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Every patient’s journey is special — no two stories are alike — and all Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 patient rehabilitation journeys are important.
A new video puts the spotlight on four patients — Caleb Z., Lilian H., Anthony Z. and Kahlani S. — who recently have undergone intensive rehabilitation at Shirley Ryan 小恩雅. Their stories are a testament to what is possible when care and research come together to facilitate better, faster patient recoveries.
The video is set to “Brave,” a song written and performed by powerhouse singer, songwriter, actress, Broadway star and philanthropist Idina Menzel. Recently, Menzel performed the song live at the organization’s annual Spark! gala, celebrating the many ways Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 is reimagining possibilities for patients.
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Read on to learn more about Caleb, Lilian, Anthony and Kahlani, and the milestones they’ve achieved in their individual rehabilitation journeys.
Meet Caleb: A Teenager Who Never Quits
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Caleb is a teenager who came to Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 after contracting Naegleria fowleri, commonly referred to as a brain-eating amoeba, after swimming at a Florida beach. He spent 54 days in bed in the ICU, entirely immobilized. It is a rare and mostly fatal condition, but as his mom says, “Caleb never quits.”
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In his time at Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 as an adolescent patient, Caleb has been on an intensive rehabilitation journey to relearn all skills and to strengthen his muscles.
He is now walking and talking, and recently, he even swam in therapy — marking his first swim since the fateful day when he acquired the amoeba.
Meet Lilian: Moving with Next-generation Rehabilitation Technology
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After experiencing a severe spinal cord injury, Lilian traveled from Los Angeles to Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 for inpatient and day rehabilitation.
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Currently, Lilian continues to work hard in DayRehab and to move with the help of robotics. She also is engaged in research using exoskeletons and stimulation — research that is just one way Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 is deploying next-generation rehabilitation technology for patients.
Meet Anthony: Counteracting Cancer-Related Cachexia through Fitness
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Anthony is a 51-year-old architect from Chicago who came to Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 after experiencing rapid, cancer-related weight and muscle loss from a condition known as cachexia. Anthony lost a quarter of his body weight in just six months — 50 pounds total.
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Anthony’s care team developed a successful individualized fitness training program for him as part of his cancer rehabilitation. Designed specifically for patients with cancer, this program has helped him recover muscle mass and improve his function, all while continuing chemotherapy. Along the way, Anthony has participated in Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 research as well.
Meet Kahlani: The “Mayor” of the Pediatric Floor
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Two-year-old Kahlani has cerebral palsy and experiences paralysis on one side of her body.
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Lovingly referred to as the mayor of the pediatric floor at Shirley Ryan 小恩雅, she undergoes intensive rehabilitation and serial casting to address contractures — the debilitating tightening of muscles which leads to loss of movement.
Kahlani continues to make great progress — she can now walk (and run!) on her own.
Support Patients like Caleb, Lilian, Anthony and Kahlani
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Your support drives our mission and vision — enabling Shirley Ryan 小恩雅 to provide the highest quality clinical care to patients; conduct groundbreaking research; and offer a breadth of programs that improve quality of life. Visit our giving page to make a donation.
