Most of us don't think about rehabilitation until a tragedy
strikes - a car accident, a sudden stroke or some other event that leaves
devastation and disability in its wake. Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in
Lincoln, Nebraska, provides specialized programs in brain injury, spinal cord
injury, stroke and pediatric rehabilitation, as well as rehabilitation for a
wide variety of other conditions.
I have the privilege of working at Madonna, where I see
patients with incredible drive and perseverance, striving every day to make
improvements. Compassionate doctors, nurses and therapists use their expertise
as a team to help each patient regain as much of their abilities as possible,
both physical and cognitive, and reclaim their independence.
This type of rehabilitation literally changes lives. And
it's expensive. Many insurance plans do not cover rehabilitation or only cover
a week or two when someone may need months of inpatient rehab. The new
technology and equipment needed for therapy can cost into the hundreds of
thousands of dollars.
I've seen the amazing miracles of rehabilitation - a baby girl who was shaken by her daycare provider, rendered as weak and blind as a ragdoll. A teenager who loved hunting and sports, now a parapalegic learning to live with a wheelchair after a car accident. That little girl is now a first grader, walking on her own and playing games on her iPad. That teenager got married, handcycled across Kansas and produced a video.
I'm swimming to honor those who work hard every day in
rehabilitation. Together, we celebrate the small steps that lead to big
achievements.
Thank you very much for donating whatever you can to the
Madonna Foundation. Your funds will help provide exceptional rehabilitation
care to those who need it most!
All funds go directly to the Madonna Foundation and are not
being used toward swim expenses.
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