Story of Hope: Rodderick Ball

I knew Rod for a while when were both in Kennedy Krieger inpatient together. He was a quiet kid but determined. Rod had schwannomatosis, which caused benign tumors to form in the nerves in his spine, causing a variety of nerve problems throughout his body. He had been through surgery and when I met him had both legs in casts. You can read the full story at the link below, but to make a long story short he went from not walking to leaving the hospital with only a pair of crutches. He has a long road ahead of him, as we all do, but he's come so very far already.

http://helpkids.kennedykrieger.org/rog/icsci2010.html

I want to take this time to really tell everyone what an amazing place Kennedy Krieger really is. Rod's experience isn't unique. They've taken people that other facilities may have given up on or given no hope and turned them into people they never dreamed they could be again. They have a dedicated staff who care about everyone who comes through; no matter what you are surrounded by people who want you to succeed. The article mentions Beth Farrell, an amazing therapist who I've seen firsthand. She works alongside a team of other amazing therapist: Meredith, Stephanie, Marjorie, Varsha, and scores of others (these are simply the ones I worked with on a daily basis). They work in tandem with doctors, nurses, nurses aids, recreational therapists, and a core of volunteers. I'm sorry if I leave anyone out. It's been a long time and I really wish I could include everyone of you.

One of things that I've always noticed is that everyone who worked with us, day or night, wanted to be there. Everyone I met was excited about the prospect of assisting people on their way to recovery. Being surrounded by support like that is an amazing feeling. With that combined strength you can move mountains.