Jamaal Williams doesn’t fit the profile of a typical stroke victim, but now the Richmond resident will represent stroke victims across the country as part of a program from the National Stroke Association.

Jamaal hard at work

Jamaal played football at Virginia Union University. Jamaal was young and vibrant. Yet, when Jamaal was brought to Sheltering Arms, a massive stroke had robbed him of the ability to move the right side of his body or even speak.

He was 30 years old. Through years of hard work, along with help and technology provided by Sheltering Arms, he has regained many of his previous abilities. He is now mobile, independent, and able to communicate.

Not only is Jamaal doing well with his own recovery, he is now working to help others. Coming full circle, he is now himself a volunteer at Sheltering Arms, working to inspire others to overcome their disabilities.

Because of his determination, hard work, and sunny outlook, Jamaal has been named as one of the subjects of the National Stroke Association’s Faces of Stroke campaign. The campaign will be unveiled in May, which is National Stroke Month. Telling a different individual’s story each day during the month, the campaign has a goal of raising awareness of stroke prevention and recovery. The profiles will be available on the organization’s website, Stroke.org, and will be promoted via Facebook and Twitter.

“Jamaal has achieved great things in his recovery, and we’re so proud of him,” said Sheltering Arms President and CEO James Sok. “From the beginning of his rehabilitation, he learned and embraced the Power to Overcome. Jamaal and his family became part of our family.”

Jamaal was featured in the 2009 TV documentary The Power to Overcome, which aired locally. He lives in Richmond and enjoys spending time with his mother, brother, daughter and his devoted Rottweiler.

Last week while the APTA was in New Orleans, leaders had the opportunity to participate in a service project working with Habitat for Humanity in the 9^th Ward.  APTA put together a video of the project and two of our wonderful SA leaders – Katherine Baucom and Alison Seger of Sheltering Arms – are interviewed in the video.

Below is a slideshow from yesterday’s dedication of Bal Du Bois set renderings at Sheltering Arms Hospital at Memorial Regional Medical Center.  The renderings represent the more than five decades of work by Robert Watkins and deVeaux Riddick to make Bal du Bois the fantastic social event and Sheltering Arms fundraiser that it is.  We thank them for their service!

The registration deadline for the 18th annual Different Strokes Golf Extravaganza is today, but we’re still looking for more golfers!  The tourney is October 17 at the Windy Hill Golf and Sports Complex.  Proceeds will go toward the purchase of a unique tool for Sheltering Arms’ Adaptive Golf Program.

You can find more information about the tourney here.

If you’re interested, call (804) 764-5275.  The registration form for the tournament can be found here: http://www.shelteringarms.com/pdfs/golftourney-2010-brochure.pdf.

UPDATE: If you read this on the 14th or 15th and want to play, give us a call!  We may still have slots open!

If you watched WRIC TV-8 in Richmond this week, you may have noticed them talking about Sheltering Arms!  The station’s Economic Update segment featured a story about the addition of PT Works to the Sheltering Arms family. You can watch the video below (after a brief advertisement)!

Sheltering Arms issued the following news release today, September 30, 2010:

(Richmond, Va.) – Two area physical therapy leaders are joining to offer expert care in helping people overcome pain and immobility. Sheltering Arms Physical Rehabilitation Centers have acquired the established practice of PT Works, LLC in Richmond’s far West End.

PT Works, a highly successful practice operated by Matt Wren, M.S., P.T., will now operate as a division of Sheltering Arms. The strengths of both Sheltering Arms and PT Works will combine to offer valuable service for patients in need of expert sports medicine and orthopedic physical therapy.

Since its inception, PT Works has specialized in the treatment of sports injuries and has been known for its quick turnaround in scheduling physical therapy appointments, getting to the “why” behind injuries and engaging patients in individualized treatment to get them better faster. Sheltering Arms offers an extensive network of medical and health and wellness services to support patients throughout their recoveries, and a strong reputation for quality rehabilitation that the Central Virginia community has come to know and trust.

“Matt Wren has built a very strong physical therapy practice and we are thrilled and honored to have him and his therapists join the Sheltering Arms team,” says James E. Sok, Sheltering Arms President and Chief Executive Officer. ”With PT Works as a new division of Sheltering Arms, we have the opportunity to offer our clinical services in the far West End – an area of town that has not previously benefited from a convenient Sheltering Arms outpatient therapy center.”

PT Works is located in the Martin’s shopping center at 2296 John Rolfe Parkway.

About Sheltering Arms
Sheltering Arms helps patients find the Power to Overcome the obstacles of illness and injury with a complete range of physical rehabilitation and wellness services. To learn more about Sheltering Arms’ two hospitals and nine outpatient clinics visit http://www.ShelteringArms.com, call 1-877-56-REHAB, or connect with Sheltering Arms on Facebook (www.facebook.com/shelteringarms) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/SheltArmsRehab).

Sheltering Arms is receiving another great award!  We just found out that we’re being included in the 2010 list of Best Places to Work in Healthcare, compiled by Modern Healthcare!

Here’s the news release we’re putting out to make the announcement:

Richmond, Va.) – Sheltering Arms, Central Virginia’s premier physical therapy healthcare provider, announced today that it has been named once again to the Modern Healthcare list of Best Places to Work in Healthcare. Sheltering Arms is one of only two Virginia organizations named to the list, and is the only physical rehabilitation provider from the Commonwealth. Sheltering Arms received the same honor in 2008.

“We couldn’t be more thrilled at receiving this honor,” said Sheltering Arms CEO Jim Sok. “Sheltering Arms provides an exemplary environment in which our employees do remarkable things, and it’s wonderful to be recognized for providing that environment. We are proud of all our employees and their work in helping patients find the power to overcome setbacks that result from injuries and illness.”

Modern Healthcare partnered with Best Companies Group, a Pennsylvania-based firm that administers “best places to work” programs nationwide. Modern Healthcare conducted this program to recognize outstanding employers in the healthcare industry on a national level. From economic development to employee retention, being named one of the Best Places to Work in Healthcare benefits individuals, organizations and the healthcare industry.

The program collected information from both the employer and employees and was open to all companies (providers, suppliers, payers, associations, etc.) with at least 25 employees. Employers completed a survey detailing company policies, practices, benefits and demographics. Employees were asked in-depth questions that resulted in an analysis of 8 core areas: leadership and planning, culture and communications, role satisfaction, working environment, relationship with supervisor, training and development, pay and benefits and overall satisfaction.

A full alphabetical list of organizations honored in Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to Work is available at http://modernhealthcare.com/bestplaces. Modern Healthcare will reveal the specific ranking of the 100 Best Places to Work in Healthcare on October 19, 2010 at www.modernhealthcare.com and in a special supplement to Modern Healthcare magazine on October 25, 2010.

Sheltering Arms is having a good week.

Richmond’s premier physical therapy and rehabilitation healthcare provider has been notified this week that it has won two national awards and three statewide awards. Competing against healthcare organizations from across the U.S., Sheltering Arms was honored with a gold Aster Award, given only to the top five percent of entries. Sheltering Arms was also notified that it has earned an award in the 27th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards, and has won three awards from the Virginia Society for Healthcare Marketing and Public Relations (VSHMPR).

Sheltering Arms is being honored with a gold Aster Award for its Spine Clinic Brochure. One of the largest national competitions of its kind, The Aster Awards is hosted by Marketing Healthcare Today Magazine and Creative Images, Inc.. This elite program recognizes outstanding healthcare professionals for excellence in their advertising/marketing efforts for the calendar year 2009. This year, entries were received from approximately 3,000 organizations from across the United States as well as Canada and South America.

“It was an honor to have Sheltering Arms participate in the 2010 Aster Awards Competition. The quality of this year’s entries went well beyond the judges’ expectations,” said Melinda R. Lucas, Aster Awards Program Coordinator.

The same Spine Clinic Brochure that was honored with an Aster Award also won two additional awards. Sheltering Arms received a Bronze Award for the brochure in the 27th Annual Healthcare Advertising Awards, sponsored by Healthcare Marketing Report. The brochure was given a first place award by the VSHMPR. Sheltering Arms also received second place awards in that statewide competition for its 2008 Annual Report and its Power to Overcome Documentary.

“We’re obviously thrilled to receive these recognitions,” said James E. Sok, Sheltering Arms President and Chief Executive Officer. “While these are marketing awards, the pieces feature the exceptional care our team provides to Sheltering Arms patients every day. I am honored to lead an organization that is dedicated to quality on all levels.”

All winners of the Aster Awards are published at www.AsterAwards.com, as well as in Marketing Healthcare Today, a national healthcare marketing magazine.