It is our desire that our gift, and our Craig story, will motivate other people to give to the campaign as well. The Craig Hospital Foundation is very close to meeting its $50 million capital goal. I’m asking you to join me in giving. Any gift — from $5 to $500,000 — will make an impact. You can give at donate.craighospital.org or call the Foundation at 303-789-8650. Be sure to specify that your gift is for the Capital Campaign. I give to Craig because I know that I get the most bang for my buck with them. I don’t give for notoriety; I give because of the lives that are changing at Craig Hospital. Together, let’s help them cross the campaign finish line by December 31. Let’s do it for the patients.
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Craig Hospital bridge renamed in honor of Craig grads, campaign benefactors Craig Hospital’s landmark bridge over Clarkson Street was formally renamed the Liniger Bridge to Independence at a very special donor celebration on August 13. The bridge was named in honor of Dave and Gail Liniger, major Craig benefactors and graduates. Both Dave and Gail were patients at Craig, 28 years apart. Gail rehabilitated in 1984 following an injury sustained in a plane crash. Dave was an inpatient at Craig in 2012, learning to walk again following a staph infection that left him paralyzed. Dave and Gail donated $10 million to the Redefining ROI Capital campaign in 2012, and, in a surprise announcement on August 13, pledged an additional $4 million to the expansion and renovation project.
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“It’s an extraordinary honor because independence is freedom, independence is a chance to recapture what you were before you were injured,” said Dave Liniger at the event. “We are so thrilled and so thankful for what everybody at Craig has done for Gail and me. There are no words to explain it; we have a quality of life we never thought we’d get back.” Event attendees enjoyed tours of the completed areas of Craig’s $90 million renovation and expansion project. Work continues in order to renovate the remainder of the West building, which will include the chapel, pharmacy and procedure suite, outpatient clinic, outpatient therapy gym, and café and gift shop.
Also at the event, Craig graduate Matt Wiener and his wife, Madeline, shared their story. Matt sustained a spinal cord injury in a surfing accident in 2009. He was a patient at Craig Hospital for 60 days in 2010. Craig recently unveiled a new sculpture at the hospital’s newly renovated front entrance, created by Madeline, a renowned sculptor. The marble piece depicts a woman helping a man to rise. See pages 12-13 for more.
Local family gives back to Craig in memory of husband, father Ron Woods never regretted the 2012 accident that caused his paralysis. “He always said that the accident had allowed him to meet the most incredible, caring people,” says Ron’s son Chris. “He was humbled by the overwhelming response of his friends and family members, and was determined to pay it forward.” In his memory, the Woods family supports Craig Hospital through the Ron Don Ho Golf Tournament, an annual golf event drawing nearly 100 people each year. Ron Woods and his high school sweetheart, Kathy, went to Hawaii in March 2012 with their three grown children, Chris, Ryan and Lisa, and their respective spouses and children. Ron and Kathy surprised their family when they renewed their vows on the beach. “We took a group picture, and Dad said specifically that these 13 people were those most important things in his life,” remembers Chris. “He was all about his family, all about his love for his grandkids.”
Above: The Woods family in Hawaii in 2012, days before Ron’s accident. Below: Following the Ron Do Ho Golf Tournament earlier this year.
On the last day of the trip, Ron was playing in the ocean when a wave caught him, slamming him headfirst into the sand. His neck was broken at the C2/C3 level. He was immediately paralyzed and aspirated seawater. A star high school swimmer saw the accident and was able to bring Ron to shore and begin CPR. Ron was flown to Honolulu, where he stayed for two weeks. A nurse evaluator from Craig flew to Hawaii to talk with the family, and after determining that he was a good fit, she arranged for Ron to be flown to Craig Hospital and taken into surgery next door at Swedish Hospital. “We were so scared going in, but the Craig staff immediately made us feel calm,” says Kathy. “They made us feel like Ron was important and that we were important — they made us feel like they always had the time for us.” The staff at Craig also taught the family how to care for Ron’s ventilator. “I’m no nurse; the most I’d ever done was put a Band-Aid on a kid,” says Kathy. “But the staff at Craig made sure that all of us, even the kids, were comfortable. They weren’t going to let us take him home until we were all educated.” Ron was an inpatient at Craig for seven months. During his stay, friends, coworkers and members of the Omni Interlocken
Golf Club, where Chris is the head golf pro, organized a tournament to help the Woods family purchase an accessible van and meet other financial needs. Ron was able to attend the tournament, and he was overwhelmed and determined that he needed to help other people. “He told me that we needed to do the tournament again, and give back to someone else,” says Chris. The 2013 tournament raised $17,000 for Craig Hospital and Gavyn Wilkens, a 3-year-old who was paralyzed in a car accident. “When Dad heard about Gavyn, it broke his heart,” says Chris. “Dad said that it’s one thing to have had this
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Dad’s legacy is not going to stop just because he’s not here — the story is going to go on.
and a half with him after the accident,” says Chris. The family still stays in touch with Craig staff members, including Dr. Lester Butt, Craig’s director of psychology. “Ron was an absolute lover of life. . . . He adored his family, possessed a keen sense of humor, and had an unbridled spirit coupled with a giving and humanistic heart,” says Dr. Butt. “He was simply a wonderful human being, and it was a true privilege to have had the opportunity to know him.”
—Chris Woods
Kathy and Ron in 2013.
happen when you’re 60 and you’ve lived your life, but here’s this little boy . . . his whole life ahead of him.” Ron passed away in January 2014 when a blood clot in his lung broke free. “He had dealt with a lot of infections and knew he was on borrowed time, but he had accepted it,” says Chris. “We know that his life was cut short, but because of Craig we were able to spend a great year
Through the Ron Don Ho tournament, the Woods family anticipates that by 2016 they will have donated $100,000 to Craig and other families affected by brain and spinal cord injuries. “Dad fought hard on a lot of things in life, and showed such strong perseverance. He fought even after that accident; he was not selfish,” says Chris. “I told him that his legacy was not going to stop just because he’s not here — the story is going to go on.”
Help the Craig Hospital Foundation by planning your own event or campaign Events and fundraisers planned by community groups and individuals are a vital source of funds for the Craig Hospital Foundation. Consider hosting an event to raise awareness and funds for a Craig program, or to honor a friend, neighbor or family member who has received care at Craig. These can range from golf tournaments to bake sales to cocktail parties or lemonade stands. Know a business owner? Ask him or her to donate a portion of a day’s sales to Craig.
Englewood’s new Corner Bakery donated a portion of its opening-day sales to the Craig Hospital Foundation.
If you’re interested in hosting an event to benefit Craig Hospital, complete the application form at craighospital.org/foundation/get-involved and then contact Sue Lynch at 303-789-8578 or slynch@craighospital.org. Once we receive your application, we will evaluate your event proposal for its appropriateness and benefit to Craig Hospital. Supporters can also conduct online fundraisers using a custom web page to solicit donations from friends and family members. To get started with your own peer-to-peer online fundraiser, contact Becky Plunkett at 303-789-8166 or bplunkett@craighospital.org.
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Keepin’ it in the family
Scenes from the second annual Craig Block Party
More than 350 Craig Hospital graduates and their families from Colorado came back to Craig on September 26 for the second annual Craig Block Party.
member of the community and have great quality of life.”
The outdoor barbecue was hosted by the Craig Hospital Foundation’s Community Engagement Team, a dynamic group of Craig family members who collaboratively build relationships within the Craig Hospital family and the greater community to support the mission of the Craig Hospital Foundation. Attendees enjoyed a catered lunch, photo booth, lawn games, face painting, crafts, and tours of the completed areas of the remodeling and expansion project. They reconnected with their Craig friends and shared their advice with current patients in the “Words of Wisdom” booth. Many current patients and their families joined the fun. “The relationships that patients forge at Craig last far beyond discharge,” says Becky Plunkett, annual giving manager. “It is wonderful to see folks reconnecting and having an opportunity to inspire current patients.”
At the event, Craig grad Jason Regier received the Bill McKown Community Engagement Award, which recognizes a Craig Hospital graduate who has been especially engaged in his or her community through public service and volunteerism. The award is named for Craig grad Bill McKown, who died in 2014. McKown lived an active life and was an example and inspiration to all around him. Regier was nominated by Ellen Severe, Craig’s director of occupational therapy. “Jason is a dedicated volunteer and advocate,” says Severe. “He is an example of how someone with a spinal cord injury can continue to be a valuable
Regier sustained a spinal cord injury in a car accident in 1996 and rehabilitated at Craig. He went on to earn dual master’s degrees in business administration and marketing. As the principal for SpellBynder, Regier oversees marketing and training development for government health care programs, nonprofits and state agencies. He also has trained as an elite athlete and has represented Team USA in wheelchair rugby since 2005 at two World Championships and two Paralympic games. He has served on the Craig Hospital Board of Directors since 2010. He is a peer mentor to Craig patients and has worked with a variety of other nonprofits. “Whoever would have thought that you could ‘graduate’ from a hospital, and who would have thought that the other alumni would become your family?” reflected Regier at the Block Party. “When you leave Craig, you have a responsibility to give back,” he says. “I’m proud to be a part of this community.”
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Thank you!
With your help, the Craig Hospital Foundation has been able to do amazing things for the patients and families we serve.
Here are just a few examples of the ways we’ve recently put your support to work: • Educational scholarships: 28 scholarships awarded to Craig grads attending 23 higher education institutions. 13 recipients have TBI; 15 recipients have SCI. • Clinical research: 11 active or recently completed research projects involving clinical staff on topics ranging from shoulder pain to the benefits of volunteering after TBI. • Nurse Advice Line: 3,852 calls were made to the Nurse Advice Line. 46 percent of callers were from rural areas, where access to specialty health care may be limited. • Music therapy: 43 patients benefited from neurologic music therapy. Patients complete 12 sessions on average. • PEAK Center at Craig Hospital: 90 individuals from the community with neurologic disorders benefit from the specialty equipment and training at Craig’s Wellness Center each week. • Patient assistance and project EQL (equipment for quality life): From October 1, 2014, to September 30, 2015, 1,058 patients and their family members received assistance totaling $1,122,499. 38% durable medical equipment 4% home modifications 1% caregiver support and training 3% dental and medical assistance 8% scholarships (PEAK, therapeutic recreation, education) 7% transportation to and from Craig 10% emergency assistance (rent, COBRA) 11% interpretive services 16% air ambulance 2% outpatient supplies/therapies
Save the date! April 30, 2016 Craig Hospital’s biggest fundraiser of the year, the annual PUSH dinner, will be held on April 30, 2016. The event raises money to support Craig Hospital’s programs and research. Proceeds from the PUSH dinner fund Craig’s Programs of Excellence — like Therapeutic Recreation, Adaptive Technology, Music Therapy, Community Reintegration, and Education and Tutoring programs — which are generally not covered by insurance. PUSH funds also support research, including ongoing studies and clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes, reducing long-term complications, and enhancing quality of life for those affected by spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. The PUSH paddle auction raises funds for the Craig Hospital Foundation’s Patient Assistance Funds, which help patients with minimal income or inadequate insurance to travel to and from Craig, purchase equipment like wheelchairs and shower chairs, remodel homes for accessibility, train caregivers, pay mortgages and rent, and meet other urgent needs. The 2016 dinner will honor former Detroit Lions offensive guard Mike Utley and South Metro Fire Fleet Services Bureau Chief Brian Brown and his wife, Alice. A variety of corporate sponsorships and individual tickets are available at craighospital.org/PUSH.
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ALUMNI
Broken Man: Remembering rehab with a tattoo Doug Murphy, 43, wanted to remember his time at Craig Hospital. He and his wife, Shannon, went to an Englewood tattoo parlor and got matching Broken Man tattoos. The Broken Man is a Craig Hospital internal symbol that dates back to the 1960s. It depicts a person injured and then made whole again.
Profile: Doug Murphy
“Everything happens for a reason. I was sent to Craig for a reason. And that reason was that nobody else could have done what they did,” says Doug. Doug never thought he would need Craig Hospital. After complications from a surgery for spinal stenosis, Doug was paralyzed. When he came to Craig, he couldn’t move his arms or legs and had to breathe on a ventilator. “When you’re at your lowest point, you don’t think anything is possible. All you think about is the negativity, what I can’t do. The staff does a really good job of redefining that and showing you what’s possible,” says Doug. During rehabilitation Doug built a special bond with his physical therapist, Wes Thornton. The unique relationship between clinician and patient is something that has always set Craig Hospital apart from other hospitals. “When I had a great day, he smiled and laughed along with me. If I had an emotional day, guess what? I got the guy to cry with me too,” says Doug. “He’s that patient that you’ll always remember,” Wes Thornton says of Doug. Wes says he became emotionally invested in Doug’s progress because he knew it would help him. “I’ve really found that I can’t be successful until I can meet my patients where they are. I’m not talking about physically, I’m talking about emotionally,” says Wes.
For Doug, the strength from his team is what he needed to push through the tough times. “They made everything possible. They redefined my life. That speaks volumes. You don’t get that anywhere else, I don’t think — where the staff are so emotionally involved in your life. They literally do become part of your family,” says Doug.
They made everything possible. They redefined my life. —Doug Murphy, ’15?
When he left Craig, Doug was able to stand, walk and do something he loved again: drive remote control cars. “Am I 100 percent yet? No, but compared to where I was five months ago, I’m fixed.” That’s why getting the Broken Man tattoo was so important to him. “That’s the Broken Man and the Fixed Man. It’s my symbol of Craig and what Craig has done for me.”
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Profile: James Murtha
Art really motivated him and gave him a goal, gave him a creative outlet. —Sarah Harrison, OTR, occupational therapist
Craig grad paints Hobie Day design with his mouth “I’ve been painting ever since I left Craig. It’s been a way of passing the time, and it’s been fun for me,” says James Murtha, a recent Craig grad. James sustained high-level quadriplegia after a mountain biking accident. He has very limited movement in his upper body. During his time at Craig Hospital, occupational therapist Sarah Harrison introduced painting by mouth to James. “Art really motivated him and gave him a goal, gave him a creative outlet. As occupational therapists we want to do things that are meaningful to our patients. Art was a really good way to motivate him,” Sarah says. In August, Craig Hospital marked the 36th year of celebrating “Hobie Day,” a special event that involves more than 300 staff and volunteers. The largest inpatient outing of its kind in the country, Hobie Day is a fun-filled opportunity for patients and graduates to participate in applied therapy, using functional skills. The day includes Hobie Cat (small sailboats) and powerboat rides, a barbecue and music.
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Prior to the event, Craig Hospital held a contest for Hobie Day T-shirt designs. James submitted his painting — a detailed design with a sailboat, mountains and the Colorado “C” on it — which he painted entirely by mouth. The design won the competition. Sarah says she feels inspired by James. “I told him in the beginning, art isn’t necessarily about your motor capabilities, it’s about your eye. He has it, he has the eye.” James came from Michigan for Hobie Day. He rode in a sailboat for the first time since his accident. “I never thought that I’d be going out on a boat again like this,” he says. “It’s really cool to see him take that recreational interest and see it out here today,” says Tom Horan, therapeutic recreation specialist. Approximately 50 Craig Hospital patients from all over the U.S. with paralysis and brain injury participated in the outing. Patients and families sailed or rode in boats, navigated the beach, learned the necessity of taking care of themselves in extended periods of exposure to heat and sun, and enjoyed a barbecue. Accompanied by nurses, therapists and staff from many other departments, patients tested their rehabilitation and self-care skills in real-world conditions.
Learn more about Adventure Programs and therapeutic adventure events: craighospital.org/adventure
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Send us your updates! Please send your ordinary and extraordinary news (with your complete address,
phone number and year you graduated from Craig) to: Alumni Update, c/o Craig Hospital Administration, 3425 S. Clarkson Street, Englewood, CO 80113, fax: 303-789-8219, e-mail: lstites@craighospital.org.
Competitive power tumbler Deborah Ede, ’12, Oklahoma, was only 15 when she sustained a spinal cord injury during a gymnastics practice. While doing a move called a half-out pike on a trampoline, she lost her footing and landed on her head. Her injury level was C5/C6. After surgery, she was told she would never walk again. “So many prayers and support helped me get through this experience. My doctor, nurses and therapists, and everyone at Craig, were so encouraging and pushed me to never give up. My goal was to walk out of Craig Hospital, and when I was discharged on May 18, 2012, I did just that. I walked out of Craig using arm crutches.” Today Deborah walks and runs without assistance. Last year she completed
Russell Burke, ’13, California, was injured in a diving accident at Lake Havasu in May 2013. His injury was severe. He broke his C4/5 vertebrae and is now ventilator-dependent.
“I thought my life was over when I first got hurt. When I came home I was super depressed, not wanting to talk to anyone and only wanting to lie in bed,” says Russell. Russell says his outlook on life changed when he learned about the Triumph Foundation, a California nonprofit with the mission of inspiring people with spinal cord injury to get back to living. “They told me how my life was not over just because I was in a chair. From that day forward I’ve been unstoppable. I’ve done things I would’ve never thought I could do — snow skiing, curling, wheelchair hockey, etc. I’m an ambassador for the Triumph Foundation, and we go and talk to the newly injured. We give them hope and let them know that life is not over. It’s just a new chapter of life. And instead of walking, we be rolling.”
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her first 5K. She says, “I could never have made the recovery I did without all the help of everyone at Craig and the strength of God. A verse from the Bible that helped me through this recovery process was Philippians 4:13, which says, ‘I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.‘ This verse is so true and has helped me through all the trials of my life.” Deborah is a now a freshman at Oklahoma State University, majoring in physiology pre-physical therapy. Her dream and goal is to become a physical therapist and work at Craig Hospital, she says, “so I can inspire other spinal cord injury patients with my story. Although this was the hardest experience I have ever been through, God got me through it and now I want to help others get through it as well.”
Guy Brouillette, ’90, Colorado, graduated from Craig in July 1990. He says the peer support at Craig helped him significantly. “Talking to past grads of Craig helped me prepare to enter back into life,” Guy says. He’s worked hard to get where he is after his injury. “After release from Craig, I was able to go back to work, which is very fortunate. I then went back to school to complete my certification in project-based management and grow my career from a QA technician to area vice president of a health care technology company. I travel for both work and personally while being a T7 paraplegic. I have learned that you have more internal strength than you know, and one has to get past what they view as ‘normal’ and reshape a new normal.” Guy has gone back to school to finish his executive wine sommelier certification. He hopes to start a second career in the wine business. Cheers!
Grant Russum, ’11, was a freshman at the University of Colorado when he sustained a traumatic brain injury after he was struck by a car while crossing the street on campus. He was not expected to survive the night. His skilled surgical team at Boulder Community Hospital saved his life. After six weeks, Grant came to Craig, where he learned how to speak, eat, sit up, tie his shoes, brush his teeth, read and eventually walk again. “I met others who were trying to heal as well. Each person had their own unique story to tell, which helped me move forward and focus on what is possible. I had some of the most amazing caregivers one could hope for. From speech to occupational to physical therapy — along with water and recreational therapies — I slowly improved and eventually graduated from Craig,” he says. “Craig Hospital helped me learn how to be the new me and taught my parents how to deal effectively with the new me. The involvement of my parents, family and friends provided incredible support for me to push forward. It is difficult to pick any one area that Craig does best, because they are the whole package, but for me, the most enjoyable was recreation trips.” Grant lived with his parents in Texas for six months while he attended a local community college. He came back the University of Colorado in spring 2013. He says it wasn’t easy: “I struggled a bit with the academic load, but moreso with the social environment. I had insisted on returning before I was really ready — but, at the same time, I was not willing to stay at home. It made for a difficult year.” Grant is now in his junior year at CU. He did well enough to join the Phi Sigma Phi National Honor Fraternity. He says, “I’m learning to live with the new me. The future is looking bright as I learn, since Craig Hospital taught me how to Redefine Possible.”
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Daniel Boozan, ’11, Colorado, sustained a traumatic brain injury in a bike accident in March 2011. He lost the use of his right arm and had nerve damage that affected his lungs. “Racing bikes was my life, and in many ways I felt I literally and figuratively lost the use of my right hand,” Daniel says. Daniel says after rehab he felt lost in Arizona, where he was living at the time. He decided to move to Colorado and start over. “Best decision I have probably ever made. I almost immediately had family and community here, and they helped get me going again.” In 2014 Daniel began rock climbing with Paradox Sports. “Turns out you can climb one-handed! The activity and community were similar to what I had as a bike racer, and I have been adventuring and climbing with them ever since,” he says. Daniel is now pursuing his MBA at CU Boulder. Kristin Hopkins, ’15, Colorado, was injured in a car crash in 2014. Both of her feet were amputated and she sustained a traumatic brain injury. A year after her injury, Kristin contacted Craig Hospital about the symptoms she was still experiencing. She came in for an interdisciplinary outpatient evaluation that included speech, physical and occupational therapy, a driving test and visits with a neuropsychologist. “Craig Hospital has given me more confidence with pretty much everything in my life. With the speech and occupational therapy I have been able to multitask much more efficiently and not be so flustered with trying to find the words when speaking. Am I perfect with that all the time? No, but so much better than what I was like, and I’m continuing to get better. Physical therapy helped me be more confident with trying to do more things than what I thought I was ready for. I can carry things up/down the stairs without hanging on to the railing. I may be slow and have to stutter-step sometimes, but I can do it,” Kristin says. She says neuropsychology helped with her stress level. “It helped me learn how to calm myself down when I felt I was getting overwhelmed with everything going on in my life. It helped me manage the stress with everything that had happened to me because of the car accident and focusing on what needed to be dealt with and not worrying. Things still creep up on me, but I have the tools to keep the stress down.” She was excited to get cleared to drive. Kristin also received a scholarship from Craig Hospital for a bike.
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CRAIG MOMENTS
Calendar December 8 13 13
Colorado Gives Day Theatrical Play: Outpatient Brain Injury Community Recreation Group Discover Colorado Ski for Light*
2016
January 10 Discover Colorado Ski for Light* Stock Show Rodeo: Outpatient Brain Injury Community Recreation Group 10 National Winter Sports TBI Awareness Month National Blood Donor Month
February 5–7 Discover Colorado Ski for Light* 7–13 Discover Crested Butte Ski and Snowboard Trip* 14–20 Random Acts of Kindness Week Discover Ice Fishing* 20 Therapeutic Recreation Month
March 5 Discover Ice Fishing* Discover Craig Day at Snow Mountain Ranch* 11 13–19 Patient Safety Awareness Week Brain Injury Awareness Month Nutrition Month
April 4–10 National Public Health Week 10–16 National Volunteer Week Discover Rocky Mountain Arsenal Fishing* 28 Craig Hospital PUSH 30 Occupational Therapy Month
May 6–12 Nurses Week 8–14 Hospital Week National Youth Traffic Safety Month National Mobility Awareness Month Mental Health Month Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Month Trauma Awareness Month
June 18
Pedal 4 Possible
*See craighospital.org/events to learn more or sign up for these adventure program events
Craig Hospital is working hard to Go Green. You can help us! Look for weekly tips on our Facebook page and join us in our #GoingGreen efforts. If you wish to have your name removed from the mailing list, please call 303-789-8019 or e-mail lstites@craighospital.org.
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3425 S. Clarkson Street Englewood, CO 80113-2811
Mark your calendar! April 30, 2016 Make plans now to join us on April 30, 2016 for Craig Hospital’s 2016 PUSH dinner. This special event will honor former Detroit Lions offensive guard Mike Utley and South Metro Fire Fleet Services Bureau Chief Brian Brown and his wife, Alice. This annual event is Craig Hospital’s largest fundraiser. Proceeds from the PUSH dinner fund the hospital’s Programs of Excellence — like Therapeutic Recreation, Adaptive Technology, Music Therapy, Community Reintegration, and Education and Tutoring programs — which are generally not covered by insurance. PUSH funds also support research, including ongoing studies and clinical trials aimed at improving outcomes, reducing long-term complications, and enhancing quality of life for those affected by spinal cord and traumatic brain injuries. Corporate sponsorships and individual tickets are available! See craighospital.org/PUSH
www.craighospital.org