FROM THE CEO
A
s we stand on the cusp of our 45th year serving the rehabilitation needs of Mississippi and the southeast, I recently looked back on the impact we made in our most recent fiscal year.
We served 1,248 patients. Of those, 421 were stroke patients, 146 were brain injury patients and 177 were spinal cord injury patients. Over 78 percent of those 1,248 patients returned to their homes and families when they left Methodist Rehabilitation Center. Those numbers are most certainly more than any other facility in the state and speaks to the trust that the people of Mississippi put in us to take care of their loved ones that have suffered serious injuries and illnesses. At the end of the day, however, it is not about the numbers, but about the impact we make on lives, the hope we restore and the ability we return to our patients. That is why we do what we do and that is why we write about it in this magazine. The inspiration our patients can provide is part of the healing process for others. So I invite you to read about the investments we have made in our patients, our people and our facility.
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Now I can...
cater to my customers
General Manager Michael Thomas has been a fixture at Jackson’s Broad Street Baking Company for over 19 years. But when he ignored the realities of living with type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure, he nearly lost the ability to serve his loyal customers. “I was stubborn,” Thomas said. “I didn’t like the side effects of my medication. So instead of talking to my doctor, I just stopped taking it. Then one night it all came to a head—my speech started slurring, and I was dizzy and couldn’t hold myself up.” Thomas had a series of mini-strokes. They affected his right side and left him unable to walk. Through inpatient therapy with Methodist Rehabilitation Center’s Stroke Recovery Program, Thomas regained his strength. He’s now back to work at Broad Street, dishing out the deliciousness that has made the eatery a local institution. “I’ve always been skeptical about doctors and hospitals,” Thomas said. “At MRC, it was completely different. The attention and care I got there was remarkable.”
Mark Adams
In this issue, you will find the inspiring story of high school student athlete Alixus Hearn. Alixus, a spinal cord injury survivor, received almost her entire continuum of care at MRC. She was with us at our inpatient facility. After discharge, she and her family made the 90-mile trip from east Mississippi to continue her recovery at Methodist Outpatient Therapy. She learned to drive again through our driving rehabilitation program. She took full advantage of the investment we have made over the last several years in the latest in rehabilitation technology, such as the Lokomat, the Erigo Pro and the ZeroG Gait and Balance system. These technologies all played an integral part in her recovery. New therapy technology is not the only investment we are making to better serve our patients. We spent the better part of the last year bringing our information systems into the 21st century, completing the first phase of a new revenue cycle implementation and beginning a project to bring modern electronic health records to MRC. Through the generosity of a local foundation, we now have more resources to invest in our clinical staff. The MRC Advanced Clinical Education Fund will provide MRC clinicians with opportunities to pursue education and training in treatments, modalities or other new developments that will advance neuroscience and neurological recovery for our patients. You will read about our continued investment in research and the many donors who are helping make that happen. We stand on the brink of publishing our 300th research manuscript or book chapter, and I am confident that by the time you receive this publication next year we will have surpassed that milestone. We critically ask ourselves before we embark on any research whether it will be directly relevant to providing clinical care for our patients. The answer must always be “yes” before we invest. Our commitment to rehabilitation care and neurological recovery in Mississippi is as strong as ever, and you will continue to see us make the type of investments I have outlined and that we have written about in these pages.
President and Chief Executive Officer Methodist Rehabilitation Center
Nationally recognized for expertise in rehabilitation medicine after a stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury or amputation.
For more information, visit methodistonline.org or call 601-981-2611 or toll-free 1-800-223-6672.
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WAYS & MEANS METHODIST REHABILITATION CENTER | WINTER 2017
CONTENTS
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33
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45
2020 EDITION
33 36 40 45 ALSO INSIDE
MISSION STATEMENT
In response to the love of God, Methodist Rehabilitation Center is dedicated to the restoration and enhancement of the lives of those we serve. We are committed to excellence and leadership in the delivery of comprehensive services. 4
WAYS & MEANS | METHODISTONLINE.ORG
WAYS & MEANS METHODIST REHABILITATION CENTER | 2020 EDITION
Publisher Doug Boone
SPIRITED COMEBACK
Editor Susan Christensen
How cheerleader Anna Lauren Green pushed hard to reclaim her pompoms after a disabling wreck.
Art Director Carey Miller Contributing Writers Chris Blount, Susan Christensen, Carey Miller
REALIZED POTENTIAL
Despite setbacks, double amputee Hank Graham achieves his goal of becoming an active prosthetic user.
Cover photo by Melanie Thortis President and Chief Executive Officer Mark A. Adams Methodist Rehabilitation Center Board of Trustees
REHAB CHAMPION
Athlete Alixus Hearn sets goals, gives it her all to overcome paralyzing spinal injury.
LAZARUS EFFECT
How MRC’s West Nile Virus expertise and research brought two patients back from the brink.
News briefs Where are they now? Employees of the year Stronger every day Such a blessing Do-goodin’ duos Stepping up Fostering the future Match made at MRC Back up to par Faster and better High achiever More than wrinkles A cause that matters Research publications Wilson Research Foundation honorarium
Photography Susan Christensen, Carey Miller, Karla Pound, Melanie Thortis, Chris Todd
6 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 23 26 28 29 31 50 51 52
Officers Walter S. Weems—Chairman of the Board David L. McMillin—Vice Chairman Mike P. Sturdivant Jr.—Treasurer Michael Reddix, M.D.—Secretary Members Phillip Bowman, Jasmine O. Chapman, D.D.S., C. Gerald Garnett, Matthew L. Holleman, III, Tish Hughes, William R. (Randy) James, Hyung Kim, M.D., Sam M. Lane, Virginia Wilson Mounger, Rev. Robert E. (Bob) Rambo, D. Min., William (Bill) A. Ray, E. B. (Bud) Robinson, Jr., Thomas A. Turner, III, Wirt A. Yerger, III Life Members Rev. Bert Felder, Dean M. Miller Founders Earl R. Wilson, Frank E. Hart, Sr., Hilton L. Ladner, Jesse L. Wofford, M.D. Methodist Rehabilitation Center provides comprehensive medical rehabilitation programs for people with spinal cord and brain injuries, stroke and other neurological and orthopedic disorders. The 124-bed state-of-theart hospital in Jackson has twice been designated a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Model System site by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research and is also the only hospital in Mississippi twice named one of America’s best by U.S. News & World Report. Methodist Rehabilitation Center 1350 East Woodrow Wilson Jackson, Mississippi 39216 www.methodistonline.org | 800-223-6672 Ways & Means is published annually by the Methodist Rehabilitation Center Public Relations Department.
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NEWS
News Briefs Methodist Outpatient Therapy partners with MS Society The National Multiple Sclerosis Society has named Methodist Outpatient Therapy as a Partner in MS Care for Mississippi. The Flowood clinic is a division of Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson. Andrew Bell, president of the Alabama-Mississippi society, said the designation recognizes Methodist’s extensive commitment to high quality MS care and will provide opportunities for staff to stay abreast of treatment breakthroughs. “We are proud to partner with From left are Andy Bell, president of the Alabama-Mississippi chapter of the Methodist to enhance quality and Multiple Sclerosis Society; Deborah Kirkland, manager of Healthcare Provider dedicated care for the people who Engagement for the MS Society; MRC physical therapists Lisa Indest, Megan live with MS in Flowood and the Gautreau and Ann Howard and Joe Jacobson, director of outpatient services at MRC. surrounding area,” he said. “In earning this recognition, Methodist has demonstrated extraordinary leadership in MS care, making a tremendous impact on the nearly 1 million people who live with MS in our country.” Methodist staff will work closely with MS Society Navigators, who provide information, resources and support for people affected by MS. Physical therapists Lisa Indest, Ann Howard and Megan Gautreau are the certified Neuro Clinical Specialists who will be leading Methodist’s partnership with the MS Society. And their expertise in helping patients is what sets Methodist’s program apart, said Joe Jacobson, director of outpatient services. “There is no magic bullet for MS,” he said. “So the value is having a group of people skilled in the management of it.”
MRC therapists earn specialty certifications MRC physical therapists Olivia Waddell and Megan Gautreau have been certified as a Neuro Clinical Specialist (NCS). Waddell works with MRC’s spinal cord injury/orthopedic program, and Gautreau is with Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Flowood. According to the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), the specialist certification program was established to provide formal recognition for physical Waddell Gautreau Scott therapists with advanced clinical knowledge, experience and skills in a special area of practice and to assist the public in identifying these physical therapists. To sit for the certification exam, therapists must be currently licensed to practice physical therapy in the United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands and show evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice in the specialty area, 25 percent of which must have occurred within the last three years. The American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties approved the first NCS certification in 1987, and there are now more than 3,000 physical therapists with the designation. Abigail Scott, speech therapist for the stroke recovery program, received the VitalStim Specialty Certification, which focuses on the competent and safe administration of the VitalStim Therapy System. The system combines neuromuscular electrical stimulation and specific exercises to help treat swallowing disorders such as dysphagia. To be certified, therapists must have prior experience in the treatment of dysphagia and complete an online educational course and a two-day on-site competency program.
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Larry Word leads national orthotics/prosthetics group In December 2018, Methodist Orthotics & Prosthetics senior clinical manager Larry Word was named president of the American Board for Certification, the national certifying and accrediting body for the orthotic, prosthetic and pedorthic professions. Word ABC’s goal is to ensure O&P practitioners “possess a level of competence to be able to take care of people safely,” Word said. And he’s proud that Methodist O&P lives up to that mission. “All of our facilities are ABC accredited and all of our orthotists and prosthetists are certified,” Word said. “Plus, all of our staff members who provide some level of patient care i.e. shoe fitters, orthotic fitters, mastectomy fitters and assistants are certified for their scope of practice. And continuing education is mandatory for all to maintain their certifications.” Word became an ABC volunteer in 1997. He initially helped frame certification exam questions and eventually became a test examiner. He was elected secretary/treasurer of the ABC board in 2017 and served as president-elect last year. “His achievement is a true milestone, one to be proud of and congratulated,” said past ABC President Ted Thranhardt. “He had to spend hundreds of hours of personal time just to be considered.” That involvement has been a plus for MRC, said Methodist O&P Director Chris Wallace. “There are so many headwinds facing orthotics and prosthetics that it is vital for us to remain knowledgeable about trends,” Wallace said. “Having him serving on various committees is a great benefit to Methodist as an organization and ultimately the patients we serve.”
Felder named life member The Rev. Bert Felder has been named a “Life Member” of the MRC Board of Trustees. Felder has served on the board for 28 years. He has been a pastor in the Mississippi United Methodist Church since 1959 and retired from active service in 2006. The resolution states, Felder “Bert’s numerous contributions to MRC and the citizens of Mississippi have secured him our enduring gratitude and respect as an advocate and leader whose dedication has been essential to the success and ability of the hospital to carry out its mission; and Bert’s decades of service stand as a testimony for his deep love of God and his neighbors.”
Trio named to MRC board MRC has added Dr. Jasmin Owens Chapman, Bob Rambo and Phillip W. Bowman to its board of directors. Since 1998, Dr. Chapman has served as chief executive officer of the Jackson-Hinds Comprehensive Health Center (JHCHC), with 27 Chapman locations, 300 employees and an annual budget over $26 million. The first female and first dentist to be CEO at JHCHC, Dr. Chapman has twice been recognized as an Outstanding CEO by the Mississippi Primary Healthcare Association. She serves on the boards of the Governor’s Mississippi Rambo Healthcare Institute, Merit Health Central Hospital in Jackson and the Mississippi Primary Healthcare Association. Dr. Chapman has a bachelor of science degree in biology from Jackson State University and was the first black female to earn a doctorate of dental surgery from the University of Iowa School of DenBowman tistry. A Terry native, Dr. Chapman is married to retired Judge Clyde Chapman and has two children and two grandchildren. Since 2013, Rambo has been lead pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Jackson. The West Point native attended Wood College and Mississippi State University before obtaining a master of divinity and doctor of ministry from Memphis Theological Seminary. Since 1980, he has led churches small and large from Mathiston to Wren, Meridian to Clarksdale and Ripley to Starkville. He also has been District Superintendent of the Starkville District of the Mississippi Conference. For the past 20 years, Rambo has been an adjunct professor for The Jerusalem Center for Biblical Studies in Jerusalem, Israel. He is married to Susie Baldwin Rambo of West Point, and they have two sons and five grandchildren. Jackson native Bowman has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Mississippi. Since 1995, he has been the chief executive officer and owner of Specialty Metals Supply Inc. He is married to Audra Armstrong Bowman, and they have three children—one at Southern Methodist University and two at Jackson Academy. A member of Bellwether Church, Bowman enjoys spending time with family and duck hunting and farming in Clarksdale.
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News Briefs
MRC OUTCOME MEASURES FISCAL YEAR 2019
Wofford Park in new hands
Seventh Methodist O&P clinic opens in Starkville
Total Number Served
1248
NINETY DAYS AFTER DISCHARGE
MRC PATIENTS ARE
SAME OR BETTER IN THEIR:
Diagnostic Characteristics of Patients Admitted 58
Wofford Park
The Catholic Diocese of Biloxi is the new sponsor of a fully accessible Hattiesburg apartment complex that MRC helped bring to fruition in 2005. The 15-unit complex is the second of three in the state that MRC built in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Named after the late Dr. Jesse Wofford, a founding member of MRC’s Board of Trustees, it is custom designed for the physically disabled. The apartments have long been managed by Steve Hope, MRC’s vice president of corporate services. But with his retirement on the horizon, Wofford’s Board of Directors decided to seek a new non-profit organization to take over the task. “The Catholic Diocese of Biloxi was a natural fit for this, since they have a long established mission of providing housing for the needs of the elderly and disabled of Mississippi’s Gulf Coast,” Hope said. “MRC is happy to pass the torch to the Diocese, knowing that our mission to provide housing for the mobility impaired of the Hattiesburg area will continue.”
Fenelon named to Wilson Research Foundation board MRC has appointed Kelley Walton Fenelon of Jackson to the center’s Wilson Research Foundation Board of Governors. Fenelon has two daughters, Kelley Frances and Walton, and a son, Patterson. She is a longtime member and Fenelon board member of Galloway United Methodist Church, and an active community volunteer. She has served as president of the Junior League of Jackson, and currently serves as a sustainer of the league. She is a member of the league’s Joyful Noise singing group that performs at area retirement homes. Fenelon has also served on the board of Jackson Preparatory School, in addition to other boards and organizations of which her children were a part.
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MRC administration and staff are pictured with Starkville Chamber of Commerce ambassadors at the clinic’s ribbon cutting.
Methodist Orthotics & Prosthetics held a grand opening for its seventh clinic location in Starkville on Oct. 4. In addition to its flagship location in Flowood, Methodist O&P also serves the communities of Hattiesburg, Meridian, Cleveland, Oxford and Monroe, La. Methodist O&P director Chris Wallace says they had been looking at several areas of the state that lacked coverage, and Starkville was the logical choice for their next expansion. “We already had made some inroads in the area,” he said. “Some of our staff traveled there to provide clinical care on a part-time basis with some therapy partners. We have several patients from the area as well. And we knew there was interest from the local medical community.” While such an on-call approach has benefited patients, Wallace says having a permanent location offers several advantages. “It’s invaluable to have a physical location to go to where we can see the patient in a comfortable environment,” he said. “A place where we have the right tools and equipment on hand to make the proper adjustments provides a better outcome for everybody.” When considering expansion, Methodist O&P looks at what makes the most sense for the community they will serve. “Starkville is also going to be somewhat of a new venture for us,” Wallace said. “At first, it will be a part-time clinic, open two days a week. We’ve never done that before. I think that this model will sustain the clinic and allow it to grow until we decide to go full-time with it.” Wallace says establishing relationships with the people and communities it serves allows Methodist O&P to excel. “When we commit to our communities, we always see greater support,” he said. “It’s when we become firmly rooted in our local medical communities that we are able to truly provide the higher level of advanced care and technology that Methodist O&P is known for.” For more information on Methodist O&P’s Starkville location at 101 G.T. Thames Drive, Suite A, call 866-306-9933 or visit methodistoandp.org.
421
95%
Orthopedic Spinal Cord Injury Brain Injury General Rehab
177
94% Ability to take care of oneself
Stroke
146
Overall Health
Ability to move around
Other Neurologic
94%
314
Percent of Patients Discharged to Skilled Nursing Facility
Percent of Patients Discharged Home 100%
100%
90%
90%
80%
80%
70%
70%
60%
60% 50%
50%
40%
40%
30%
30%
20% 10% 0%
20%
78.6%
73.4%
MRC
Nation
10% 0%
9.5%
14.5%
MRC
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NEWS
Trainor Storey. Photo: Carey Miller
Sheri Carter. Photo: Carey Miller
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
What MRC alumni have done since they left the therapy gym by Susan Christensen
SHERI CARTER
Three days a week, Sheri Carter gloves up and practices upper cuts, jabs, crosses and hooks in the Christian Life Center at First Baptist Church in Jackson. It’s her latest plot to keep Parkinson’s symptoms at bay through Rock Steady Boxing, a non-contact fitness program designed for people with the neurological disease. When Carter was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014, the then Pearl High School teacher decided to do all she could to delay its progression. And her first effort brought her to Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Flowood, where she participated in LSVT Big & Loud in 2014. The therapy addresses two major challenges of Parkinson’s—movement impairments and speech/swallowing problems. LSVT stands for Lee Silverman Voice Training and is the “Loud” portion of the program. “Big” refers to an exercise regi-
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men that helps improve mobility. “It was a very positive experience,” Carter said of the fourday-a-week, month-long therapy program. “The staff was very encouraging, and it helped me recognize the importance of regular stretching and strengthening. Exercise is so important for me to be able to function.” After finishing her therapy, Carter continued to exercise, but longed for a way to work out with others who faced similar challenges. Her search for such camaraderie led her to Rock Steady, but she was disappointed to learn there were no classes available in Mississippi. So in 2017, she and her son, Michael Brewer, traveled to Indianapolis to become certified trainers. In May, 2018, they helped start a Rock Steady affiliate in Jackson under the leadership of fellow Parkinson’s patients Dr. Randy Voyle, a retired general surgeon, and Dr. Lee Cope, a retired pediatric dentist.
Lane, William and Isabella Wilkinson. Photo: Susan Christensen
“We started with four boxers and now we have over 40,” she said. Carter serves as director of communications for the group and keeps everyone up to date with a monthly newsletter. She’s also a regular participant and values being able to work out with fellow Parkinson’s patients. “When we exercise together, we don’t feel conspicuous,” she said. “We understand the challenges of maintaining strength, balance and agility and encourage each other. The camaraderie we share is amazing.” Carter said Rock Steady is open to anyone with a Parkinson’s diagnosis and the Jackson program is $30 a month. There are affiliate programs, as well, in Vicksburg and Meridian. To learn more, call 601-949-1945 or visit rocksteadyboxing.org. To learn more about LSVT Big and Loud, call Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Flowood at 601-936-8889.
TRAINOR STOREY
“Don’t worry mom, I’m going to be fine.” Trainor Storey was in the ICU when he comforted his mother, Marilyn, with those words. And they turned out to be prophetic. Just ask Methodist Rehabilitation Center occupational therapist Stephanie Lynchard, who remembers getting an unsettling call from her former patient after he was discharged from her care. “He said ‘’Miss Stephanie, can I go skydiving?” Lynchard insisted she couldn’t clear him, but that didn’t stop him. He now has two jumps to his credit, and he doesn’t rule out more. Looking at Storey today, it’s hard to imagine the 26-yearold was ever paralyzed. But in the wake of a car crash on Dec. 27, 2012, the then college sophomore couldn’t move. He’d completely shattered one of his vertebrae and severely damaged three others. After surgery to stabilize his spine, he came to MRC determined to walk again. “I treated it like a competition—to go in there and try to do better than I did the day before,” he said. “The first two weeks were really good because I made so much progress.”
Now, Storey lives in Madison and works as a financial advisor for Northwestern Mutual. Although he earned a chemical engineering degree from Mississippi State University, Storey said he decided on a different path after graduation. He likes helping people, so financial planning seemed a good fit. Storey said he feels “very blessed” when he thinks back on his accident. And he’s certainly appreciative of MRC staff who helped him heal. “They are all good,” he said. “I wouldn’t be where I am now without MRC.”
LANE WILKINSON
A teary-eyed audience watched Lane Wilkinson as he proudly walked out of MRC on Jan. 18. It was a moment that had once seemed out of reach. On Sept. 29, 2018, Wilkinson wrecked his motorcycle just three miles from his home in Lake. The resulting diffuse brain injury, lung problems and slight spinal cord injury landed Wilkinson in the University of Mississippi Medical Center for six weeks, followed by another month at a skilled nursing facility. Just a few weeks before transferring to Methodist Rehab on Dec. 12, Wilkinson’s son, William, was born. So as he entered MRC, the young father was determined to do all he could to return home to his baby and wife, Isabella. “I could not leave her alone to raise our kid, so that was my fight—to get out as quick as I could,” he said. “I tried to do more than what they asked me to do.” Isabella said she’s grateful to all the MRC staff who did their best to get her husband back on his feet. “He was ready to get home, and they definitely helped him get there,” she said. “I went from not being able to hardly move anything but my neck to getting up and moving around and talking,” he said. Wilkinson has since moved to Conehatta and is back at work driving a truck for Simmons Erosion Control. Now, when he thinks back on his days at MRC, Jan. 18 still stands out. “It was a big deal to walk out the door,” he said. “I was determined to walk out of the hospital under my own power to get back home and help raise my son and that’s what I did.
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NEWS
Employees
Leslie Taylor Clinical Services
LESLIE TAYLOR
Kathy Kendrick Support Services
As the mother of three boys, Leslie Taylor of Brandon knows how to dish out some tough love. So when patients need a little push to accomplish therapy goals, the Methodist Rehabilitation Center physical therapist rises to the challenge. “I get out my firm voice and the other therapists say I’m getting my mama voice out,” she said. Taylor can be just as tender hearted when needed, and her caring nature is one reason she was chosen as Clinical Employee of the Year for MRC’s main campus. “Leslie shows compassion to every patient she treats and has incredible appreciation for the challenges put upon them,” said MRC Therapy Director Suzy Gonzales. Taylor said she’s especially touched by patients who don’t have strong family support. “Those are the ones that get to me,” she said. “The ones that don’t have anyone.” So she works hard to help them regain the skills they’ll need to live as independently as possible. “Leslie is an exceptional employee who is always striving to be of service to others,” Gonzales said. “She is caring, hardworking and very respected by her
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of the
Year
Heather Taylor
Clinical Services, External
coworkers and by those she supervises.” A novel about a character undergoing physical therapy first put the profession on Taylor’s radar. “It made me realize I wanted to do something in the medical field,” she said. “Then my grandmother had a wreck, and I went with her to her therapy appointments, and that spurred me on.” For years, Taylor worked in close proximity to MRC—first as a student at the University of Mississippi School of Health Related Professions and later as a therapist for the University Rehabilitation Center (URC). After URC closed following an affiliation agreement with MRC, Taylor was among several therapists who accepted job offers at MRC. She admits she was apprehensive at first. “We thought we would be outsiders,” she said. “But everyone welcomed us and bent over backwards to make us part of the family.” Today, Taylor enjoys her post as a PT for MRC’s stroke recovery program. She likes that her patients represent different types of challenges, and she’s adept at addressing their needs. “She has excellent problem solving abilities,” Gonzales said. “And the thing that excites me the most about her is how she continuously motivates herself to be more effective in whatever she does
Maxine Jackson
Support Services, External
or is challenged to do.” While at URC, Taylor returned to school to earn her doctorate in physical therapy. And since coming to MRC in 2015, she said she’s appreciated MRC’s generous support of continuing education and its commitment to staying abreast of professional trends. “We’re always up-to-date on everything, and it helps to have all those tools to treat your patients.”
KATHY KENDRICK
When Kathy Kendrick was named Support Person of the Year at MRC, some assumed it was for her recent hard work implementing MRC’s new software system. “We are in-house support for everyone else,” explained the senior program analyst. So for months, her days were filled with phone calls and troubleshooting software issues. But long before the software conversion began, Kendrick already had a reputation for meeting every challenge with a cheerful, can-do attitude. “She is one of the most well-liked employees at MRC because she never says no to anyone,” said Chief Financial Officer Gary Armstrong. “She always tries her best to assist anyone with whatever request they might have.”
Kendrick has a degree in computer services technology from Mississippi State University. But when she first came to MRC in January 1990, she worked for Tatum Temporary Services as a clerical employee. “I had just relocated from MSU with my husband and my 3-yearold child, and I was looking for an IT job,” she said. While she waited for an opportunity in her field, Kendrick stayed at MRC, filling in as a support person in a variety of departments. And during a stint in the respiratory therapy department, she learned a software program to write reports for the staff. When Armstrong heard about her efforts, he recruited Kendrick to join the Information Services staff. Kendrick said she welcomed the offer, as she has always liked “what Methodist represents.” “All the employees I’ve interacted with are very positive and have a spirit of wanting to see patients reach their maximum potential,” she said. Kendrick also feels that responsibility, as evidenced by her work ethic. “Someone from information services must work every evening, 365 days a year, to run our nightly process and backups,” Armstrong said. “This includes holidays such as Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. When we couldn’t find a volunteer to work that holiday, Kathy always stepped up and filled in. And if Kathy had deadlines to meet, she would stay in the evenings or come in on the weekends to do everything she could to meet the deadlines.” As an IS staff member, Kendrick helps build and maintain software systems that produce needed data for a variety of departments. A self-confessed math nerd—she used to give her three children word problems whenever they were bored— Kendrick said she considers programming a kind of art form. “It allows you to be creative to get the end result,” she said. “There is more than one way to do something efficiently.” This past year has been more challenging than most for Kendrick. It took eight months to convert to the Meditech software system. And she said she dealt with the long hours by reminding herself: “I’m only one of the many people involved in this process.”
“And I try to exercise and walk when I’m stressed,” she added. Thanks to a monetary gift that comes with Employee of the Year, Kendrick also has another form of stress relief planned. She and her high school best friend plan to attend the centennial celebration of their college sorority, Zeta Phi Beta, in Washington, D.C. in 2020.
She says she was completely humbled to receive Clinical Services Employee of the Quarter for external campuses and didn’t imagine she would be further recognized. “I was shocked to say the least,” Taylor said. “And I never expected to then get employee of the year. It’s been a great honor.”
HEATHER TAYLOR
MAXINE JACKSON
Working as a nurse at Methodist Physical Medicine’s pain management clinic has given Heather Taylor the satisfaction she got into the profession for. “Methodist is a great place to work,” Taylor said. “And I also love the kind of work that we do. In pain management, you get that kind of instant gratification in knowing someone comes in suffering from severe pain, but by the time they leave our office they are doing great. It’s very rewarding.” The Puckett native and Brandon resident admits, though, that the lure of a set schedule in the often hectic field of nursing is what initially drew her to the job. “I needed the structure of a Monday-through-Friday, 8-to-5 job, because my husband was working out of town,” Taylor said. “We had our first child at the time, but now we have two.” She’s since marked a decade working at the clinic, where she now regards her patients as family. “I truly care about my patients,” she said. “I try to look at them as if it were my own mother or father, or grandmother or grandfather sitting in front of me. I would want them to be treated the same way.” “Heather is a model for nursing leadership,” said Joel Shows, director of operations at Methodist Physical Medicine. “Not only does she dedicate herself to working in her home department of Methodist Pain Management, but she also devotes time to help the rest of Methodist Physical Medicine. The entire staff relies on her dedication.” Taylor graduated from nursing school at Hinds Community College in 2005 and worked in the Hattiesburg area while her husband finished school. Soon the couple moved back to the metro area, and Taylor landed at Methodist.
Maxine Jackson loves her job serving the residents of Methodist Specialty Care Center, MRC’s long-term care facility for the severely disabled. She says the best part of working as a dietary services cook is “putting a smile on their faces.” She does this by putting “my own spin on” resident favorites like red beans and rice and fried chicken for evening meals. A native of Baton Rouge, La., and now a Pearl resident, Jackson worked in food service at some assisted living facilities before she came to MSCC a little over five years ago. Andrew Edwards, dietary services manager at MSCC, says Jackson quickly became an invaluable member of his kitchen staff and is wholly deserving of the honor of Support Services Employee of the Year for MRC’s external campuses. “Maxine puts forth 110 percent,” he said. “She’s always willing to give that extra effort of time. She will come in for other employees on her days off, and helps me with catering functions as needed. I wish I had five more of her.” Jackson says receiving the honor meant a lot to her and made her hard work worthwhile. “I was so happy,” she said. “I thanked God for it. It’s great getting recognized for doing your job well.” Jackson also says that by serving them nearly every day for the past five years, she’s grown close to many of the center’s longtime residents. And she is always ready to accommodate their dietary requests to make sure living at MSCC feels like home. “Maxine has a heart of gold,” Edwards said. “Any time she’s asked by a resident to do something special for them, it’s an immediate yes, no questions asked.”
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BRAIN INJURY PROGRAM
Stronger every day Greenwood teen Connor Bready makes swift recovery and goes back to school with help of MRC’s brain injury program
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ost teens’ “what I did on my summer vacation” essays are probably about lazing by the pool, hanging out with friends or family trips to Disney World. Connor Bready’s could be titled “I Recovered from a Traumatic Brain Injury.” The 16-year-old from Greenwood came to Methodist Rehabilitation Center’s brain injury program on June 12 in a wheelchair. He had just had surgery that removed a piece of his skull after sustaining a head injury in a freak accident. Just 10 days later, he walked out MRC’s doors on his own, and he’s already back at school at Pillow Academy. “We thought that he might get back to school in the spring, so that’s amazing,” said MRC occupational therapist Bonnie Lahuta. “He improved really fast compared to what we were anticipating. Usually you get a good feeling how long they’ll be with us when you see them on paper before they get here.” Connor was injured on what seemed like just another normal summer night, while spending the night at a friend’s house on June 5. “There were three other teenagers there, and they were all wrestling,” said his mother Sherri Bready. “Connor hit his head on a headboard. He threw up a few times, but the others didn’t really know concussion precautions, so Connor ended up going to sleep. At some point, they tried to wake him up but couldn’t.” His mother took him to the ER in Greenwood, and he was airlifted to the
by Carey Miller University of Mississippi Medical Center. There they performed the surgery that removed part of his skull to relieve pressure on his swelling brain. “I don’t remember much about what happened then, or when I first got to rehab,” Connor said. “The earliest thing I can remember is watching TV in my room at MRC.” To regain his cognition, Connor worked with MRC speech therapist Kayla Luedtke. “Connor was not severely impaired, even when he first started,” Luedtke said. “But he just wasn’t yet at the level of a normal teenager. I knew he wasn’t quite ready to go back to school. So we concentrated on getting him ready for that, by working on his attention and focus.” Connor had to wear a special helmet during his therapy to protect his head where the piece of skull had been removed. “If he hadn’t had that helmet on— which he didn’t like—you might not have known anything happened to him,” Lahuta said. “He was awake and alert when we first came to rehab, however, there were different phases when he was more and more with it,” Sherri said. “At first, he could stand and walk a little, but he was very unstable. Every day he got stronger.” Connor’s physical therapist Kaitlyn Snyder says that Connor was already further along than most brain injury patients when he arrived. “He could already transfer from his wheelchair, stand and walk. His first couple of days, he was catching his toe with every step, so we were walking very short
distances,” she said. “But in a week, we were probably walking a mile at a time.” Connor was eventually cleared to continue practicing walking after hours with his mother and father, Jonathan Bready. “They had a really great family dynamic, and that was a big help,” Lahuta said. “Kaitlyn had Connor walk constantly,” Sherri said. “Then I would stay with him after his therapy and we would walk all over, between Methodist and UMMC, even as far as over to the medical school. Kaitlyn and Bonnie wanted him to keep trying to increase his endurance.” Connor was 15 when he first came to MRC, and Lahuta says working with teens has its own set of challenges. “Sometimes teenagers can think they’re invincible,” Lahuta said. “We had to make him aware that he had new problems he didn’t have before. His balance wasn’t all there, so we concentrated on safety. And I also had to find things that would motivate a teenager. We played a lot of video games, because that’s his wheelhouse. So I would make him stand and work on his balance while we played Nintendo Wii.” Luedtke also says video games were a great motivational tool. “Video games can be very helpful with divided attention and problem solving. I even let him play the Playstation virtual reality headset. In a way, that’s how I bribed him to do the tasks he didn’t care for like math. If you do this, you get game time.” After his inpatient stay, Connor
“Considering what my injury was, they say I’m not supposed to be able to do all the stuff I can do now. I feel like I’m really lucky,” — Connor Bready 14
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At Quest, Connor worked with speech therapist Cassie Means to prepare to return to school. Photo: Carey Miller
Connor walked all around the MRC and UMMC campus with physical therapist Kaitlyn Snyder. Photo: Carey Miller
was referred to Quest, MRC’s outpatient community integration program in Ridgeland so that he could be cleared to return to school. “We didn’t think he would have to be there for very long,” Lahuta said. “But we wanted to make sure he could make the transition back to school smoothly. He was a smart kid and made good grades, so we wanted to get him back to that.” Connor worked with Quest’s speech therapist Cassie Means on things he might encounter when he went back to school. “We worked on compensatory strategies for how to listen and process information in a classroom, and strategies for memory, studying and reading comprehension,” Means said. Means also worked with Connor’s school regarding his possible need for learning accommodations, such as more time for taking tests. “I told them he would likely be experiencing some cognitive fatigue so he should start out slow,” Means said. “He
Connor continued his physical therapy while at Quest. Photo: Carey Miller
was a good student before, and I felt he would get back to it well. But it’s important to have that safety net of options.” Connor also continued to work on walking with physical therapist Patricia Oyarce. “He tested very well when he came in,” she said. “He had the highest balance score. So I had to keep him conditioned until he was ready to go back to school. But he still had the helmet from the cranioplasty, so I had to keep him and his family educated on avoiding activities with a fall risk. I also monitored him for any complaints like dizziness or headaches that can sometimes come later.” Connor went to therapy twice a week for four weeks at Quest. And in mid-August, he returned to UMMC for a surgery to replace his skull. Though Connor says his time in rehab is hazy, there are memories that stick with him. “The thing I’ll most remember about MRC is all the people are so nice,” Connor said. “And I remember the dog (Nauvoo, MRC’s Canine Companions
Puzzles were one way therapists helped Connor sharpen his cognitive abilities. Photo: Carey Miller
for Independence facility dog). I, of course, also remember getting to play the Nintendo Wii.” Connor says he’s glad to be back home, playing his favorite video games Fortnite and Rocket League. Connor also enjoys studying history and science at Pillow Academy, where he just started the 10th grade. He admits that now that his accident is behind him, he should start looking to the future. “I should probably start thinking about college,” he said. “Considering what my injury was, they say I’m not supposed to be able to do all the stuff I can do now. I feel like I’m really lucky.” Sherri and Jonathan say that as parents they feel lucky, too, to have had the best possible care for Connor. “Our family doctor told us he’s treated some concussion patients who couldn’t do at six months what Connor could do at one,” Sherri said. “The treatment he got at MRC was great. They kept pushing Connor and kept him motivated. He’s had a miraculous recovery.”
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From left, Savannah, Kristan, Brad and Caroline Stubblefield at their home in Madison. Photo: Carey Miller
SPINAL CORD INJURY
Such a blessing
For spinal cord injury survivor Brad Stubblefield, having children has brought joy along with a unique set of challenges
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fter over 25 years working with spinal cord injury patients at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, occupational therapist Bridgett Pelts knows there is little they can’t do when they set their minds to it. That includes experiencing the joys of parenthood. “It is no different for them as with anyone else who wants to have a child, they just have to know there will be challenges,” Pelts said. “They have to be willing to think a little bit differently and adapt the way they do things.” Few know this better than Brad Stubblefield of Madison. He and his wife Kristan are the proud parents of 4-year-old Caroline and 13-month-old Savannah. For him, everything from becoming a father to learning how to care for his girls from a wheelchair has been an adaptation. The Stubblefields had been married for three years and were planning on starting a family when Brad was injured in a 2012 motorcycle accident and came to MRC for rehab. “About a year after my injury we started talking again about having kids,” Brad said. But because of the nature of Brad’s injury—he is paralyzed from the chest down—he is unable to father a child biologically. Many men living with SCI have issues with fertility and sexual health. Only 17 percent of men with complete lower level injuries like Brad’s are able to ejaculate, according to SCI resources on www.christopherreeve.org. Nichole Owens, a family nurse practitioner specializing in urology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, holds twice monthly clinics at MRC to assist SCI patients. “From a urology perspective, MRC is a demanding patient population with complex needs,” she said. “But it’s been rewarding to establish relationships with SCI patients and help them navigate their issues, especially reproductive needs.” Owens says she mainly sees young male SCI patients with questions about sexual health, but she has worked with some couples wishing to start a family. “If a patient can’t produce sperm on their own, there are ways to collect it,” Owens said. “Some patients are able to be electrically stimulated to harvest sperm. Some others may be able to have an erection and produce ejaculate, but due to their injury, it flushes backward into their bladder. In this case, it can be collected with a catheter. I identify what issue the patient is having, then I often refer to a reproductive endocrinologist to counsel couples through the conception process.” If a viable sperm sample is collected, there are different methods for fertilization. If the sperm count is high enough, an intrauterine insemination (IUI) can be attempted. IUI involves placing sperm inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilization. If the numbers are low, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is an option. With IVF, an egg is manually fertilized in a laboratory setting and then placed in the uterus.
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by Carey Miller
Brad Stubblefield comforts his, at the time of this photo, 7-month-old daughter Savannah in the crib he customized to have a door that swings open, allowing him to pick her up while in his wheelchair. Photo: Carey Miller
“My numbers weren’t good enough for an IUI, so we thought IVF was our only option,” Brad said. Unfortunately for the Stubblefields, two attempts at IVF were unsuccessful. But they said an answer came when they were given the opportunity to adopt. “When we got the call from our doctor we were super excited, and Caroline was born seven weeks later,” Kristan said. “Adopting her satisfied my desire to be a mom and have that experience, but I knew that I always wanted the experience of being pregnant. “We tried IVF a third time with some different circumstances, but we didn’t get a better result. Then we looked into an embryo adoption and were able to do that. So both our girls are adopted, just in different ways. I was able to get pregnant and carry Savannah, and it was such a blessing.” Kristan says that adopting Caroline first was also a blessing, as it allowed her to be an active mom from the start. “God knows what he is doing. We got to learn how to be
parents with Brad in a wheelchair with Caroline, with me not having to recover from giving birth,” Kristan said. “We were able to learn how to do things like get in a car with his wheelchair and a baby.” As an occupational therapist, Pelts has helped several SCI patients prepare for parenting from a wheelchair, whether they already had children or were expecting at the time of their injury. “Say someone already had a child that weighed eight pounds,” Pelts said. “So we would get a baby doll and put 8-pound weights on it, so that we could do some therapy with them having the true feel of their baby. We’d practice lifting the doll up while maintaining control of their wheelchair. We’d practice changing diapers with the doll, too.” She says it’s all about finding what’s best for each patient’s needs and limitations. “It depends on the level of injury,” Pelts said. “If someone can’t use their arms fully, you have to think about if they are going to be able to do things like hold a baby or change diapers. For paraplegics, these tasks are easier because they have the hand function to do those things. For them, the challenges are things like how you are going to push a manual chair and support your baby at the same time.” Brad says he has dealt with this very challenge. “Because of my injury, I don’t have good balance or core strength,” Brad said. “So I am limited a lot to just using one hand. I have to keep the other on my chair to keep myself up. Not having that stability, being able to do things like pick my daughter up when she’s on the floor has been one of the bigger issues for me.” Pelts says that there aren’t a lot of assistive devices designed for parents with disabilities, but some tools designed for able-bodied parents can be useful. “There are some things out there, but you have to look hard for them and they can be expensive,” Pelts said. “A lot of parents in wheelchairs use a strap-on baby carrier or a baby sling, which
“Parenthood has been the best experience that I have ever had. It’s totally worth it. It’s amazing to see how God can grow this little person, and how you can love somebody that much.” — Brad Stubblefield
allows them to carry a baby while freeing up their arms for operating a manual chair.” And sometimes it just takes some old-fashioned ingenuity. “They don’t make baby changing tables that have an opening underneath—I needed something that I can pull my chair underneath and be able to change the baby more easily,” Brad said. “I have some skills with woodworking and building things. So I built my own, so I could help my wife with changing diapers. “And with a regular crib, I can’t reach over the railing and pick my baby up. So I cut the front of our crib in half and put hinges on it. Now the front swings open and I can get her in and out of bed. I’ve had to modify a lot of things to make everyday child care tasks easier for me from my chair.” For Brad, who became a parent after he left the therapy gym, having good peer support has been invaluable. Being a member of MRC’s Spinal Cord Injury Support Group has connected him with other disabled parents. “It’s mostly been trial and error for me, figuring it out on my own,” Brad said. “But I’ve been active in the support group since my accident. I have friends with similar injuries who have kids and have asked them about how they do things. I’ve also joined some spinal cord injury groups online to see how other people navigate it.” And while Brad and Kristan say they face new challenges every day, they wouldn’t have done it any other way. Brad says he encourages anyone with a SCI considering having children to pursue it. “It can be frustrating. You will find new limitations when dealing with your kids that are different from your everyday limitations,” he said. “You have to problem solve and find ways of doing things that work the best for you. But parenthood has been the best experience that I have ever had. It’s totally worth it. It’s amazing to see how God can grow this little person, and how you can love somebody that much.”
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VOLUNTEERING Debbie and Greg Price. Photo: Carey Miller
Arthur and Jeanie Inkster. Photo: Carey Miller
Do-goodin’ duos
Methodist Church in Jackson, where several members are regular volunteers at MRC. “We have seen so many wonderful people giving their time here, and we felt like it was our time to do so, too,” Jeanie said The Prices also felt the call to service at MRC, and they enjoy what Debbie calls “our second go-round” of volunteering. “We were actually here from 1994 to 1997,” Debbie said. “We helped the recreation therapist with bingo on Thursday nights. That was right before we had our daughter.” Mary Katherine Price is now 21, and her brother, Jason, is 20. And the siblings can also lay claim to volunteering at MRC. Every year, they would make and deliver homemade Christmas cards and Easter baskets to the patients. ‘Our daughter was 4 and our son was 2½ when we started,” Debbie said. “They’d get so excited. And I’m convinced they’re better people from having been around the patients.”
Retired married couples turn serving their community into family affair by volunteering at MRC
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fter love, marriage, baby carriages and such, some couples are renewing their vows—to volunteer. Two sets of married retirees from Ridgeland are spending their spare time helping out at Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson. And they’ve done so well, MRC Volunteer Coordinator/Human Resources Recruiter Eliza Ueltschey hopes to find more do-goodin’ duos. “It’s a great thing for a couple to do together,” she said. “And I think patients really enjoy it when they find out volunteers are a husband and wife team.” Team Price—Debbie and Greg—
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by Susan Christensen are well-suited for the duty. They actually met when both joined a volunteer program via St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Jackson. “We are just both geared to helping people,” Debbie said. “It’s our similar value system.” These days, they spend three days a week transporting patients to and from the busy respiratory therapy department at MRC. And respiratory therapist Elizabeth Hays said the compassionate couple is “really appreciated.” “They are so helpful,” Hays said. “We print the patient schedule for them, and they pick them up and bring them to us. It makes for an easy flow. And they
interact well with the patients.” The same holds true for Arthur and Jeanie Inkster, who sign in patients once a week at MRC’s second floor outpatient clinic. Their welcoming nature puts patients at ease as they arrive for doctor’s appointments or medical tests. And the Inksters enjoy having a window on the world of rehab medicine. “From week to week, you see miracles,” Arthur said. “A lot of sad folks come in, and a lot of happy folks go out. We saw a friend from church here, and he was in very bad shape. And now he’s back to ushering in church.” The couple goes to Christ United
Debbie said the tradition started because the Prices had something to celebrate. Greg had just gotten his driver’s license back after being sidelined for four years because of grand mal seizures. “We had to do something, we felt so grateful,” she said. And since they were familiar with MRC—Greg had even been a patient—the hospital became their go-to place to give back. When Greg retired in 2014 from his accounting job at the Mississippi Department of Education, MRC again came to mind as a venue to volunteer. “It’s the first place he wanted to be,” Debbie said. “And they put me to work,” Greg added. Debbie helped out when she could. And when she retired from being a special projects officer for the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office in 2017, she began volunteering nine hours a week at MRC, too. Like her husband, Debbie has had her share of medical problems. “I have had several shunt surgeries,” she said. And that history has helped her empa-
thize with patients with similar concerns. “That has been a neat thing being able to tell them the surgeries I’ve had and that I’ve been OK,” Debbie said. Jeanie has a similar tale to share. She recently underwent inpatient therapy at MRC after having double knee replacement surgery. The Inksters retired from their business, General Supply, in 1999. And for many years, they indulged their love of travel. But with their wanderlust sated, they saw an opportunity at MRC to explore their passion for helping out on the home front. “We were ready to do some service for the community, and we couldn’t think of a better place to come,” Jeanie said. “It’s such a wonderful, happy, loving place to be.” For information on volunteer opportunities at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, call Eliza Ueltschey at 601-364-3379 or send an email to eueltschey@mmrcrehab.org.
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INPATIENT REHABILITATION Dr. Jennifer Villacorta. Photo: Melanie Thortis
Stepping up
Dr. Jennifer Villacorta named MRC’s new medical director
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by Susan Christensen
r. Jennifer Villacorta can’t say she ever saw herself as the Medical Director for Outpatient SCI Services at the Rehaa medical director. bilitation Institute of Michigan (RIM), Detroit Medical Center, “They are usually older, and I’m still wearing she became an admitting physician for MRC’s SCI program in headbands,” she joked. 2016. But when she was offered the position at MethBoard certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation and odist Rehabilitation Center, the spinal cord injury SCI medicine, Villacorta is also assistant professor of neurosurspecialist decided to “step up to it.” gery and a member of the Neuroscience Institute at the Univer“After being on the front lines as a physician, I realize there sity of Mississippi Medical Center. is so much you can do for patients and the medical team when Her wide range of responsibilities makes for some demandyou have a voice. And that’s what I’m excited about.” ing days. But it also gives Villacorta a big-picture view of how Villacorta joined MRC’s staff in 2016, and she immediMRC can best contribute to the success of rehabilitation medately became a significant contributor to its mission, said MRC icine in Mississippi. President and CEO Mark Adams. “The resources are all here, it’s just a matter of utilizing and “It was not a hard decision to give her the additional rebuilding on them,” she said. “You’ve got to make sure everyone sponsibility of medical director,” Adams said. “She has become is on the same page and moving in the right direction. a very important part of our leadership team in this new role.” “Leadership doesn’t mean you just get to be ‘the boss’. I Villacorta says it’s not the first time she has benefitted from find being a leader means you have the opportunity and the a serendipitous career move. “I seem to always land where I privilege of representing the people you work with, too.” never would have imagined I would be most utilized and grow To that end, Villacorta enjoys a collaborative relationship as a person and as a professional,” she said. with her fellow physicians at UMMC and MRC, as well as the Growing up in the Philippines, she knew her parents exresearchers at MRC’s Center for Neuroscience and Neurological pected her to become either a doctor, lawyer or engineer. Being Recovery (CNNR). a physician seemed to be the best fit. “Dr. Villacorta has really taken charge of the medical direcAs a stepping stone to medical school, Villacorta chose to torship and has already implemented several process improvement changes to allow for better patient flow and patient care, study physical therapy. She found herself endeared to the prowhile also helping to improve the quality of life for all providfession and particularly drawn to the very unique experience of ers,” said Dr. Hyung Kim, Division Chief of PMR at UMMC. treating spinal injury patients. “She has so far done an excellent job in her new leadership role. “It was challenging in a fulfilling way,” she said. “And I She remains a pleasure to work with.” actually started entertaining the idea of not continuing on to “I love the passion she has for the patients and programs,” med school.” added Dr. Keith Tansey, a CNNR senior scientist who also is But when she was accepted to the University of the Philipa professor of rehabilitation medicine in the UMMC Departpines College of Medicine in Manila on her first try, she figured ment of Neurosurgery and a physician for the Spinal Cord Inher fate had been decided and she proceeded to earn her M.D. jury Clinic at the Jackson VA Medical Center. “She knows what Still undecided about a specialty, Villacorta sought the the highest standard is and wants to have it here.” guidance of a mentor who happened to be a physiatrist and Villacorta said she likes to focus on identifying and breaksuggested a career in physical medicine and rehabilitation. ing the barriers that prevent rehabilitaWhile her background as a phystion goals from being achieved. ical therapist made a PM&R residency “That’s what we’re here for. To push a logical choice, Villacorta was hesitant the limits and hope to continue making at first. “PM&R was not as developed improvements where we think we have in the Philippines back then, and I was “Being a leader ‘settled.’ Sometimes this where the art of afraid it might not be as challenging or means you have medicine comes in,” she said. interesting.” It was then that she was And when it comes to patient care, told, “Go to the states (USA), and find the opportunity her vision is to create and maintain a out.” and the privilege continuity between the acute care ofVillacorta then pursued and comfered at UMMC and the rehab services pleted her PM&R residency at the Uniof representing the available through MRC. versity of Arkansas for Medical Sciences people you work “If we can have the opportunity to in Little Rock, Ark. Next came a fellowget involved in the patient’s care as early ship in spinal cord injury medicine at the with, too.” as even before surgery, we can accomUniversity of Texas Health Science Cen— Dr. Jennifer plish a care that is comprehensive and ter and the Baylor College of Medicine optimal for our patients.” Villacorta in Houston, Texas. After a brief stint as
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WILSON RESEARCH FOUNDATION
SPINAL CORD INJURY RESEARCH
Fostering the future
Dr. Keith Tansey leaves notable legacy as ASIA president
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s he wound up his two-year tenure as president of the American Spinal Injury Association, Dr. Keith Tansey could look back on a number of notable initiatives. But he’s probably proudest of ASIA’s push to increase interactions between researchers who study spinal cord injury and the physicians who treat SCI patients. As a neurologist who has a Ph.D. in spinal cord physiology, Tansey uniquely understands the potential of such collaborations. Indeed, it’s what brought the physician-scientist to Mississippi in 2016. “I was looking for a way to continue my three-pronged approach of basic lab research, human study and clinical care,” Tansey said. “And I found Jackson has top-notch scientists and a human laboratory capacity that’s only present in a handful of places in this country.” Today, Tansey serves as a senior scientist in the NeuroRobotics Lab of the Center for Neuroscience and Neurological Recovery at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, a professor in the Departments of Neurosurgery and Neurobiology and Anatomical Sciences at the University of Mississippi Medical Center and a physician-scientist for the Spinal Cord Injury Medicine and Research Services at the G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Veterans Administration Medical Center. It’s not the bio of most ASIA presidents. “ASIA used to be mostly rehabilitation clinicians delivering care,” Tansey explained. But with time, and under his leadership, there’s growing awareness of the benefits of welcoming researchers and other SCI experts to the fold. “Keith is our bridge,” said ASIA Executive Director Patricia Duncan. “All his colleagues from both sides have the utmost respect for him. He always goes toward the future and what he can do to make things better for patients, as well as science.” To encourage the integration of novel and important research areas at ASIA’s annual meeting, Tansey underwrote a new ASIA award to recognize translational research and human neuroscience studies (TRoHNS Award). It’s part of a trend toward an expanded award system for ASIA participants that includes recognition for therapists and physician trainees, as well as physicians and researchers. Tansey said another new direction is ASIA’s outreach to medical professionals in Central and South American countries. “They are not set up so much to accommodate people with spinal cord injury,” Tansey said. “Since we’re all in the same hemisphere, we thought we’d reach out a little. Members of our new Americas committee have traveled to Uruguay and Ecuador to support the development of improved SCI care there.” ASIA also is working to provide educational materials for primary caregivers who often treat chronic spinal cord injury patients and to encourage younger group members to get more involved. For his swan song as president, Tansey worked with ASIA’s
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by Susan Christensen
Neurologist Keith Tansey, right, watches as Steve Webster steps with the aid of the LokomatPro FreeD as part of a study being conducted in MRC’s NeuroRobotics Lab. Photo: Carey Miller
Program Committee to locate ASIA’s 2019 Spinal Cord Injury Summit in Hawaii. He favored Waikiki for the April 2-5 conference, told the speakers to wear Hawaiian shirts and even arranged for a luau for the Presidential Reception. Fortunately, he also devised an ambitious ”state of the science” lineup designed to keep attendees from skipping out to the beach. He had leading-edge experts discuss how to quickly translate lab discoveries to clinical care, use large volumes of data to improve clinical care and design animal and human studies to better complement each other. Other session topics included spinal cord learning, spinal cord injury guidelines for psychologists, social workers and counselors, the latest innovations in imaging methods and biomarkers and even an “autopsy” of a failed clinical trial. The summit ended with a symposium devoted to one of the field’s most talked-about topics—spinal cord stimulation and neuromodulation. “This was the first major societal meeting with a half day devoted to this technology,” Tansey said. The presentation is a response to hype generated last year when four paralyzed people regained some movement with the
aid of implanted stimulation devices paired with intense rehabilitation therapy. “That’s why we had the symposium so we could critically discuss the technology rather than celebrating a handful of discoveries,” Tansey said. “We’ve heard the marketing. Now, let’s kick the tires a little bit. “I want a clinician to be able to tell whether a patient will or won’t be a good candidate for neuromodulation. We need to take a step back and better define the patient, develop more subtle measurements and build on that.” Tansey is never bashful about expressing his opinion, and he admits he has talked himself into many a project. “If you complain about a squeak, you get handed the oil can,” he jokes. But his forthrightness has hardly limited Tansey’s rise in the SCI field. In addition to being president of ASIA and one of the editors of a textbook “Neurological Aspects of Spinal Cord Injury,” he also was named a fellow of ASIA and the American Society for Neurorehabilitation. As someone who played a major role in recruiting Tansey to Mississippi, Dr. Dobrivoje Stokic likes that Tansey has become nationally prominent in his field. “Dr. Tansey is a great asset to our program because he helped us expand into new areas of research and strengthen our collaboration with UMMC,” Stokic said. With his ASIA presidency behind him, Tansey will have more time to devote his energies to his own research and clinical pursuits. But he’ll leave the post with mixed feelings. “I will miss the opportunity to make an impact on the field through the power afforded to the presidency,” he said. Still, it’s a given he’ll stay focused on fostering breakthroughs in SCI care. “It’s not that we want to practice the best SCI medicine of today,” he said. “It’s that we want to develop the improved SCI medicine of the future.”
Walton Fenelon Lane and Ben Lane. Photo: Karla Pound
Match made at MRC Helping family members recover from brain injuries forges bond between Ben Lane and Walton Fenelon Lane
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by Susan Christensen
ride or groom’s side? At the Oct. 26 wedding of Ben Lane and Walton Fenelon, that question posed a predicament for guests who work at Methodist Rehabilitation Center in Jackson. Ben’s father, Sam Lane, Sr., and Walton’s mother, Kelley Fenelon, are both board members of the hospital’s Wilson Research Foundation. And what fostered their involvement was the same thing that forged a bond between Ben and Walton—the brain injury of a loved one and their subsequent recovery at MRC. “Both have shared the experience of some really tough stuff,” Sam said. “And the Methodist Rehab connection was big. Both families owe Methodist Rehab a debt of gratitude.” On April 27, 2007, Ben’s brother, Samuel Lane Jr., was hit by a drunk driver while biking at the University of Georgia in Athens. Almost 10 years later, Kelley was in a Pilates class when a tangle of abnormal blood vessels ruptured in her brain. “For my family and Ben’s family the world stopped when our loved ones suffered traumatic brain injuries,” Walton said. And for a long while, life revolved around the demands of MRC’s brain injury rehab program.
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“For my family and Ben’s family the world stopped when our loved ones suffered traumatic brain injuries,” — Walton Fenelon Lane
For Kelley, it took two years to migrate through inpatient and outpatient therapy designed to help her overcome significant deficits. “I started in a wheelchair and had so much to learn,” Kelley said. “From an inability to move my right side and speak, I was able to use my arms and legs again and even recovered my speech. I still wear a brace for strengthening my right leg, but I am so far ahead of what I might have done without Methodist.” Due to the severity of their injuries, Samuel and Kelley remember little about the immediate aftermath of their brain trauma. But Ben and Walton can’t forget learning their loved ones might not survive. “I went up to Samuel, grabbed him hard and said: ‘I love you, brother, don’t quit fighting and I’ll see you soon,’” remembers Ben, age 15 at the time. “Then I kind of lost it.” On Feb. 28, 2017, it was 25-year-old Walton who was in tears as her mother, Kelley, lay unconscious in the same St. Dominic Hospital ICU room that had once housed Samuel. “We were told by the neurosurgeon that my mom’s CT scan showed aggressive bleeding in her brain,” Walton said. “We called my siblings, who were traveling as swiftly as possible to Jackson, and together we told our mom we loved her.” Both babies of their families, Ben and Walton had to grow up fast to handle what was ahead. “They took on a lot of responsibility and it changed the path of their lives,” said Ben’s mother, Leila. “Both Ben and Walton have the kind of personality where they did not look away and say this is somebody else’s problem,” Sam said. “They’ve both been very dedicated and extremely devoted. Walton has really stepped up for her mother being an advocate and taking charge.” As for Ben, “he was a strong and faithful brother,” Samuel said. “He is always down to stand for his friends and family, strong in the face of trauma, and if he says he’ll do something, you know it will be done.” As Walton dealt with the ups and downs of her mother’s recovery, she came to rely on Ben’s steadfastness. “One thing led to another and I realized that I had found not only a deeper friendship with him, but a true love,” she wrote on the anniversary of her mother’s injury. “We had walked different yet similarly challenging paths that had taught both of us how to love the other in the most perfect way.”
“THINKING OF YOU” The lives of Ben and Walton had long overlapped through a social circle made up of family friendships, geographic proximity and shared alma maters. “I actually knew Ben’s father in high school, then we went
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The Fenelon family gathered with the bride and groom at the wedding. From left to right are Patterson Fenelon, Kelley Walton Fenelon, Walton Fenelon Lane, Ben Lane, Marrin Snarr, Kelley Frances Fenelon-Snarr, Melissa Snarr amd Emmaline Snarr. Photo: Karla Pound.
on some dates in college,” Kelley said. “I took presents to Leila when she was pregnant with their children, and then when Walton was born, Leila gave me the ‘God’s ABC’s’ print with Walton’s name and birthdate that still hangs in Walton’s childhood room. “The wonderful serendipity of it all makes me want to claim that my mother is up there in heaven, setting all of this up.” While in high school at Jackson Prep, Ben and Walton dated for a while. But they were firmly in the friend zone when he got word her mother was in the hospital. “I decided to bake her a cake,” said Ben, who worked at a Memphis bakery at the time. “I mailed it to her with a little card that expressed my condolences and that I was thinking of her during this scary time.” “Things were still really grim then and we got this amazing pound cake,” Walton said. “My siblings and I loved it and expressed how thoughtful it was of Ben to send it.” Walton had been living in Nashville before moving to Jackson to be her mother’s caregiver. And Ben remembers being impressed at how Kelley’s whole family worked together to ensure her recovery. “I saw firsthand and from afar the definition of family— watching Walton, her siblings (Patterson and Kelley Frances), and their other loved ones, pour their lives into their mom’s recovery. They dropped everything and were there for her. To me, that is what I am most excited about in our marriage, Walton’s willingness and emphasis to always be there for the people she loves.” As her mother’s therapy stretched on, Walton managed to see Ben on occasion when she visited friends in Memphis. Their first “official date” as adults was during the Christmas holidays of 2017. “We were supposed to go on a date with two friends but they cancelled,” Walton said. “Honestly, I was happy that they
The Lane family gathered with the bride and groom at the wedding. Back row, from left to right are Sam Lane, Sr., Lelia Lane, Walton Fenelon Lane, Ben Lane, Samuel Lane, Jr., Mary Mills Lane Ritchie (holding Mcrae Ritchie) and Spencer Ritchie. Front row is Lelia Ann Ritchie, Katherine Ritchie amd James Ritchie. Photo: Karla Pound.
couldn’t make it. I had hoped that it would be just the two of us.I knew when we started dating this go around that I wanted to get married.” By the end of January, she was sure of it. “She was supposed to come to Memphis on January 27, and I got a call from her,” Ben said. “She was upset because her mom had had a mini seizure and had gone to the hospital. I did not hesitate and said I’ll come straight to Jackson.” Said Walton: “I remember Ben dropping everything and coming to St. Dominic and I thought: This is what love and family is all about. You respond and you’re there for that person. That spoke volumes.” Ben followed up by moving to Jackson. Ostensibly, it was because he had decided the food business wasn’t for him. “But a big cheesy part of why I moved is because I was crazy about Walton,” he said. “I had a crush on her since the 7th grade at Prep.” “I’m so grateful that he moved to Jackson and my whole family is, too,” Walton said. “They love Ben. My siblings got to see our relationship really deepen, as they were often in Jackson assisting my mom in her recovery.” “He has been a godsend for both Walton and myself,” Kelley said. “He has the kindest heart I have ever seen, and understands my recovery because he’s already lived it with his brother.” The Lanes also feel fortunate that Walton joined the fold. “It’s amazing how God works sometime,” Leila said. “We just are so happy about everything. And I’m glad Walton got Ben back to Jackson.”
“A SPECIAL PLACE IN OUR HEARTS” The couple, got engaged on Sept. 28, 2018, in front of Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson. It’s where they graduated from high school. And since they share a passion for downtown Jack-
son, Ben found it a fitting place to celebrate their union. The two opted for a long engagement, which has had the benefit of giving Kelley more time to recover. Kelley initially struggled with aphasia, a language disorder that often strikes people who’ve had strokes. And Walton took comfort in knowing Ben and his family understood. “Seeing Ben’s patience with my mother is beautiful,” Walton said. “The Lanes understand that when my mom has aphasia, it’s just a repercussion of brain injury.” Today, Kelley has mostly come full circle. “I am back at Pilates therapy with the dear friend and teacher who drove me to the hospital from a Pilates class on that fateful day,” she said. And it’s a good thing she’s in training, as she faced the demands of being a mother of the bride for what was a large wedding. Walton had a great number of bridesmaids because she feels so grateful for her friends’ support during her mother’s crisis. MRC also played a role in the festivities. To thank those hosting engagement parties, the Fenelons and Lanes made donations in their names to the Wilson Research Foundation. And Foundation Executive Director Chris Blount played piano for the couple’s rehearsal dinner. “Methodist Rehab holds a special place in our hearts,” said Leila. “We are so fortunate to have it right here.” “I am honored beyond belief to be on the Wilson Foundation board,” Kelley said. “I can hardly wait to get my speech up to par so that I can go out and spread what the center does.” As they got to the “through sickness and health” part of their wedding vows, Ben and Walton knew better than most young couples what that means. They’ve learned how to stand strong when the storms of life roll in. And come what may, they know they can persevere if they’re together. “I am confident we can handle any trials in the future because Ben and I will face them together,” Walton said.
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NEUROLOGICAL RECOVERY
Back up to par
After adverse reaction to cancer treatment, MRC helps John ‘Bones’ Cossar reach goal to play golf again by Susan Christensen
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ohn “Bones” Cossar has been flaunting his golf scorecard lately. But it has nothing to do with proving whether he eagled, birdied or parred. For Cossar, just making it to a tee box is evidence of an evolution he feared he’d never make. In February 2018, he couldn’t move a muscle, let alone swing a club. “Every muscle in my body was paralyzed,” said the chairman emeritus of Mississippi Valley Title Insurance in Ridgeland. “I couldn’t wiggle a finger. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t swallow. I was on a breathing machine and a feeding tube.” “I thought I was going to die. I was getting worse every day.” It took 70 days for Cossar to turn the corner health-wise. And as he readied for a transfer to Methodist Rehabilitation Center, he’d already decided on his therapy goals. “He was adamant he was going to play golf again,” said Sarah Boyd, his occupational therapist at MRC’s Jackson hospital. Cossar had a long way to go to reclaim his former lifestyle. Prior to January 2018, the then 79-year-old led an active life. In addition to golfing and visiting the office regularly, he ushered at church and often went boating behind his Lake Cavalier home. A cancer scare in December 2017, prompted a couple of surgeries. But as 2018 began, Cossar seemed to be on the mend—until he had a devastating reaction to a cancer immunotherapy drug. Following his second dose of the drug on Feb. 19, Cossar began a downward spiral that landed him in ICU for six days. Altogether, he would spend three and half months in inpatient care. By his 80th birthday on May 1, he had lost 40 pounds and all his muscle mass. Yet he still found reason to celebrate. On that day, he got his wish to begin therapy at MRC. “Mississippi is so blessed to have
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John “Bones” Cossar. Photo: Chris Todd
this wonderful facility,” said Cossar, who was friends with the late Earl Wilson, MRC’s founding chairman. “Until you need it, probably 90 percent of people don’t realize what a jewel we have. Everybody there, from the first people you see, you know they are there to help you.” Given Cossar’s debilitated condition, everything he did required “significant assistance,” Boyd said. “He needed complete help via our lift system just to get out of bed.” His initial therapy focused on building his strength and endurance. And due to his hard-driving personality, he had some trouble letting his therapists take the lead. “He was used to being the boss, and he had to let others be his boss for a minute,” Boyd said. “He was very much set in his ways when we tried to get him to do something new. But he would try it most of the time.” “Bones likes to live life on his own terms,” agreed MRC physical therapist MaryJo Pride. “And he really didn’t like the pace in the beginning when he
couldn’t see things changing. “I remember him standing up with the parallel bars, and he was in tears. He said, ‘I’ve got to be able to do this by myself.’ And I said: ‘Bones, you concentrate on where we are today. We will build on that.’” Fortunately, MRC has plenty of technology designed to help patients get to their feet long before they can bear their own weight. “Once he began to have trunk control, we used an overhead harness to lift him to standing for weight-bearing,” Pride said. While he was happy to be upright again, Cossar struggled with the transition. “Being 80 years old, learning how to walk again was tough,” he said. Despite the security of the lift systems, Cossar was leery about taking his first tentative steps—particularly since he towered over Pride. So he liked it when rehab tech Walter Jackson, a tall guy himself, was around to provide additional support. “We could have all gone home as long as Walter was there,” joked Pride. “Any time Walter was our support person, it put Bones at such ease.” “Walter saved my life so many times,” Cossar said. A modest man by nature, Jackson said Cossar “exaggerates.” But the two did bond. “Walter was my best friend,” Cossar said. “I had breakfast with him every morning.” Cossar was also buoyed by his personal cheering squad, which included his wife, Elizabeth, and daughters Tay Cossar Morgan, Finney Cossar Moore and Mary Payne Gilbert. “The support he got from his family was just phenomenal,” Pride said. “When they would see him doing something better or different, they were very encouraging.” To be admitted to inpatient rehab, patients must be able to participate in at least three hours of therapy each weekday. And Cossar had to push hard to keep pace with his ambitious schedule.
“Every muscle in my body was paralyzed. I couldn’t wiggle a finger. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t swallow. I was on a breathing machine and a feeding tube.” — John “Bones” Cossar
Photo: Chris Todd
“They would come get me at 8 a.m. and they would work me and work me. And I would get back to my room at 3 p.m. and want to take a nap. “But I looked forward to going to therapy because I knew it was doing me good. They were getting me back on my feet. I have nothing but praise for Methodist Rehab. They’re willing to help you if you’re willing to work. And I was willing to work.” Cossar steadily improved, eventually going from the parallel bars to a rolling walker. And Pride said he got further along than she initially thought possible. “He was one of those patients that one day he turned a corner and began progressing like crazy,” she said. “He was just getting to the point he was stable on his feet when he left,” Boyd said. Cossar jokes that he spent “40 days and 40 nights” at MRC, working on his “deliverance.” And his therapists were sorry to see their “one-of-a-kind” patient go. “The first couple of days, I thought: ‘This man is going to drive me crazy,’ Boyd said. “But when he left, both MaryJo and I loved him.” After inpatient staff laid the groundwork for walking, Cossar moved to
Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Ridgeland to fine-tune his abilities. “I got out of MRC on June 10 and started at Ridgeland June 12,” he said. “I went Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two hours and it was wonderful. The facility was so updated and the equipment was brand new.” A vibrating platform known as the Power Plate is one of the clinic’s latest additions, and Cossar did many of his exercises on the equipment. “There’s all kind of exercises you can do for balance and lower extremity strength on it,” said Lori Towery, one of two physical therapists who worked with Cossar at the clinic. “The vibration causes the muscles to respond more quickly, so it’s more efficient than if you did squats without the vibration.” Cossar had told his therapists he hoped to tee off again by October. And to accommodate the deadline, they focused heavily on strengthening his weakened ankles and core. “To swing a golf club, he had to be able to stand and shift his weight evenly without losing his balance,” explained physical therapist Lindsey Oakley. “And the ankle is one of the most important components for balance from a physical standpoint,” Towery said.
As Cossar improved, he began practicing golf swings on the clinic’s wide front lawn. “We would go outside and utilize uneven areas to chip and putt,” Oakley said. By the time Cossar left the Ridgeland clinic, he was proud of his impressive progress. “When I got there, I could last two minutes on the stationary bike and then I’d have to rest,” he said. “And on the rickshaw (weight machine) I could do 20 reps at 30 pounds. “When I left, I could bike three miles in 15 minutes. And on the rickshaw, I could do 120 reps at 75 pounds.” He’d also reclaimed his driving skills, and there was little doubt he’d soon be headed for the golf course. “After I played my first round of golf, I showed the scorecard to them (MRC staff) and everyone in there was crying,” he said. Oakley wasn’t there to share in that emotional moment, but she had to smile when she found the scorecard on her desk the next day. “The first thing he had said to me is I want to get back on the golf course,” she said. “So that was one of those gratifying PT moments.”
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ORTHOTICS & PROSTHETICS
RESEARCH
Physical therapist Patricia Oyarce, at right, helps set up Stevelyn Robinson’s new Bioness L300 Go at Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Ridgeland. Photo: Carey Miller
The Bioness L300 Go aids spinal cord injury survivor Stevelyn Robinson with taking steps as he practices walking. Photo: Carey Miller
Faster and better
Methodist O&P offers free screenings for Bioness L300 Go, an advanced neuroprosthetic device for controlling foot drop
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t’s been over seven years since Stevelyn Robinson was paralyzed in a school bus crash, and he hasn’t stopped fighting. He continues to progress through regular physical therapy at Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Ridgeland. With the help of a walker, the Winona native walked across the stage at his 2016 graduation from Holmes Community College. Now a student at the University of Mississippi, he is working hard so he can do the same again. “We’re working on my strength and endurance so hopefully I can walk at my graduation from Ole Miss, too,” Robinson said. “My estimated date is May of 2021.” He will have some extra help this time—Robinson was just fitted with a Bioness L300 Go, the latest iteration of Bioness’ advanced devices designed to control foot drop. “Foot drop” is a general term for any gait abnormality that includes problems with lifting the front part of the foot. “It can be caused by a wide array of injuries and illnesses—traumatic injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, stroke—to name a few,” said Taylor Hankins, a certified ortho-
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by Carey Miller tist/prosthetist at Methodist Orthotics & Prosthetics in Flowood, the exclusive provider for L300 Go in the Jackson metro area. Hankins has worked with many patients with foot drop. “In our central nervous system, there’s a connection between our brains and our lower extremity muscles,” he said. “Foot drop is due to a disruption between those neurological signals.” The device uses functional electrical stimulation (FES), which Hankins says is much more beneficial than traditional orthotic bracing. “It’s a cuff that straps right around the lower leg, and it stimulates the peroneal nerve, which activates the muscles in the lower leg which lift the foot up,” Hankins said. “A traditional orthotic brace, like an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO), locks them into a certain position to block foot drop. The Bioness lets them use their muscles, which is a lot more natural, because traditional bracing can make muscles atrophy from not being used and can also restrict blood flow. Plus, you have to wear this bulky brace that may not work with your normal shoes.” Robinson had benefited from using
a previous version of the Bioness in his therapy. “With older models, you had to wear a cuff around the leg, a sensor piece in your shoe, and a Bluetooth controller—it was a three-piece system,” Hankins said. “And you were limited to one pair of shoes you put the sensor in. The L300 Go has no sensor, so you can wear any shoes you want, or you can even go barefoot.” In place of the Bluetooth control unit, the L300 Go has controls on the device itself, as well as an optional phone app. And in lieu of the sensor, it uses a 3-axis gyroscope and accelerometer to track the user’s movement in 3D space. This is especially beneficial for the more severely impaired. “It could be a challenge for many patients to have the range and strength in their ankle to be effective in turning the device on and off with the sensor,” said physical therapist Patricia Oyarce, who has been working with Robinson since 2013. “This upgraded version has been a lifesaver for Stevelyn.” “Without the sensor giving me trouble like the old one, I can walk faster and better without getting tired quickly,” Robinson said. “With the old one, I had
to put a lot of pressure on my heel for it to work. It took a lot out of me to lift my left leg to step down hard enough. Now I just have to flex my knee and the machine automatically works.” Oyarce has recommended Bioness devices for many patients in her role at Methodist. Previously, she worked with a representative from Bioness who came to the clinic to screen patients. “I’ve worked with many patients whom Bioness has helped get back into the community and what they love,” said Brittany Rose, Bioness’ clinical specialist for the southeastern U.S. for the past four years. Rose is based in Covington, La., so she could only provide the screenings one day a month. But now that Methodist O&P is an official provider of the device, they can provide the screenings at any time. “Unfortunately, the Bioness is not right for everyone, that’s why we do the screening,” Hankins said. “FES can be dangerous for someone with a pacemaker, for instance. You also have to have the proper range of motion. Sometimes a traditional orthotic device will be a better fit. But we don’t charge for these evaluations. You don’t need a referral, diagnosis or prescription to schedule one.” If a patient is a good fit for the device, then they should see a physical therapist for three to four weeks. “We gradually increase the time that they wear it,” Oyarce said. “They have to develop a tolerance to the electrical stimulation.” The L300 Go costs around $6,000, but there are several ways to secure funding for the device. “If they have vocational rehab, or worker’s comp, or are a veteran, those are all solid funding sources,” Rose said. “Some private insurances will also help pay for it.” Robinson now has his own Go that he can wear at home for continued exercise, and he is optimistic that it will help him continue to progress. “I can walk longer distances without having to take a break,” he said. “Before, I had to stop a lot. But now I’ve gotten up to 127 feet at a single time with the new model.” To schedule a free screening for the Bioness L300 Go, contact Methodist Orthotics & Prosthetics at 601-936-8899 or visit methodistonline.org/bioness.
MRC physical therapist Jacob Long, at right, pictured with Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Senior Vice President of Grants and Research Naomi Kleitman, received the 2019 ASIA Research Award at their annual conference in Hawaii in April. Photo: Courtesy of ASIA
High achiever
MRC physical therapist receives 2019 ASIA Research Award
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by Carey Miller
acob Long’s list of titles can be a mouthful. He’s a doctor of physical therapy (DPT). He earned his assistive technology professional (ATP) and seating and mobility specialist (SMS) certifications from the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America (RESNA). And he’s a neuro clinical specialist (NCS), a distinction bestowed by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties (ABPTS). “It can be hard for even me to keep all of those acronyms straight,” he said. Now, the Methodist Rehabilitation Center spinal cord injury program physical therapist is adding “researcher” to that list. Long received the American Spinal Injury Association’s (ASIA) 2019 Research Award, funded by the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation. The award was presented at ASIA’s 45th Annual Scientific Meeting held in April in Honolulu, Hawaii. The award allows a clinician with limited research experience to develop a study from proposal to completion while being mentored by an experienced researcher. Long’s mentor is Dr. Dobrivoje Stokic. The administrative director of research at MRC’s Center for Neuroscience and Neurological Recovery (CNNR), he has over 20 years of experience as a clinical researcher. “As a mentor, it’s my role to help Jacob develop into a clinician-researcher,” Stokic said. “In the context of this specific project, he will have to do a lot of reading, studying and training that will allow him to become more familiar with the formal research process and the ethics and practices involved. He will then be able to apply this knowledge to his clinical practice.” The award reflects the CNNR’s longstanding goal of translating basic science into clinical practice.
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OUTPATIENT THERAPY
METHODIST PHYSICAL MEDICINE
More than wrinkles Methodist Physical Medicine offers Botox injections to alleviate chronic stiffness from injury-related spasticity by Carey Miller
I Research intern Elizabeth Gordineer served as a control group subject for the Lokomat research project. Pictured are, from left, Gordineer, Long, Administrative Director of Research Dr. Dobrivoje Stokic, neurophysiology technologist Tony Hayes and lab technician Dawn Norman. Photo: Carey Miller
“We have always mentored our clinicians before, but in informal ways,” Stokic said. “Some have even been involved in writing research articles. But this marks the first time we have received outside support to mentor in a structured way.” Having MRC’s inpatient program and the center all under one roof has strengthened the bond between clinicians and researchers. “My first time working with the research department was when we first got the Lokomat and ErigoPro robots,” Long said. “Those are two novel devices provided to MRC through research funding that are also used for clinical purposes. While we were being trained on using them, I got to know Dr. Stokic and the rest of the research team and was able to build that relationship.” Long has not been one to rest on his laurels, always seeking to better himself. He earned his doctorate in physical therapy from the University of Mississippi Medical Center in 2013. He joined the MRC staff in 2014, before earning the ATP and SMS certifications in 2016 and 2017. With that expertise, Long helps MRC patients with their wheelchair and seating needs. “MRC is very supportive of continuing education,” Long said. “So that was the stepping stone for me to get those certifications. I became very interested in the custom wheelchair field when I first started working with my spinal cord injury patients and saw how it enhanced their lives.” In 2018, Long earned his NCS certification, which makes him specially trained to treat the often complex needs of MRC’s spinal cord injury patients. “I wanted to get my NCS because it carries a great deal of credibility and weight in the PT field,” he said. “I’ve always been a bit of a high achiever—I was my high school valedictorian.” Stokic says these qualities are what makes Long deserving of the award. “Jacob’s commitment to professional development demonstrates he has the level of curiosity and knowledge the award is
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designed to build upon,” he said. The award includes $25,000 to fund Long’s proposed study, “Does the speed of robotic leg movements during tilt-table verticalization affect orthostatic hypotension in persons with subacute SCI?” Long explains the study in everyday terms: “A lot of times after a spinal cord injury, a person may have a difficult time sitting upright or standing upright. They may experience a sudden drop in blood pressure called orthostatic hypotension that can cause them to pass out.” The study will use the ErigoPro, with the purpose of assessing whether the device achieves its stated goal. “The ErigoPro is a tilt table that brings a patient gradually to upright to get them more acclimated to being in that position,” Long said. “The table also has robotic legs that can move paralyzed legs in a stepping motion. Continuous stepping motions can increase circulation from legs to the heart and keep the blood pressure high, which helps patients avoid feeling dizzy, lightheaded or even passing out.” Researchers will measure blood pressure and heart rate continuously as the patients are raised from flat to slowly upright in the device. Meanwhile, the robotic arms will be moved at different speeds. Stokic says that as more such data is collected on the benefits of devices like the ErigoPro, the greater the chance of them becoming more widely used as a clinical standard. The ErigoPro is already used in many places in the nation and around the world,” Stokic said. “But the clinical benefit has not been clearly demonstrated through formal research. Jacob has been using it regularly in practice for some time and can clearly see the benefits to the patient. But too often therapists are flooded with the latest and greatest devices with little proof to back up their usefulness. So with this project we can collect and share evidence of the ErigoPro’s utility for preventing the development of orthostatic hypotension.”
t has been almost six years since Howard Lewis of Starkville first came to Methodist Rehabilitation Center completely unable to move after a paralyzing fall. Through both inpatient and outpatient therapy, Lewis had a remarkable recovery and has learned to walk again using a cane. “I went from fully paralyzed to doing just about anything I want to do now,” he said. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still some lingering effects of his illness that require continued care. That’s where MRC’s outpatient clinic Methodist Physical Medicine in Flowood comes in. There, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician Dr. Philip Blount provides ongoing coordinated care for patients. “We offer a variety of treatments as part of a larger framework of medical recommendations,” Blount said. “This includes a complete medical history, a physical exam and specific, individualized goals. I make this plan along with the patient and their primary caregiver.” Blount has been treating Lewis for arm stiffness using a treatment most would associate with zapping away the effects of aging: Botox injections. “Botox has some very effective clinical applications,” Blount said. “It is FDA-approved for the treatment of spasticity, cervical dystonia and migraine. The majority of my patients are being treated for spasticity, which occurs after a brain or spinal cord injury. The most common symptoms are stiffness and pain.” Lewis says while he was a bit skeptical at first when he heard the word Botox, the injections have really helped him. “When I first heard Botox, I thought of wrinkles and all that,” he said. “But I’ve found out it does a whole lot more.” For treating spasticity, Botox works
by blocking the chemical signal between nerves and muscles that makes the muscle contract or tighten. “I’ve got stiffness so bad in my left arm that when people first see me they probably think I’ve had a stroke,” Lewis said. “My arm, my wrist and one or two of my fingers are curled up some. The shots help calm the muscles and nerves down and help free that up.” But much like when Botox provides an instant facelift, its effects wear off over time. So return visits are necessary but relatively worry-free. “We typically provide the injections every three months,” Blount said. “The stiff muscles are injected with a thin needle using EMG guidance. It’s a procedure that patients tolerate well, and many often look forward to the relief their next injection provides.” Lewis says that when he comes in for the injections, the location and severity of the stiffness varies. “It’s not near the same place every time,” he said. “The EMG helps him figure out where to inject you. The needle makes a sound, and it really gets loud
when it’s on the muscle that needs to be loosened up.” Methodist Physical Medicine is located at MRC’s Flowood campus which is also home to many of MRC’s other outpatient services. Often Blount consults with these other caregivers according to his patients’ needs. “Botox is just one part of Mr. Lewis’ framework of treatment,” Blount said. “I’ve also referred him to Methodist Outpatient Therapy for some physical therapy for back pain, and Methodist Orthotics & Prosthetics for an orthotic brace.” Lewis says that he now considers the staff of MRC to be like family and wouldn’t think of choosing anywhere else for further treatment related to his condition. “I don’t think there’s a place at Methodist that I ain’t been,” he said. “The quality of people at Methodist Rehab is really something. Every person that I’ve ever seen—and it’s been several—is always top-of-the-line. Even though I’ve got a two-hour drive to come down there, it’s never a chore.”
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ORTHOPEDICS
SPIRITED COMEBACK
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Photo: Melanie Thortis
Now I can... take care of business Less than four months after contracting Guillain-Barre’ Syndrome, Dana Kidd of Meridian returned to her job as deputy administrator for the Mississippi Department of Human Services. Initially paralyzed by the rare neurological disorder, Kidd credits staff of Methodist Rehabilitation Center for helping her make a comeback. “If not for them, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she said. “They pushed me.” A go-getter by nature, Kidd rose to the challenge to reclaim the career she loves. But she says her close call has taught her to take time to smell the roses, too. “I think it’s God’s way of telling me I need to slow down,” she said. “It has definitely made me appreciate things I haven’t appreciated before.”
How cheerleader Anna Lauren Green pushed hard to reclaim her pompoms after a disabling wreck by Susan Christensen
Nationally recognized for expertise in rehabilitation medicine after a stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury or amputation.
For more information, visit methodistonline.org or call 601-981-2611 or toll-free 1-800-223-6672.
Photo: Melanie Thortis
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Photo: Melanie Thortis
AS A NEW CHEERLEADER FOR HOLMES COMMUNITY COLLEGE, ANNA LAUREN GREEN SUFFERED A FEW BUTTERFLIES ON THE SIDELINES OF A SEPT. 5 GAME AGAINST JONES COLLEGE. “Today is nerve-wracking for sure,” she said. And it wasn’t just because of her rookie status. Her presence at the game is what Holmes cheerleading Coach Heather Jones calls “an absolute miracle from God.” Prior to March cheerleader tryouts, Green broke both her legs and fractured her left wrist in a car crash on Aug. 18, 2018. It was raining the night of her wreck, and Green suspects she hydroplaned. When her 2007 Toyota Camry quit flipping, it landed out of sight in a concrete box culvert. Unable to climb out on her own, Green couldn’t do anything but scream for help. Her cell phone had no service, and it would be hours before her frantic family discovered her car. Kelly Mason said her daughter didn’t often drive by herself. But in an attempt to “practice this letting-go thing,” Mason had allowed Green to go alone to meet her boyfriend’s parents in Lexington. Mason said her mother’s intuition told her “something was not right” when her daughter missed her 11:45 p.m. curfew that evening. “Our fear was she had had a flat tire, run out of gas or taken a wrong turn and was going down back roads,” Mason said. But a search of her route offered no sign of Green. Mason sounded the alarm and soon people were combing the roads between Benton and Lexington looking for her car. It would be after 2 a.m. before her boyfriend’s father no-
The prospect of being able to cheer for Holmes Community College kept Green working hard to overcome injuries suffered in a car accident. Photo: Melanie Thortis
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ticed some gravel on the road, rolled down his window and heard her cries. “He went down to her and let her know he was there and would have to go up the road for help,” Mason said. As a sheriff’s car sped to the scene, Steven Green pulled behind it and followed the blue lights to the scene of his daughter’s accident. As he scrambled to her side, he was thankful he’d spent 19 years in the fire service. The sight of his child suffering was hard to take. “If I hadn’t had that training, I don’t know what I would have done,” he said. “It was a terrible experience, nothing anyone wants to go through.” Green can’t remember much about what happened after she wrecked. But she does recall waking up about 1 a.m. clutching a card containing a Bible verse to her chest. On one side was a painting of angels. On the other was Romans 12:12: “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” “The Lord was with Anna Lauren that night and stayed with her,” Coach Jones said. Her supportive family was by her side, as well. But Green was still nervous as she transferred to Methodist Rehabilitation Center. She worried she couldn’t keep up with three hours of therapy each day. Just sitting on the side of the bed took her breath away. But occupational therapist Anna Leigh Whitney
A visit from a group of Holmes Community College cheerleaders buoyed Green’s spirits during her therapy stay at MRC. Photo: Carey Miller
Hours of cheerleading practice are now part of college life for Green. Photo: Melanie Thortis
Photo: Melanie Thortis
Occupational therapist Anna Leigh Whitney had Green paint a cheerleader while practicing balance activities. Photo: Carey Miller
said the teen had no problem pushing herself. “You could tell she was very motivated by her desire to get better,” Whitney said. “We concentrated on her upper body strength and endurance to compensate for her limited mobility because of her lower extremity injuries.” Those injuries meant Green had to take it a bit easy in physical therapy. “With orthopedic injuries, you do everything you can not to hurt the surgery or the fractures,” said MRC physical therapist Mary Smith. “We worked on getting her as independent as she could be—to stand and be able to walk enough distance to get into the bathroom.” “They let me do therapy at my own pace as long as I did it,” Green said. “Everybody was so nice.” Green’s love of cheerleading was obvious, so hospital staff worked it into her therapy sessions. To practice balance activities, Whitney had Green stand while painting a cheerleader on a window in the therapy gym. At the behest of MRC rehab tech Erica Jones, cheerleaders from Callaway High School came to visit. “My daughter
MRC physical therapist Mary Smith said her goal for Green was to become “as independent as she could be.” Photo: Carey Miller
has been a cheerleader since she was little,” Jones explained. So she knew what it would mean to Green. “Cheering is where her heart is, and if I can make a patient smile that’s what I do,” Jones said. The Holmes Community College cheerleaders also dropped by MRC on their way to a game, and Green was all smiles as they chanted Two Bits in her honor. “I told the cheer coach that I’ll be flipping by you soon,” Green said. “And she said: ‘Be ready by March, that’s tryout month.” “I never imagined someone could come back from such horrendous injuries,” Coach Jones said. “But her perseverance and hard work put her in the position to be successful in the athletic world.” “Any goal she sets, she’s going to beat it,” said her mom. And that means Green may eventually join the MRC team. “Even though the accident was a bad time in my life, it helped me decide what field I want to go into,” Green said. “I am majoring in kinesiology, and I’m going to try to be a physical therapy assistant.”
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ORTHOTICS & PROSTHETICS
REALIZED
POTENTIAL
An avid outdoorsman, Graham uses both his prostheses and his wheelchair to maintain his active lifestyle, such as driving his ATV, chopping firewood and launching his fishing boat. Photos: Melanie Thortis
Despite setbacks and two amputations, Hank Graham achieves his goal of becoming an active prosthetic user By Carey Miller
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ince he lost his legs in an auto accident, Hank Graham’s life has been full of ups and downs. He has been in and out of physical rehab facilities, had multiple surgeries, experienced some setbacks, even weathered personal tragedy. Still, his belief he would walk again rarely wavered. And with the staff at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, he found a team of specialists who believed in him, too. “Hank had been so many places, and it seemed others had not given him much hope,” said Karen Klein, a physical therapist who specializes in post-amputation therapy at Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Flowood. “When he first came to me, I really did not know a lot of his medical history and how much he had been through. But when we tried walking, I knew if there was anyone in his situation who had the potential, it was him.” “When I first met him, I also saw he had potential and a lot of drive to realize it,” said Taylor Hankins, a certified prosthetist at Methodist Orthotics & Prosthetics. “I know he had some setbacks. People with amputations as a result of trauma often do. Their initial surgeries are often lifesaving procedures and are not focused on their future rehabilitation needs.”
“I thought that the life I knew was over with” Indeed, it was an amputation that saved Graham’s life. On July 23, 2015, he was driving an 18-wheeler transporting a load of live catfish down I-20 near Forest when he crashed. “I don’t know why or how I went off the road,” Graham
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said. “I remember waking up and hollering for help, and that my back was really hurting. I was pinned under the truck for four hours while they tried to rescue me. I was right under the right front wheel, with the motor barely hanging above me.” The paramedics had to amputate his right foot at the scene to get him free before the motor fell and crushed him. He was airlifted to the University of Mississippi Medical Center, where he was in a coma for nearly a month. When he awoke, his right leg had been amputated above the knee due to gangrene. His left leg, which was shattered in several places in the crash, had been amputated below the knee. He had also broken his neck and his shoulder and severely bruised his spinal cord. Graham spent three months recovering in the ICU before going to an out-of-state inpatient rehab for three months. “They told me that I was paralyzed from the waist down,” Graham said. “I was a very outdoorsy person, so it was really hard to hear that I would never get out of a chair. People don’t understand what losing your limbs is like. I thought that the life I knew was over with.” When Graham returned to Mississippi, he began outpatient therapy at St. Dominic Hospital. “I still couldn’t move at that point,” Graham said. “But they worked the muscles in my limbs, and I started having some movement again. That’s when they fit me with some stubbies.” “Stubbies” is the term for short prosthetic legs often prescribed for patients with a double amputation. They allow the patient to walk short distances and reduce the need for a wheelchair in the home. The prostheses are designed to be much shorter than the patient’s normal height and lack knee joints.
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“I can do anything I want to do or go anywhere. I’m truly excited about life again.” —Hank Graham
Prosthetist Taylor Hankins, at left, and physical therapist Karen Klein worked together closely to ensure Graham’s prostheses met his needs. Photo: Carey Miller
Their lower center of gravity and simple design helps users practice their balance in preparation for using prostheses with knee joints. “But I couldn’t stand up quite straight, because my left leg was pointing out to the side,” Graham said. “We worked and worked and worked. But I couldn’t do it. It just wasn’t meant to be.” After months of therapy, Graham returned to his home in Decatur, nearly a year and a half after his injury. He says that was a particularly low point. “I couldn’t do much of anything,” Graham said. “I could only use my wheelchair, but I couldn’t go much of anywhere outdoors because I couldn’t roll across grass and rough terrain.” Graham then came to MRC’s Assistive Technology Clinic to get a custom wheelchair that would allow him greater freedom outdoors. “We knew he was very active, that he lived on a lot of land, and most of his daily life was spent outdoors,” said Heather Maloney, a certified seating and mobility specialist at the clinic. “We though he was a great fit for an Extreme X8.” The Extreme X8 is an all-terrain, off-road power wheelchair. It would allow Graham to get around his land easier and do things the he enjoyed again, like fishing and hunting. “But, it’s a big chair, so it’s hard to transport,” Maloney said. “So we also got him a folding frame chair that was suited for travel.” Though his new wheelchairs helped him get back to some of the things he loved, Graham still believed he could walk with prosthetics. Doctors removed more of his left leg in hopes an above-the-knee amputation would make it easier for him to wear a prosthesis. “But I still couldn’t adapt,” Graham said. “It was just trouble after trouble after trouble.”
“Because she would want me to”
On March 9, 2018, Graham experienced another tragedy. His fiancée, who he had been with for four years, died suddenly
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Klein had Graham perform activities standing while wearing his prostheses, such as placing clothespins on this basketball goal, to work on his balance. Photo: Carey Miller
of a stroke. “She was just like a nurse,” Graham said. “She had even taken some classes to learn how to care for me. She had been by my side through everything, was there 24/7.” Graham says after that he was ready to give up. “But in about May, I think I woke up and finally started to get over her death,” Graham said. “I decided that I wanted to walk, and I wanted to do it for her. I wanted to get back to life, because she would want me to.” Graham went to see UMMC orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. George V. Russell, Jr., who performed surgery on both his legs to repair the muscles he needed to use a prosthesis. After Graham’s surgery, his legs were attached to a traction device that worked to reposition them so that he could stand up straight. He then came to inpatient therapy at MRC, where he worked on his upper body strength. After about a month, he had the device removed and began working to strengthen the muscles in his residual limbs. He then transferred to MRC’s outpatient facility in Flowood, where he started working with Klein. “He always came to therapy excited, and his attitude motivated other patients,” Klein said. “His favorite saying, when someone asked him how his day was going, was ‘I’m doing pretty good for a legless man,’ which always got a laugh.” As Graham worked with Klein, Hankins began to assess his potential for using prosthetics. “We kind of had a clean slate,” Hankins said. “He had gotten healthier, so his activity level was the highest it had been since his injury. His residual limbs were healed well through both surgery and rehab, so we didn’t have to deal with issues there.” Both Hankins and Klein recognized his potential after seeing him walk on his stubbies. “I thought moving from the stubbies to regular prosthetics might throw him off,” Hankins said. “He would be higher off the ground, so balance was more important. But that’s where physical therapy comes in—to increase balance, control and
stamina.” “I worked a lot on him finding his balance point, and we had to build his endurance,” Klein said. “It takes an incredible amount of energy for a bilateral, above-the-knee amputee to walk with prosthetic limbs. What Hank had going for him was he had a lot of muscle mass, and he was very strong. And not just physically, he had a strong will.” Next, Hankins had to determine what prosthetic devices would work best for what Graham wanted to accomplish. “Hank’s goals went beyond normal ambulation,” Hankins said. “He wanted to be able to walk around his land, to be able to hunt, fish, even swim—to be the active person he was before.” So Hankins had him demo some mechanical legs he felt could help him achieve those goals. “Once we got him into prosthetics with knees that articulated, we saw him cash in on that potential we saw very quickly,” Hankins said. “He just stood up and started walking. He took everything in stride and did really well.” The prostheses Graham was fitted with were durable for his active lifestyle and allowed him the freedom to get back to the activities he enjoyed. “We did a lot of therapy activities where I had him perform actions standing in front of a table,” Klein said. “He loves to cook and to man a grill, so that was one of the things he wanted to get back to doing at home. The prosthetics he has are able to lock into place in a standing position, which allows him to use his hands for other tasks, and not just holding onto a walker.”
“Static devices for dynamic people”
By the time Graham was discharged, Hankins was blown away by his progress. “I’ve worked with patients that have bilateral, above-theknee amputations in the past, but none that walk as well as he does,” he said. “You have to consider he had only had the stubbies before. So it had been years since he had knees that bent, since he had walked on realistic feet. In fact, he hadn’t owned shoes since his amputation, so we had to loan him a pair at first.” Throughout his outpatient therapy Klein and Hankins worked together closely, a benefit afforded by Outpatient Therapy and Orthotics & Prosthetics being across the hall from one another at the Flowood facility.
Photo: Melanie Thortis
“We make static devices for dynamic people that are constantly growing and learning and changing,” Hankins said. “So being able to collaborate so closely with Karen and make adjustments as she helped him progress was invaluable.” Graham has seen other benefits from coming to MRC’s east campus. “We did find that after we got going with his prosthetic training and he was back on his feet every day, that he did have some low back pain that was limiting his progress, which is not unusual for being in a wheelchair for so long,” Klein said. “So he also did some physical therapy with MRC orthopedic specialist Joe Jacobson to address it. Hank really benefited from us having our ortho department right next door. Since he had to travel a good distance for our sessions, we could coordinate so he could have multiple appointments in one day.” Today, Graham has returned home to his land in Collinsville, where he is back to enjoying the great outdoors. “Hank will tell you he’s the master of the grill, the master of fishing, the master of hunting—and he takes pride in all of it,” Klein said. “He can’t stand to be cooped up inside. I know he feels like his prosthetics have given him back the life that he lost.” “I’ve accomplished everything they have wanted me to accomplish,” Graham said. “I’ve proved everybody wrong about what I can do, and I will keep on proving them wrong. Now, I can do anything I want to do or go anywhere. I’m truly excited about life again.”
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SPINAL CORD INJURY PROGRAM Photo: Melanie Thortis
ATHLETE ALIXUS HEARN SETS GOALS, GIVES IT HER ALL TO OVERCOME PARALYZING SPINAL INJURY BY SUSAN CHRISTENSEN
0N A MISTY FALL AFTERNOON, ALIXUS HEARN CRASHED HER CAR JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM NORTHEAST LAUDERDALE HIGH SCHOOL IN MERIDIAN. “I was heading to the field when I heard sirens going off everywhere,” said Tyler Vick, head coach for the school’s slow pitch softball team. “The principal called and said there had been an accident. And your heart just drops.” A former right center fielder for the Trojans, Alixus is someone “everyone loved to be around,” Vick said. And it hurt to tell her teammates that she was fighting for her life. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. At first, we didn’t know if she would make it. And the girls were heartbroken. That was one of their sisters. It was tough on all of us.” Still, Vick had a sense that if anyone could survive and even prevail, it would be Alixus. “It was almost like she was the one person who could overcome it and become a better person because of it,” he said. And he was right. After almost two years of therapy at Methodist Rehabilitation Center, Alixus is back on her feet and doing what she does best—setting goals and checking them off her list. “She’s the type person, once she starts something, she’s going to finish it,” Vick said. “If all kids were like that, coaching would be easy.”
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“Things started returning. She started taking small baby steps, and there were just tears of joy.”
Workouts in MRC’s SwimEx Therapy Pool helped Alixus make significant progress toward her goal of walking unassisted. Photo: Carey Miller
-Allison hearn “THE PRAYER AND THE PLAN” Alixus’ mother, Allison Hearn, remembers Oct. 2, 2017, as “the worst day of my life.” “I arrived at Anderson Medical Center (in Meridian) about five minutes before the helicopter arrived,” she said. “At the time, it did not look good.” Thrown some 15 feet from her car, Alixus had a gaping gash in her neck. “It was so big, the surgeon could stick his hand in it,” said her mother. More alarming was the damage to her upper spine. Injuries at the C-5/C-6 level often mean a lifetime as a quadriplegic. “Seeing her took me down,” said Alixus’ father, Demitrius Robinson. “I was not thinking it was going to be as bad as it was.” “They said she might never walk again,” Hearn said. For both parents, it was hard to imagine Alixus as disabled. She had played multiple sports for years, finally settling on slow- and fastpitch softball as her main activity. “I loved everything about it,” she said. “I’ve been on softball teams since the eighth grade.” “And everything came easy to her,” Vick said. “Anything you asked her to do, she’d be able to get it done.” Alixus’ athletic prowess would ultimately put her ahead of the game in the therapy gym. But when she rolled into MRC on Nov. 9, 2017, she wasn’t the same girl who easily ran down hits to the outfield. Her once muscular legs were limp and unmoving. “She had sensation, but no motor control,” said MRC physical therapist
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Jacob Long. “When I first got to Methodist Rehab, I thought I was really paralyzed,” Alixus said. “And I was sad because I didn’t think I’d make it this far. But I did what I was supposed to do and had a positive mindset. And my mom and dad didn’t let me get down on myself.” Still, like most 17-year-olds, Alixus had her moments. When it came time to practice piloting a power wheelchair, she resisted her new mode of transportation. “She knew she needed a wheelchair,” Long said. “But she didn’t want a power chair. She didn’t like people knowing she had a severe disability.” Alixus had been diagnosed as an “incomplete” quadriplegic, meaning she might regain movement below her injury site. So she began attacking therapy like she’d always approached athletics. “She said she was going to get up and walk,” said her mother. “Every time she set a goal to do something, I’d say: ‘That’s the prayer and the plan.’” “She was willing to try anything and do everything to get better,” said Ann Howard, Alixus’ physical therapist at Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Flowood. “She gradually started getting strength in every muscle in her lower extremities, and it seemed like each month she could do more.”
“WE NEEDED THE BEST” Alixus could have done her therapy at an outpatient clinic much closer to her Meridian home. But her family decided it was worth the drive to have access to MRC’s expertise. “Meridian didn’t have all the equipment she needed,” said her father. “They
told us Methodist’s outpatient therapy was the best, and we needed the best for her.” As a center for rehabilitation research, MRC is equipped with technology not available elsewhere in the state. “And I think we used every piece of equipment we have,” Howard said. First came sessions on the hospital’s ErigoPro. The device’s tilt table helped Alixus adjust to being upright, while functional electrical stimulation and robotic leg movements moved her legs in a walking motion. Robotics also played a role when she graduated to the LokomatPro FreeD treadmill. The equipment’s harness system partially unloads a patient’s weight, while a robotic device attached to the hips, knees and ankles guides the legs in a proper stepping motion. The movement produced sensory signals that aided Alixus’ muscle memory and encouraged new pathways between her brain and spinal cord—an important foundation for walking again. “When they started sending her to the Lokomat, things started returning,” said her mother. “She started taking small baby steps, and there were just tears of joy.” In addition to several therapies that use electrical stimulation to activate weakened nerves and muscles, Alixus also took advantage of one of MRC’s latest purchases—the ZeroG Gait and Balance System. Mounted to an overhead track, the body-weight support system allowed her to practice walking, balance tasks, sit-to-stand maneuvers and even climbing stairs without fear of falling. Alixus also made significant progress in MRC’s SwimEx therapy pool,
Alixus is now a student at Meridian Community College with the goal of becoming an athletic trainer. Photo: Melanie Thortis
Before her accident, Alixus was a standout player for Northeast Lauderdale High School in Meridian. Photo: courtesy of the Meridian Star.
which is equipped with an underwater treadmill and adjustable current. “When she first started, I needed to get in the water with her to help her get from the chair lift to the parallel bars,” said MRC physical therapist assistant Shari Allen. But it wasn’t long before Alixus began looking for bigger challenges. “She was quick to ask to increase the speed of the underwater treadmill, ask about entering or exiting the pool by the steps as opposed to the chair lift and looking to reduce reliance on her arms to keep her balance,” Allen said. “As hard as things were at times, she always looked forward to that next milestone that would lead to her being independent and free to pursue her life’s goals.” Her father said she was just as ambitious at home, and it was enough to make him nervous.
Safely supported by MRC’s ZeroG Gait and Balance System, Alixus tosses a ball with physical therapist Ann Howard. Photo: Carey Miller
Occupational therapist Allison Harris guides Alixus during a session on the Bioness Integrated Therapy System (BITS). Photo: Carey Miller
“She’d want to do stuff I was scared to try,” he said. “She was walking in the hallway at home, then we had to go outside because the hallway was too short. “She never lost her sense of direction. She’s always been strong-willed and competitive.”
“SHE’S A FIGHTER” As Alixus devoted her energies to getting better, her teammates did their part to keep her pumped up. At home games, a painting commissioned by Vick hung in the dugout and her No. 13 was painted in right field. On the team bus, the players also created a virtual shrine to Alixus. “I walked to the back of the bus and looked at her seat, and they had her jersey, cleats, the painting and her bats,” Vick said. In an attempt to “take her a ring,” Vick said the team also made it to the fi-
Physical therapist Ann Howard puts Alixus through some stairclimbing exercises at Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Flowood. Photo: Carey Miller
nal eight of the state slow pitch playoffs. “The girls were on a mission, they were playing for her,” he said. For the fast-pitch team’s senior night, Alixus was invited to throw out the first pitch and take a swing from the plate. “So we practiced in therapy,” Howard said. “We’d take her outside and throw the ball to her.” “She was very excited to be able to do that,” said her mother. “Softball was her life.” On graduation night, Alixus was wheeled across the stage and stood to receive her diploma. The audience gave her a standing ovation, but Alixus didn’t like that she’d had to use an assistive device. As soon as she graduated to a cane, “she put the walker up and parked it,” her mother said. “She told me to put it in storage. She didn’t even want it in the house.”
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WEST NILE VIRUS
After months of working together, Alixus and physical therapist Ann Howard had grown close enough to enjoy an occasional light moment. Photo: Carey Miller
Quest physical therapist Erin Perry oversees the action as Alixus does wall squats while she wears a Bioness device that helps patients overcome conditions such as foot drop and knee instability. Photo: Carey Miller
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In anticipation of taking on-campus classes at Meridian Community College in the fall, Alixus moved to MRC’s Quest program. Housed in the center’s outpatient therapy clinic in Ridgeland, the program readies brain and spinal injury patients for a successful return to school, work or community life. And Alixus had the perfect attitude for the process, said Quest physical therapist Erin Perry. “She is up for being pushed and is goal-oriented and motivated,” Perry said. “When she meets one goal, she works to meet another.” “She’s really a hard worker and helpful with coming up with good ideas,” said Quest occupational therapist Allison Harris. “I haven’t had to do as much strategizing because she’s able to figure things out at home.” To compensate for lack of fine-motor skills in her dominant right hand, Alixus learned to write with her left and use an app to type school papers on her cell phone. Despite her wreck, Alixus also wanted to drive again and turned to MRC’s driving rehabilitation program for assistance. Certified driving rehabilitation specialist Ashlee Ricotta can outfit program participants with various devices to help them overcome their limitations. But Alixus didn’t need them. “She drives with no adaptive equipment, which is pretty amazing considering where she started from,” said Ricotta. “She went from totally dependent to independent, and we often don’t get to see that much progress. It has been a joy to watch her progress. She’s a fighter.” “Statistically, she should not have made the gains she made,” Long said. “She made ridiculous progress. And it’s really fantastic to see.” Alixus hopes to become an athletic trainer and live like “nothing ever happened.” Still, she admits the past couple of years have changed her for the better. “It really opened my eyes to you can’t take life for granted,” she said. It’s a realization that Coach Vick wishes more of his players could obtain. “I feel like a lot of people take things for granted, but Alixus was never one of those people. She definitely made a positive out of a really, really bad negative. I don’t know if I could have done it.”
LAZARUS
E F F E C T THE RESEARCH STUDY
How MRC’s West Nile Virus expertise brought two patients back from the brink BY SUSAN CHRISTENSEN
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o her long list of medical accomplishments, Jackson ob-gyn Dr. Freda McKissic Bush can now add celebrated research subject. She recently became the subject of a scientific paper entitled: “Lazarus Effect of High Dose Corticosteroids in a Patient with West Nile Virus Encephalitis: A Coincidence or a Clue?” Published in “Frontiers of Medicine,” the article is co-authored by neurologists Dr. Art Leis of Methodist Rehabilitation Center and Dr. David Sinclair of Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. While Bush’s stunning recovery is the focus of the treatise, it’s a bit of poetic license to compare her experience with that of the Biblical Lazarus. She was not raised from the dead. But the 71-year-old retired physician said she was “on my way out.” “I was going to die, it was as simple as that,” she said. Bush was suffering from West Nile virus encephalitis, a swelling of brain tissue that is one of three neuro-invasive forms of WNV infection. In the years since WNV first arrived in the United States in 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended treating infections with only standard supportive care. But during 16 years of studying neuro-invasive forms of the disease, Leis came to favor prescribing high-dose steroids for the most severe forms of the disease. The approach seems to quell the body’s immune system attack of inflammation on healthy tissue. But Leis was cautious about using it at first. “It is counter-intuitive to weaken the immune system when a patient has encephalitis,” Leis said.
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“She is my miracle in slow motion. The best thing for me was seeing in her eyes she was getting better and all the miracle steps in the right direction.” —LEE BUSH
To be on the safe side, Leis initially delayed steroid treatment until at least two weeks from the onset of WNV. By 2018, he’d begun to rethink that timeline. The CDC had found that WNV rapidly cleared the body in people with normal immune systems. And Leis’ own experiences with immune-suppressive treatments had not raised any red flags. “To my knowledge we don’t have any cases where treatment with highdose steroids initiated acute worsening that would suggest the virus had spread,” Leis said. When he was consulted on Bush’s case in July 2018, Leis believed her condition demanded an aggressive approach, as did Sinclair. “She was in the ICU in a semi-comatose state for a while,” Sinclair said. “It was very clear her whole brain was involved and the risk of disability at that point was extremely high—if not death.” Leis and Sinclair say they sought to publicize Bush’s case because they believe scientific scrutiny of the approach is needed. “We’re trying to look at deciding whether patients will improve spontaneously or if steroids are helpful,” Sinclair said. “This really needs to be studied in a manner where we have a control group who receives the current standard of care intervention.” In the meantime, Leis will continue to contribute as a scientist who has long been on the front lines of WNV research. In 2002, he and fellow MRC scientist Dr. Dobrivoje Stokic were the first in the world to link WNV to a polio-like paralysis. And over the years, MRC has been a valuable resource for physicians treating West Nile virus infection, as well as a support group site for survivors and their families. Leis knows well the lifelong impact WNV infection can have. In his office is a five-drawer file cabinet full of patient data, as well as thank-you notes from
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people he’s helped. “For those who have the more severe forms of West Nile virus infection, over half have persistent or delayed symptoms, such as severe, disabling fatigue, persistent headaches, sleep disruptions and trouble concentrating,” Leis said. Some even experience disruption of their autonomic reflex system, which controls everything from blood pressure, cardiac rhythm, sweating, bowel and bladder control to gastrointestinal mobility. Recently, Leis obtained disease-specific privileges at several metro Jackson hospitals, which will make it easier for him to consult with acute care physicians. And Sinclair, for one, believes there’s no one better than Leis to help guide the care of WNV patients. “I think I’m one of a dozen young neurologists in the state who look toward his expertise in the area of neuro-virology,” Sinclair said. “He has cared for the most West Nile virus patients and dealt with the most severe consequences of that illness. He’s someone I could turn to for advice on cases like that.”
PATIENT ONE: DR. FREDA BUSH
Like most long married couples, Lee and Freda McKissic Bush are deeply aware of each other’s moods. So on the morning of July 17, 2018, Lee quickly realized something was amiss with his normally talkative wife. The retired ob-gyn barely whispered yes or no to his questions. And she did not look well. “I stopped getting ready for work and starting paying her attention,” he said. “Her torso was really burning up.” After trying unsuccessfully to reach Freda’s doctor, Lee decided to rush her to the emergency room at Mississippi Bap-
tist Medical Center in Jackson. Much later she would ask him: “Why didn’t you call an ambulance?” “Too slow,” he said. Freda was well-known at Baptist, having delivered babies there since 1987. But when she arrived that morning, none of the staff had ever seen her like this—nearly unconscious and going downhill fast. Her medical team quickly began a litany of tests. But it would be almost a week before Lee learned the source of his wife’s suffering. She was diagnosed with West Nile virus encephalitis, a life-threatening form of the mosquito-borne disease. What’s worse, Lee was being told the condition carried no treatment. “They said we’d have to wait and see what happens. And I said: ‘That’s my wife you’re talking about.’” The couple had gotten married in 1969 after only three months of dating. In the years since, they’d reared four children, balanced two demanding careers and supported causes they believed in. What loomed ahead was more opportunities to give back, as well as time to spend with their 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Surely, this wasn’t to be the end of a union between two people who’d shared so much—including the challenges of each growing up the fifth of nine children. An engineer by training and a successful businessman, Lee went into problem-solving mode to save his wife. “He took matters into his own hands and said: ‘Somebody has got to tell me something,’” Freda said. After some networking, website searches and phone calls, Lee learned one of the nation’s foremost West Nile virus researchers worked just down the street at Methodist Rehabilitation Center. Lee arranged a meeting with Dr. Art Leis, a senior scientist with MRC’s Center for Neuroscience and Neurological
Clockwise from top left: 1. Lee Bush, right, was a constant presence while his wife, Freda, spent three weeks at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. 2. At a recent meeting of MRC’s West Nile virus support group, Freda and Lee Bush shared how far she’s come since contracting West Nile virus encephalitis in July 2018. 3-4. Working with MRC physical therapist Ginnie Dukes, Freda pushes to improve her strength and balance. Photo 1: Courtesy Bush family. Photos 2-4: Carey Miller
Recovery. And he’ll never forget seeing him for the first time. “He walked into this huge waiting room at Baptist and I said: ‘Here comes my angel doctor.’ He said: ‘Angel? Why did you call me that?’ I said: ‘Because you are my angel.’ He said: ‘I don’t know if you know this, but my first name is Angel.’” Leis advocated treating Freda with high-dose steroids, but he warned it could be risky. “He said steroids will stop her brain from swelling, but it will also stop her immune system—which is kind of dangerous,” Lee said. But Leis said he was willing to take the chance because he knew Lee would provide the close observation Freda
would need during steroid therapy. When anyone would urge Lee to leave his wife’s side for a well-deserved respite, he’d say: “I’ll leave when she leaves.” “He made a decision that his job was taking care of me,” Freda said. “He wouldn’t go to work, and he slept in a chair. “When I realized how much dedication he had given to me, I boohooed. I was overwhelmed. I tell people if I thought I loved him before, it doesn’t compare to now.” As Freda began to regain consciousness, “she didn’t know who she was or where she was, but she was awake,” Lee said. And he made it his mission to keep
her roused. “I am playing spiritual music, dancing around and walking around her bed praying,” he said. Baptist staff offered spiritual support, too. “Every doctor who came by said we’re praying for her,” Lee said. “They would pat me on the shoulder and leave out.” The Bush’s adult children also came through for their parents. While their son took over for his dad at NCS Trash and Garbage, his three sisters rotated two-week caregiving shifts. And one of Freda’s sisters traveled from Washington, D.C., to lend a helping hand. Freda spent three weeks at Baptist, including 15 days in ICU. Next came another 24 days at MRC, working on skills to regain her independence.
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“You won’t see me give up. These therapists help me stay driven. I don’t know how to put into words how good they are. I’m glad to be where I’m at.” —STEVE TIDWELL
It wasn’t easy for the accomplished physician to acknowledge her deficits. “I spent a lot of time crying,” she said. “I had already retired from medicine, but I was still very active. I was on a lot of boards and was working with the Medical Institute for Sexual Health in Austin. And to think now I couldn’t do anything, couldn’t even remember. I spent a lot of time crying because I wasn’t me.” Lee, on the other hand, never lost hope. “She is my miracle in slow motion,” he said. “The best thing for me was seeing in her eyes she was getting better and all the miracle steps in the right direction. When she could look at me and smile and say, I love you. Those were the nuances that kept me going.” Today, Freda continues to progress. And while she’s chafing for more independence—she and Lee laugh that they never spent so much time together— she’s grateful for his commitment. “I have to give credit to the Lord,” she said “He put us together, and he kept us together. I say I’m so sorry I got West Nile, but I’m so glad God gave me Lee Bush.”
PATIENT TWO: STEVE TIDWELL
It’s small comfort now. But Steve Tidwell of Madison believes he killed the mosquito that gave him a paralyzing case of West Nile virus poliomyelitis. “I was outside working on the grill, and I remember when it stung me,” he said. “I remember seeing a big red butt full of blood, and I popped him.” More than a year later, Tidwell is still dealing with the ramifications of that moment. It takes a brace on his left leg and a walker to move very far. But it sure beats where he started out.
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“From the waist down, I had no movement,” said the union rep for the United Food and Commercial Workers. “And after 58 years of walking … that’s alarming.” Tidwell said his illness began with achy legs and joints. At the doctor’s office, he tested negative for flu. But it was obvious something serious was afoot. “When I got up off the bed, I collapsed,” Tidwell said. So his physician ordered tests for West Nile, Lyme Disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. “He said the tests usually take six days, and he would let me know. Meanwhile, I’m getting worse. That Friday, my son Weston helped me go to the bathroom and I collapsed again. My wife, Tracy, said we’re going to the ER. And they had to rig something up to get me in the car.” The date was Aug. 24, 2018. “That was the last time he walked,” Tracy said. Tidwell is fuzzy on the early details of his illness. “Tracy said I didn’t know where I was for two weeks,” he said. But he does remember marveling at the cluster of IV bags hanging overhead. “I had two IV poles and both of them had about 30 things on them,” he said. “I guess they were steroids pumping in me.” As he would learn later, Tidwell had arrived at Mississippi Baptist Medical Center in Jackson about a month after Dr. Freda Bush, a victim of WNV encephalitis. And her successful treatment with high-dose steroids became the protocol for his case, as well. “His neurologist (Dr. David Sinclair) was amazing,” Tracy said. “He called it and started treating him immediately.” “It may have stopped the process in its tracks,” Tidwell said. “Thank God it worked because some people (with WNV poliomyelitis) lose control of their bowels or urinary tract, and I did not.” Sinclair’s treatment had been recommended by MRC neurologist Dr. Art
Leis, a nationally recognized expert on WNV. So when time came for Tidwell to start therapy, MRC was the logical choice. It became an even better decision when Tidwell learned his physical therapist would be a friend of his oldest son Mitch. “Chris McGuffey poked his head in my door and said, ‘I was hoping it wasn’t you,’” remembers Tidwell. In Mississippi, patients with the most severe cases of WNV come to MRC for inpatient care. And while McGuffey was taken aback to see the disease affecting a friend, it didn’t make him go easy on Tidwell. “If anything, I worked him harder,” McGuffey said. “And I wanted him to be as aggressive with me as he could without killing me,” Tidwell said. Tidwell also got some welcome tough love from occupational therapist Debbie Webb. She was determined he’d go home as independent as possible. “Before I left, she made me get dressed and undressed by myself,” Tidwell said. “She said you are going to show me you can do this.” Tidwell spent much of his therapy time strengthening his abdominal and back muscles. “Your core is vital and that is one of the areas that gets hit the hardest by West Nile virus,” McGuffey said. Many WNV patients also struggle with crushing fatigue. “They get so tired, so quickly, you have to limit repetitions and allow more rest between them,” McGuffey said. When Tidwell transferred to Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Ridgeland in September 2018, he still had a long road ahead of him. “He came in with hardly any movement in his legs,” said Erin Perry, a physical therapist at the clinic. “And he still needed a little help with wheelchair transfers.” Nevertheless, Perry was optimistic about his recovery. She left for maternity leave in March, and Tidwell remembers
Clockwise from top left: 1. Tidwell has his nerves evaluated by MRC researcher Dr. Art Leis, who has been studying the effects of West Nile virus since 2002. 2. MRC occupational therapist Debbie Webb works with Tidwell to help him become as independent as possible. 3. Tidwell was astonished at the advances he was able to make during pool therapy with Merry Claire Wardlaw, a physical therapist with Methodist Outpatient Therapy in Ridgeland. 4. Tidwell was happy to find out that family friend Chris McGuffey would be his physical therapist during his inpatient stay at MRC. 5. Physical therapist Erin Perry monitors Tidwell’s progress on a stationary bike featuring functional electrical stimulation. All photos: Carey Miller
her saying: “You’re going to do something phenomenal while I’m gone.” At the time, Perry had recently introduced Tidwell to aquatic therapy, which physical therapist Merry Claire Wardlaw continued in her absence. Both say the pool workouts were a game-changer. “That’s where he started to turn the corner,” Perry said. “He could do so much more in the water. He could move more freely without having to deal with gravity.” Tidwell came to love his pool workouts, but he was initially hesitant to get in the water. “Think about it, I didn’t have legs,” he said. “But once I saw I wasn’t going to drown … I’d wear myself out in the pool because it was so much
easier.” While the therapists appreciated Tidwell’s workout ethic, they also had to temper his activities so he wouldn’t get too fatigued. “He’s the hardest working person to a fault,” Perry said. “He would have come to therapy every day if it was possible.” “I’m not one to give up easy. I’m going to go at it hard,” Tidwell said. “I’m too active a person to be sitting on a couch.” Tracy said her husband even manages to keep up with many of the chores on their 80-acre farm. “He still cuts the yard,” she said. To move from his wheelchair to his zero-turn lawn mower, Tidwell built a transfer device from PVC pipe and
a pool noodle. And to do exercises at home, he rigged up a Pilates-style machine using PVC pipe and a garage-door mechanism. “If we do something here, he’s going to try to mimic it at home,” Perry said. “That’s how driven he is.” Tidwell said he and his therapists have finally worked out a “happy medium” for his workout schedule. And he’s proud of how far he’s come. “We made so much progress, I can walk 175 feet with a walker and a brace on my left leg,” he said. And he has no doubt he can do more. “You won’t see me give up. These therapists help me stay driven. I don’t know how to put into words how good they are. I’m glad to be where I’m at.”
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WILSON RESEARCH FOUNDATION
RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS MRC researchers are denoted in blue type
2018
The board of governors of the Wilson Research Foundation recently presented a grant in the amount of $830,000 to Methodist Rehabilitation Center. From left, Rita Sun, Kelley Fenelon, Katy Houston, Chris Blount, Gene Delcomyn, Ginny Mounger, Sam Lane, Dr. Dobrivoje Stokic, Matt Holleman, Cal Wells, Cy Rosenblatt and Dr. Robert Smith. Not shown are Foundation board members Mary Helen McCarty Griffis, Lyn McMillin, Tish Hughes, Dr. Marion Wofford and Dave Robinson. Photo: Carey Miller
A cause that matters
Donations to Wilson Research Foundation restore hope
E
very year the Wilson Research Foundation raises funds and awards grants to Methodist for clinical (patient-focused) research, education and technology. This includes a $830,000 grant for 2019, made possible by hundreds of individual and corporate gifts. Leading the way were major gifts provided by Linda and Wirt Yerger, III (Yerger Family Fund for NeuroRobotics Research), the McCarty family (H.F. McCarty, Jr. Family Foundation Fund for Stroke Research), and Ergon Foundation, Inc. This grant is helping MRC develop better treatments and better outcomes for patients.
GERTRUDE C. FORD FOUNDATION GIFT We are very excited to announce a new $1 Million pledge from The Gertrude C. Ford Foundation to the Wilson Research Foundation. The gift establishes the Gertrude C. Ford Director of Motion Analysis. MRC’s motion analysis laboratory is used to assess patients’ function and outcomes of various treatments. The director’s position requires a rare set of skills that ranges from operating highly sophisticated equipment to having extensive knowledge of human movements. “It is vital to the Gertrude C. Ford Foundation that we support MRC’s work to help patients who have had brain, spinal cord, and other disabling injuries and illnesses,” said Cheryle Sims, president of the board. Dr. John Chow of Gluckstadt is the scientist currently serving as director of the motion lab at MRC. He is also an affiliate professor of neurobiology at the University of Mississippi Med-
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by Chris Blount, Executive Director ical Center. Dr. Chow holds a Ph.D. in biomechanics and has authored more than 70 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. His research interests include recovery of motor function after stroke, as well as spasticity management and better understanding of gait biomechanics after acquired brain injury or spinal cord injury.
SPECIAL EVENTS Our 10th Annual Walk & Roll for Research in April was our best yet, raising over $117,000. Fifty four businesses served as sponsors, and the event was a wonderful team effort of MRC employees, volunteers, and our outstanding board members. We also want to recognize The Bike Crossing for presenting the 6th annual Ride for Methodist Rehab in October. This local bike store, with the support of hundreds of area cyclists and sponsors, has raised close to $100,000 for our Foundation through six annual events.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED At MRC, research and education priorities address real obstacles that prevent patients from making progress. The whole point is to get people back to their lives. And with your support, we will build on our discoveries, acquire new technologies, and develop new treatments to improve walking, arm/hand function, and muscle spasticity. This is a cause that truly matters. Read more at wilsonfoundation.org and please consider a gift to support this life-changing work.
Bolliger M, Blight AR, Field-Fote EC, Musselman K, Rossignol S, Barthelemy D, Bouyer L, Popovic MR, Schwab JM, Boninger ML, Tansey KE, et al.: Lower extremity outcome measures: considerations for clinical trials in spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 2018; 56: 628-642. Chow JW, Stokic DS: Improvements in force variability and structure from vision- to memory-guided submaximal isometric knee extension in subacute stroke. Journal of Applied Physiology 2018; 124: 592-603. Cortes M, Alias GG, Tansey KE: A ‘snapshot’ of the advances in SCI therapeutics. Neurotherapeutics 2018; 15: 527-528. Giacino JT, Katz DI, Schiff ND, Whyte J, Ashman EJ, Ashwal S, Barbano R, Hammond FM, Laureys S, Ling GSF, Nakase-Richardson R, Seel RT, Yablon S, et al.: Practice guideline update recommendations summary: Disorders of consciousness. Neurology 2018; 91: 450-460. Giacino JT, Katz DI, Schiff ND, Whyte J, Ashman EJ, Ashwal S, Barbano R, Hammond FM, Laureys S, Ling GSF, Nakase-Richardson R, Seel RT, Yablon S, et al.: Comprehensive systematic review update summary: Disorders of consciousness. Neurology 2018; 91: 450-460 Hawkes MA, Hocker SE, Leis AA: West Nile virus induces a post-infectious pro-inflammatory state that explains transformation of stable ocular myasthenia gravis to myasthenic crises. Journal of the Neurological Sciences 2018; 395: 1-3. Howard CL, Wallace C, Perry B, Stokic DS: Comparison of mobility and user satisfaction between a microprocessor knee and standard prosthetic knee: a summary of seven single-subject trials. International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2018; 41: 63-73. Jones LAT, Bryden A, Wheeler TL, Tansey KE, et al.: Considerations and recommendations for selection and utilization of upper extremity clinical outcome assessments in human spinal cord injury trials. Spinal Cord 2018; 56: 414-425. Lee HJ, Tansey KE: Recent advances in spinal cord research: Preclinical spinal cord injury, plasticity, and repair; In: Kirshblum S, Lin VW. Spinal Cord Medicine (3rd edition). Demos Medical 2018 (chapter 52).
Lin VW, Zhang X, Stokic DS: Functional magnetic stimulation; In: Kirshblum S, Lin VW. Spinal Cord Medicine (3rd edition). Demos Medical 2018 (chapter 55). Wight JT, Grover GB, Chow JW, Borsa PA, Wikstrom EA, Tillman MD: Developing reliable measures of the passive torque-angle relationship for shoulder internal and external rotation: Implications for overhead athletics. Physical Therapy in Sport 2018; 33: 82-88.
2019
Bai F, Thompson EA, Vig PJS, Leis AA: Current understanding of West Nile virus clinical manifestations, immune responses, neuroinvasion, and immunotherapeutic implications. Pathogens 2019; 8: 193. Betz R, Biering-Sørensen F, Burns SP, Donovan W, Graves DE, Guest J, Jones L, Kirshblum S, Krassioukov A, Mulcahey MJ, Schmidt Read M, Rodriguez GM, Rupp R, Schuld C, Tansey K, Walden K: The 2019 revision of the International Standards for Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury (ISNCSCI)-What’s new? Spinal Cord 2019; 57: 815-817. Chow JW, Stokic DS: Gait impairments in patients without lower limb hypertonia early after stroke are related to weakness of paretic knee flexors. Archives of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation 2019: 100: 1091-1101. Dolbow DR, Credeur DP, Lemacks JL, Rahimi M, Stokic DS: The effect of electrically induced cycling and nutritional counseling on cardiometabolic health in upper and lower motor neuron chronic spinal cord injury: Dual case report. International Journal of Neurorehabilitation Engineering 2019; 6: 336. Gorman PH, Scott W, VanHiel L, Tansey KE, Sweatman WM, Geigle PR: Comparison of peak oxygen consumption response to aquatic and robotic therapy in individuals with chronic motor incomplete spinal cord injury: a randomized controlled trial. Spinal Cord 2019; 57: 471-481. Hofstoetter US, Freundl B, Danner SM, Krenn MJ, Mayr W, Binder H, Minassian K: Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation induces temporary attenuation of spasticity in individuals with spinal cord injury. Journal of Neurotrauma 2019 (in press). Hubli M, Kramer JLK, Jutzeler CR, Rosner
J, Furlan JC, Tansey KE, Schubert M: Application of electrophysiological measures in spinal cord injury clinical trials: A narrative review. Spinal Cord 2019 (in press). Kofler M, Leis AA, Valls-Sole J: Cutaneous silent periods - Part 2: Update on pathophysiology and clinical utility. Clinical Neurophysiology 2019; 130: 604-615. Kofler M, Leis AA, Valls-Sole J: Cutaneous silent periods - Part 1: Update on physiological mechanisms. Clinical Neurophysiology 2019: 130: 588-603. Krenn M, Chow JW, Perry BE, Tansey KE: Using a robot-assisted gait orthosis to assess lower limb performance in neurorehabilitation. Biomedical Sciences Instrumentation 2019; 55: 51-54. Leis AA, Sinclair DJ: Lazarus effect of high dose corticosteroids in a patient with West Nile virus encephalitis: A coincidence or a clue? Frontiers in Medicine 2019; 6: 81. Lee HJ, Malone P, Chung JM Tansey KE: Central plasticity of cutaneous afferents is associated with nociceptive hyperreflexia after spinal cord injury. Neural Plasticity 2019 (in press). Patterson F, AbuOmar O, Jones M, Tansey K, Prabhu RK: Data mining the effects of testing conditions and specimen properties on brain biomechanics. International Biomechanics 2019; 6: 34-46. Sharma A, Grill MF, Spritzer S, Leis AA, Anderson M, Vig P, Porter AB: Malignant glial neuronal tumors after West Nile virus neuroinvasive disease: A coincidence or a clue? Neurohospitalist 2019; 9: 160-164. Stokic DS: Moving forward the field of combination treatments: shared responsibility of researchers, reviewers, and readers (Editorial). International Journal of Rehabilitation Research 2019 (in press). Stokic DS, Kofler M, Stetkarova I, Leis AA: Exteroceptive suppression of voluntary activity in thenar muscles by cutaneous stimulation: How many trials should be averaged? Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery 2019 (in press). Vig PJS, Lu D, Paul AM, Kuwar R, Lopez M, Stokic DS, Leis AA, Garrett MR, Bai F: Differential expression of genes related to innate immune responses in ex vivo spinal cord and cerebellar slice cultures infected with West Nile virus. Brain Sciences 2019; 9: 1
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Wilson Research Foundation Honorarium We honor these generous donors to the Wilson Research Foundation. Thank you for helping us restore ability and hope through research, education and technology at Methodist Rehabilitation Center. To make a tax-deductible donation or to learn more about The Wilson Research Foundation, contact us at (601) 364-3598 or email wfgift@wilsonfoundation. org. Or, make a secure online donation at www.wilsonfoundation.org.
EARL R. AND MARTHA LYLES WILSON VISIONARIES
Dick Molpus Foundation Össur James Phyfer $500,000 and Greater Sara and Bill Ray BankPlus Donna E. Roberts Ergon Foundation, Inc. Karen Skeen Gertrude C. Ford Foundation Jan and Mike P. Sturdivant, Jr. Ann and Jorge R. Leis The Sturdivant Family H. F. McCarty, Jr. Family Foundation Marsha and Terry Wells Craig H. Neilsen Foundation Marion Wofford, MD Leo Seal United Methodist Church PARTNERS Trust $5,000 - $24,999 Maxine and John Tullos Carol H. Allen Earl R. and Martha Lyles Wilson Pattie and Gary Armstrong Linda and Wirt Yerger III Dea Dea and Dolph Baker PILLARS Baptist Health Systems $200,000 - $499,999 Lori and Chris Blount Estate of Marsha Blount Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Luckyday Foundation Mississippi Donna and Art Leis, MD Melissa and Si Bondurant Selby and Richard D. McRae Monica and Henry Bradsher Foundation Jean Turner Brewer Nora Frances and Vaughan McRae Brunini Attorneys at Law MRC Gift Shop Volunteers Maralyn Bullion Estate of Gordon Scarbrough C.W. Caldwell PIONEERS Canizaro Cawthon Davis Architects $85,000 - $199,999 Sally and Charles Carmichael Ameristar Cares Workplace Giving Century Club Charities Anne Andrews Black Charitable Church of the Holy Trinity Vicksburg Lead Unitrust Kay and Ken Clark Barbara and Jeep Clark Richard Cowart Paula and Randy James Custom Medical Solutions Carolyn and John McIntyre, Jr. Elizabeth Daniels Lyn and David McMillin Bettie and Gene Delcomyn Richard D. McRae Dorsey J. Barefield Charitable Trust Moran Family Philanthropic Fund Nora and Tam Etheridge Virginia Wilson Mounger and J. Fenelon Family Harbour Mounger First Commercial Bank Pruet Foundation Alan Freeland, MD Estate of Lillian Simpson Kathy and Don Flynt SUSTAINERS Susan and Nick Greco In Memory of Jake Greer $25,000 - $84,999 Rebecca Greer and James Gina and Mark Adams Grenfell Sledge & Stevens Linda and Robert Bartley Handicapable Vans, Inc. Michael Bartley Steele and Bob Hardeman The Bike Crossing Hawe Yeu Incorporated Estate of Carolee Bacon Davis Ann and Henry Holifield Else Partners Sandra and Matt Holleman Glenda and Keith Ferguson Shan and Steve Hope Richard M. Fountain Horne CPA and Business Advisors Katy and Jamie Houston Robbie Hughes HUB International Tish and Haden Hughes Larry Kerr International Business Machines Leila and Sam Lane Rachel and Joe Jacobson Madison Charitable Foundation Mary Ann McCarty J’s Mobility Unlimited
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Team Captains and Top Volunteers who made the 10th Annual Walk & Roll for Research the best ever! Doug Boone Adrienne Brumfield Glen Castle Alex Chapman John Chow Linda Clark Mary Collins Quile’ Davis Tabetha Deavers
Amy Dempsey Wendy Dykes Andrew Edwards Misty Ferguson Megan Mikula Gautreau Suzy Gonzales Rebecca Greer Corey Griffin Susie Haseloff Archie Henderson
Katy and Jamie Houston Luly Johnson Cortney Jones Shona Killough Karen Klein Bonnie Lahuta Jacob Long Valerie Massey Briana May Terri Meadows
Chris McGuffey Terri Meadows Carey Miller Bridgett Pelts Bonnie Perry Roxie Quick Dylan Reynolds Ashlee Ricotta Megan and Arash Sepehri Emily Skeen
Karen Skeen Kaitlin Ingram Snyder Boba Stokic Eliza Ueltchey Chris Wallace Tina Weaver Ellis Wilson Heather Wise
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Ruth Fly Dustin Ford Sarah Fordice Betty Ruth Fox Mr. and Mrs. Dean Gerber Edward Gibson John Gibson Gerald G. Gilbert Roger Gilbert Debbie and Joey Glorioso Dr. and Mrs. John Gibson Dolly C. Goings Debbie M. Good Susan Goodman Bertha C. Gordon Elizabeth Grant Dawson Graves Martha Grace Gray Nick Greener Amanda Griggs Ray and Debra Grubbs Gulde United Methodist Church Karen H. Hacskaylo Mrs. Alexander J. Haick Lester and Ellen Hailey Iavan A. Harrera Caroly and Cecil Heidelberg III Cornelia Holland Miller Holmes, Jr. Susan Hart Lynn F. Head Barbara Hederman Sally Hederman Dawn Herrington Mary Margaret and Freddy Hickman Brenda P. Hilbun Barbara Hilton Laurie K. Holloway Henry and Sondra Holman Trust Audrey T. Hildebrand Sharon Hillman Lyles Holifield Wilson Holifield Cornelia Holland Miller Holmes Jamie G. Houston IV Lisa Indest Reed Ingram Irby Company John Irby Jeanie and Art Inkster Cheryl B. Jeanes Pat and Peter Jernberg Alison Johnson Debra Johnson Kenneth W. Johnson Laurdes Johnson Mrs. Whit Johnson III Melissa M. Johnston Tip Johnston Christopher Jones Jane Jones Ken Jones Keon Jones Sheila and Les Jones, MD Libby W. Kendall Robin R. Kennedy
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Dianne Kersh Barbara H. Key Key Dental Group Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Ki Mobility June Kilby Pam Kilby Shona S. Killough Martha and Dick King Alfred Kuhnert Mrs. Willem Lamar Suzanne Lampton Amy Lane John W. Lange Laurel Fuel Company Friends G. W. Lee, Jr. Marsha P. Lefkovits Nijah Lewis Livingston Merchantile Store Sonya and William E. Loper , MD Mrs. Jane Lord Xiao Luo Joe Lutz Elizabeth Lyle Amanda Lyons Sudhakar Madakasira Dot Manning Mark Culver – Waste Medic Patricia Marsh Allen Martin E. B. Martin Julius R. Mascagni Sandra F. Matthews Rosemary Maxey Cathy May Meredith and James May Charles McArthur John McCallum Dorothy S. McGehee Mac McGehee III Barry McNair Dr. and Mrs. Ward McRaney Terri Meadows Donald Meiners Christy Miller Mississippi Hospital Association Don Mitchell Kathy Mitchell James N. C. Moffat III Sally Nash Molpus Denae Moore Jim Moore Lynda H. Morse Bertram D. Mortimer Roben and Dalton Mounger Betty Murphey Joe and Kathie Myers Delores and Jorge Navarrete John C. Neil Network for Good Newk’s Eatery Kathryn K. Newton John H. Nowlin Gina and Mike O’Connell Powell G. Ogletree Christie Osborn F. Ralph Owens, Jr.
Katherine Pace Donald Parsons Montha K. Patrick Mae and George Patton, MD William W. Payne Bridgett Pelts Joan M. Pepper Bonnie Perry W. L. Phillips Peter Pikul Lillian Pope Don Potts John L. Prichard The Profilet Family Gayle B. Purvis Randy Randall Joe D. Rankin Mrs. James H. Rawls Nickey K. Ray Karen Redhead Renasant Bank Meghan Rice Michelle Barlow Richardson Marie and Jeff Rickels Naomi and Bob Ridgway Dale Riser Ann Ritchie Carolyn S. Ritter River Hills Bank Nathalie Roberts Martha Rogers Delena and Mark Rose Kayla Ross Cathey Russell Spencer Sanders Debbie and Mark Saxon Janet Shanks Stephanie and Brian Shaw Mary L. Shell Ray Shenefelt Jan J. Shultz Douglas A. Simpson Emily Skeen Betty Jean Slade Donald Sloan Pat and Jerry Smith Mary Smith Dr. and Mrs. Norwood Smith Robert H. Smith Sara (Lyn) Smith W. C. Spencer Southern Pipe and Supply Company Stalwart Medical Innovations Sylvia and Sonny Steel Tracy C. Stockston Chad Stokes, DDS Jane A. Streets Julianne and Jerry Summerford Leigh Sumner Anna Sumrall Alyson R. Swalley James Swanner Jimmye and Andy Sweat Anna and Justin Sypult Mrs. Bob Taylor Heather Taylor Sandy and David Temple
Patsy J. Thaggard James K. Thames Suzie Tharpe Franklin W. Thayer Beverly Thomas Terry D. Thomas Cheryl and Clifford Thompson Linda A. Thompson Sylvia G. Tighe C. E. Touchstone Bethany Truhett Tuesday Luncheon Club Julie and Robert Tullos Laura and John Valentine Lori Verhage Olivia Waddell Deery Walker Belynda L. Waring Cynthia B. Warner Becky and Wayne Watkins, MD Betti and Walker Watters Deborah Webb Jay L. Wiener Bonnie and Gray Wiggers Judi Williams Martha B. Williams Otis J. Williams Roosevelt Williams Cindy Wilson Robert W. Wilson Mrs. Tom E. Wofford Margee Wohner Robert Wood John R. Wooley, MD Elton Wright Ida H. Yerger Amy and Rice York Feng Zhang John Zupko
HONORARY GIFTS
Vince Barber Given by Gerry Barber All Employees at Methodist Rehab Given by G. W. Lee, Jr. The Roddy Broadaway Family Given by Spencer Sanders Shelly Bilbro Given by W. L. Phillips Dr. Philip Blount Given by Patricia Barnett Chris Blount Given by Jeanie and Art Inkster Rev. Dr. Henry C. Blount, Jr. Given by Dick Molpus Caleb Carr Given by Terri McKie Meredith Ann Johnson Carter Given by Debra Johnson Mr. and Mrs. Mike Chiz Given by Kitty Kossman Dr. John Chow Given by Russell Deane Feng Zhang Susan and Mike Christensen Given by Dawn Christensen Elizabeth Cossar and Girls
Given by John T. “Bones” Cossar Jane and Culver Craddock Given by Kitty Kossman Stacie Crim Given by Robert H. Smith Carl M. Daniel Given by Melissa and Ralph Daniel Jeanne and Rabbi Harry Danziger Given by Kitty Kossman Anne and Lephiew Dennington Given by Kitty Kossman Kelley Fenelon Given by Cathey Russell Reverend Don Fortenberry Given by Cheryl and Tim Coker Catherine Klipple Naomi and Bob Ridgway Eleanor and Doyle Garrett Given by Kitty Kossman Linda Gholston Given by Nancy and Don Krecker Hon. David Gillison Given by Kitty Kossman Suzy Gonzales Given by Dianne Kersh Ann and Henry Holifield Given by Virginia Wilson Mounger Amy Lyles Wilson Minor and Ben Hawkins Given by Kitty Kossman Mr. Charles Holmes Given by Kitty Kossman Beverly Janoush Given by Kitty Kossman Paul Janoush Given by Kitty Kossman Dr. and Mrs. Ed Jones Given by Dr. and Mrs. Oscar C. Dauenhauser Mr. and Mrs. Henry J. Jones Given by Jan J. Shultz Suzi and Barry Kaplan Given by Kitty Kossman Ms. Jan Klein Given by Kitty Kossman Juliet and Jerry Klein Given by Kitty Kossman Carol Kossman, M.D. Given by Kitty Kossman Marcia and Chuck Kossman, M.D. Given by Kitty Kossman Mrs. Kitty Kossman Given by Mrs. Jane Lord Sam Lane Given by Miller Holmes, Jr. Nancy and Bill LaForge Given by Kitty Kossman Jane Lord Given by Kitty Kossman Randy Lavender Given by Sheila and Les Jones, M.D. Christopher Lincoln Given by Facebook Birthday Honors Dr. Mark Meeks Given by Randy Randall
Dean Miller and Peggy Prenshaw Miller Given by Christy Miller Jeffrey D. Miller Bettye and Ned Mitchell Given by Kitty Kossman Rev. Dr. Julia Moore Given by Kitty Kossman Mr. Wells Mortimer Given by Naomi and Bob Ridgway Virginia Wilson Mounger Given by Melba Dixon Ann and Henry Holifield Don Mitchell Roben and Dalton Mounger Linda Thompson Amy Lyles Wilson Hilda and Kirkham Povall Given by Kitty Kossman Robert Ragan, M.D. Given by Kitty Kossman Trenia Reynolds Given by Logo Store USA Pattye and Mike Robbins Given by Kitty Kossman Dr. James Robinson Given by Kitty Kossman Mrs. Sally Rogers Given by Kitty Kossman Nan and Mike Sanders Given by Kitty Kossman Dr. Ann Myers Schimmel Given by Virginia Ezelle Susan Hart Audrey Hildebrand Elizabeth Lyle Sally Nash Molpus Karen Redhead Russell Sheffield Given by Judi Williams Sug and Doe Signa Given by Kitty Kossman Joyce and Homer Sledge, Jr. Given by Kitty Kossman Susan and Homer Sledge III Given by Kitty Kossner Mrs. Earl Solomon Given by Kitty Kossman Ann and Dr. James Steen Given by Kitty Kossman Ygondine Sturdivant Given by The Sturdivant Family Teresa Swires Given by Pat and Peter Jernberg Tommy Turner Given by Jean Turner Brewer Blanche and Jon Tyson Given by Kitty Kossman Ethel and Ricky Wynne Given by Kitty Kossman Wilma and Bob Wilbanks Given by Kitty Kossman Amy Lyles Wilson and Henry Granberry III Given by Ann and Henry Holifield
Virginia Wilson Mounger Stacy and Kevin Wolff Given by Kitty Kossman Janice and Dr. Kent Wyatt Given by Kitty Kossman
MEMORIAL GIFTS
James Davis Arnold Given by Pam Kilby Marilyn Blount Given by Dick Molpus Melissa W. Bondurant Given by Si Bondurant Sharon Butcher Given by Nathalie Roberts Beverly Chappell Given by Terri Meadows Ron Cockayne, Sr. Given by MMI Dining Systems, Inc. Betsy Dyer Given by Kitty Kossman Powell Gandy Given by Pam Kilby Elise P. Glisson Given by Allen W. Glisson, Jr. Sammie Joe Glorioso, Sr. Given by Debbie and Joey Glorioso Jake Greer Given by Fiser/Steele Class, First Baptist Church Jackson Rebecca Greer and James Betty Harrington Given by Dr. and Mrs. Frank Stainback III Howard Hite Given by Dr. and Mrs. Frank Stainback III Vicki S. Holmes Given by Miller Holmes, Jr. Anne Yerger Hooker Given by Claire and Rees Barksdale David P. D’Entremont Sally Hederman Carolyn and Cecil Heidelberg Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton Martha and Dick King II Sam M. Lane Kathy Mitchell Dr. And Mrs. Ward McRaney Dale Riser Julianne and Jerry Summerford The Profilet Family Jimmye and Andy Sweat Cheryl and Clifford Thompson Tuesday Luncheon Club Richard Hunter Given by Martha B. Williams Frances Illich Given by Terri Meadows Ed Kossman Given by Kitty Kossman F. Ralph Owens, Jr. Martha Hardy Lott Given by Stephen Battijer Sheila Bratcher First Commercial Bank
Dawn Herrington Laurie K. Holloway Leila and Sam Lane Marsha P. Lefkovits Michelle Barlow Richardson Debbie and Mark Saxon Alan H. Walters Bennie Lyles, Jr. Given by Arretta Lyles Amy N. Mather Given by Susan Brennan Dorothy Crowley Merchant Given by Pam Kilby J. Harbour Mounger Given by Don Mitchell John C. Neil Bruns Myers III Given by Lester and Ellen Hailey Mobility Medical Tommy Turner Bonnie and Gray Wiggers Spencer O’Brien Given by Open Door Class, Christ UMC Andrew Winfield “Drew” Scott Given by Joe and Kathie Myers Mildred Smith Given by Leila and Sam Lane Mike P. Sturdivant, Sr. Given by Mrs. Mike P. Sturdivant, Sr. and The Sturdivant Family Beverly Williams Given by Leila and Sam Lane Ed Wall Given by Mark Adams Frances and Billy Ware Frances Pauline Ware Given by Associated General Contractors of Mississippi Dr. and Mrs. Scott Baer Machelle and P. G. Bernheim Connie and Bobby Croswell Lynn F. Head Leila and Sam Lane Rosemary Maxey Geraldine (Jerry) Nalty Wilson Given by Paula and Robby Arceneaux Laurel Fuel Company Friends Meghan Rice Delene and Mark Rose Martha and Earl Wilson Given by Lyn and David McMillin Sara and Bill Ray Sylvia and Sonny Steel Robert Keith (Bob) Wilson Given by First Baptist Church, Oxford, MS Ann and Henry Holifield Janet Shanks Laura and John Valentine Amy Lyles Wilson Michael Woodfield Given by Kelly Woodfield Sevier and Conrad Sevier, MD
FACEBOOK.COM/METHODISTREHAB | 2020 EDITION
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Walk&Roll Eleventh Annual Benefit for The Wilson Research Foundation
Join us on April 4, 2020 for the 11th Annual Walk & Roll!
Facebook.com/MethodistRehab
Now I can...take the wheel The 10th Annual Walk & Roll for Research was held on April 6, raising over $117,000 for the Wilson Research Foundation at Methodist Rehabilitation Center. Gold Sponsors: Aretech, Century Club Charities, Cook Medical Supplies, Cups Espresso Café, Handicapable Vans, Horne CPAs and Advisors, J’s Mobility, LogoStoreUSA, MidState Construction, Molpus Woodlands Group, New York Life, Walmart and ZA Construction. Silver Sponsors: Baptist Health Systems, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, Canizaro-Cawthon-Davis Architects, Dulaney Dental, First Commercial Bank, Masonite, Mississippi Federal Credit Union, Permobil Foundation, Piramal Critical Care, Quantum Rehab, Saol Therapeutics and Skeen Plumbing & Gas. Bronze Sponsors: A&A Home Health, AMR, BankPlus, Biggs Ingram Solop & Carlson Law Firm, Brunini Law Firm, Grantham Grower & Hewes, Greg Campbell Photography, Hederman Brothers, Hometown Medical, Irby Company, Ki Mobility, Kristo’s, MMI Dining Systems, Mobility Medical, National Seating & Mobility, Neel Schaffer, Newk’s Eatery,
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Paul Moak Subaru, Primos Café, St. Dominic Health Services, Southern Bancorp, State Bank & Trust, Terry Services, The Face & Body Center, The Gathering at Livingston, Trustmark National Bank, Wise Carter Law Firm, Wendy’s, Whataburger, W.J. Yates & Sons Construction Company and the Wittel Foundation. Top Fundraising Teams Team Sam $20,000 Team Wilson $18,200 The Rowdy Rehabers $15,550 Outpatient Olympians $10,061 Team Karen $9,950 Rehab Rockstars $8,322 In Memory of Jake Greer $6,300 Record Team $2,926 Specialty Rockin’ Rollers $2,496 Rally for Research $1,862 Rehab Rafters $1,760 Team Kappa Sigma $725
For Whitley McQueen, getting her driver’s license means a path to greater independence. The 20-year-old from Kiln has restrictive lung disease and is dependent on a ventilator to breathe. After graduating from college last fall, she’s ready to get out into the work force and into the driver’s seat for the first time. Whitley recently enrolled in Methodist Outpatient Therapy’s Driver Rehabilitation Program, which provides evaluations and training for people with disabilities. Led by occupational therapist Ashlee Ricotta, one of only three Certified Driving Rehab Specialists in the state, the program works closely with each student to meet their specific needs and get them certified to drive. “Driving was stressful when I first started, and I thought it would be easier,” McQueen said. “But Ashlee has been really nice and helpful the whole way.” Nationally recognized for expertise in rehabilitation medicine after a stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury or amputation.
For more information, visit methodistonline.org or call 601-981-2611 or toll-free 1-800-223-6672.
1350 East Woodrow Wilson Jackson, MS 39216
Presorted Standard U.S. Postage Paid Jackson, MS Permit No. 80
www.methodistonline.org | www.facebook.com/methodistrehab