The Mechanicsville Local, the weekly newspaper for the town of Mechanicsville, published a story this week about the new stroke rehabilitation accreditation for The Sheltering Arms Hospital.  The story is scanned and posted below.  Click it for a larger version!

You’ve seen the still pictures, now here’s the video!  Below is video from a segment on the WTVR TV (CBS6) program “Virginia This Morning” that aired on September 15.  The segment featured Jamaal Williams and his mother, Daisy, talking about Jamaal’s recovery from a stroke he suffered at the age of 28.  Jamaal made a remarkable recovery with the help of his therapy team at Sheltering Arms.  You can learn more about Jamaal and two other remarkable patient stories from Sheltering Arms TONIGHT, by watching the Sheltering Arms documentary “The Power to Overcome” on channel 6 at 7:30pm.

Don’t forget, coming up this month three television stations in Richmond will air a documentary that highlights the hard work and dedication of three patients and their therapy teams.  The program gives an inside look at the compassion, technology, expert care, history and innovation at a place where miracles happen every day.  To view a video preview, visit this post on the Sheltering Arms Blog.

Here’s a look at the patients profiled in the documentary:

Jamaal Williams is a name familiar to just about anyone involved with Sheltering Arms, as he is an inspiration to us all.  Jamaal is a former Virginia Union University football player who had a massive stroke at the age of 28.  When he arrived at Sheltering Arms, he was completely paralyzed on the left side of his body and was unable to speak.  Today, with help from his rehab team and technologies like the REO robotic trainer and SaeboFlex, he is mobile, vocal, and independent.

David Thomas was left immobile and unable to eat food or speak following a brain aneurysm.  His family was told to consider putting him in a nursing home. Instead, he was transferred to Sheltering Arms, where the gains he made in the hospital and after his return home have been nothing short of miraculous.  His first words post-stroke were to his daughter, when he said he loved her.  Recently, he walked her down the aisle at her wedding.

Dorothy “Dot” Hughes has a lifelong relationship with Sheltering Arms.  In the 1950s, her two sons were born at the hospital.  All that she was asked to bring with her were cans of evaporated milk.  No payment was required.  In 2002, she was once again cared for by Sheltering Arms, this time as a stroke rehabilitation patient.  Today, she participates in Club Rec, a day recreation program for individuals with a disability or physical limitation.  Club Rec is one of many services in Sheltering Arms’ Partner for Life Program.

The documentary was produced by Eric Futterman, a two-time Emmy award-winning videographer from Richmond.  Eric has produced a number of other videos for Sheltering Arms.  You can learn more about him here.

Here’s a reminder of the air dates for the documentary.  Set your DVR if you won’t be home!

• Tuesday, 9/8 at 9:00 p.m. on WRIC, Channel 8
• Saturday, 9/12 at 7:00 p.m. on WWBT, Channel 12
• Saturday, 9/19 at 7:30 p.m. on WTVR, Channel 6

Richmond TV viewers will have the opportunity to see the stories of a few of the wonderful people who have been helped by Sheltering Arms in the last 120 years, in an upcoming television documentary.  The 30-minute documentary, created by Emmy-award winning local filmmaker Eric Futterman, will air in September on three local Richmond TV affiliates. It follows three Sheltering Arms patients, David Thomas, Jamaal Williams, and Dorothy “Dot” Hughes, as their rehabilitation team helped them learn the power to overcome disability.

Here’s the schedule, and a look at a promo for the program. Set your DVR if you won’t be home on these evenings!

• Tuesday, 9/8 at 9:00 p.m. on WRIC, Channel 8
• Saturday, 9/12 at 7:00 p.m. on WWBT, Channel 12
• Saturday, 9/19 at 7:30 p.m. on WTVR, Channel 6

On May 28th, 2009, Sheltering Arms welcomed former patients and community members to a free seminar to learn about the Bioness® devices and therapy programs offered at several Sheltering Arms locations. Over sixty people registered for the educational session held at the Science Museum of Virginia.

Sheltering Arms was the first health care provider in the state of Virginia to offer the award-winning, user-friendly Bioness® medical devices, which use electrical stimulation to help patients recovering from neurological conditions regain mobility and independence.

The NESS H200 improves hand function and facilitates muscle re-education. Even years after a neurological injury, this advanced electrical device can help patients gain independence by making functional tasks easier, such as drinking from a glass, grasping objects and writing.

For individuals experiencing foot drop, the NESS L300 helps to lift the foot with mild electrical stimulation. Through ongoing therapy, the NESS L300 can help patients walk more safely and easily.

Two Sheltering Arms therapists and a physical therapist and national speaker from the Bioness® company educated the group about these exciting new technologies, which were recently featured on the Today Show and Good Morning America. Following these educational presentations, seven Sheltering Arms clinicians were on hand to provide free screenings and one-on-one consultations to answer questions and help individuals determine whether or not they were candidates for the devices and therapy programs. Ten people will be scheduling follow-up appointments as a result of these screenings!

This seminar was the final event held by Sheltering Arms in honor of National Stroke Awareness Month 2009. Check back at this blog and on the Sheltering Arms home page often to find out about upcoming educational opportunities offered by Sheltering Arms.