In a special episode of “Rehabilitationships,” we recorded on location at the Griff’s Sled Hockey Classic, a sled hockey tournament featuring over 200 athletes with disabilities.

ˈsled ˈhä-kē 

adaptation of ice hockey designed for players with varying physical abilities.

A highly competitive Paralympic sport, sled hockey is similar to traditional hockey, except participants sit on bladed sleds. It’s ideal for competitive and recreational athletes with lower-limb-affected disabilities. Earlier this year, the U.S. Paralympic Sled Hockey team won their fourth consecutive gold medal.

Players use shortened hockey sticks with a blade on one end and a pick on the other, which enables them to propel across the ice. Just like in traditional hockey, checking, penalties and hard slap shots are abundant.

In this conversation, we talk with the coach of the Grand Rapids Junior Sled Wings, Steve Kozlowski. We are joined by Megan Bouman, sports coordinator at Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports. Two athletes from the Junior Sled Wings and the Future Sled Wings jump in on the conversation, too.

Learn more about Mary Free Bed’s Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports program, who proudly supports the teams: https://www.maryfreebed.com/services/wheelchair-adaptive-sports/ 

The Grand Rapids Junior Sled Wings are also supported by the Grand Rapids Griffins Youth Foundation: https://www.griffinskids.org/ 

Watch livestreams of some of the games from the tournament at Sled Wings Radio: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGV4v-w-YXnO7B8Czbx2R0A 

Hear the conclusion of Liz Fanco and Todd Buckingham’s story in the latest episode of ‘Rehabilitationships.’

If you haven’t listened to the first episode, jump back in your feed to check it out. We going to pick up where that story left off. 

Liz Fanco is a mother of eight kids, who has been overweight her whole adult life. She was inspired to start running when two of her kids asked her to join them in half marathon. The motivation for this, was that the race was raising funds for World Vision and to help solve the global water crisis.

In our previous episode, Liz shared how she ran for years with no progress, until she met Todd Buckingham, Ph.D., exercise physiologist at Mary Free Bed’s Sports Performance Lab.

Liz started use the AlterG treadmill, a high-tech device that allows Liz to lower her body weight when running. During that process, Todd discovered that Liz was running wrong for years!

So now we pick up with the story as Liz and Todd share more about the services Liz received at Mary Free Bed, how she ran the New York City Marathon and what’s next for her.

For more info on the Sports Performance Lab: https://www.maryfreebed.com/services/sports-rehabilitation/sports-performance-lab/

Learn more about Liz and see her interview on the Today Show: https://www.maryfreebed.com/stories/mom-interviewed-on-today-show-after-losing-115-pounds-with-mary-free-bed-sports-performance-assistance/ 

For more information on ‘Rehabilitationships’: https://www.maryfreebed.com/podcast/ 

In the next episode of Mary Free Bed’s new podcast, “Rehabilitationships,” we meet a mother of eight breaking barriers.

 An·ti·grav·i·ty – Definition – the antithesis of weight; defying the forces of gravity

Liz Fanco and her husband Jeff have eight children and live in Caledonia, Michigan. She was asked by two of her kids to join them in a half marathon. Her kids asked her, so she said yes.

The problem was, Liz has been overweight her whole life. She had never even run a mile before either.

The thing is, this wasn’t just any race, it was racing for a cause. Liz was inspired to support World Vision and raise funds to help people access clean water.

“As long, as I can move my feet,” Says Liz Fanco, “I’ll keep moving them until the global water crisis is solved.”

Liz moved her feet for three years, for thousands of miles, but she hated running. She just wanted to find a way to “hate running less.”

Then she met Todd. Todd Buckingham, Ph.D., is an exercise physiologist at Mary Free Bed’s Sports Rehabilitation Performance Lab.

They met, because she heard of this treadmill, an AlterG Anti-Gravity Treadmill. It might, just might help her to “hate running less.”

Hear Liz and Todd share about how their journey together in their own words. Learn about Liz’s amazing transformation and how she defied gravity, on the next episode of “Rehabilitationships.”

This story is so good, we had to spilt it up into two parts. The first episode is available today, in the player below, and the second half will hit podcast feeds in two weeks.

For more information on Rehabilitationships: https://www.maryfreebed.com/podcast/

For more info on the Sports Performance Lab: https://www.maryfreebed.com/services/sports-rehabilitation/sports-performance-lab/

Here's a teaser to our upcoming episode of "Rehabilitationships," called "An·ti·grav·i·ty."

In this next episode, you'll meet Liz, a mother of eight kids, who asked by two of her kids to run a half marathon with them. 

She said yes, and that started in motion, a journey that changed her life, her family's life, and lives around the world.

Listen to this teaser podcast to get just a glimpse of the full "Rehabilitationships" story to come.

The complete story will be a two-part episode, coming out Tuesday April 5th, and Tuesday April 19th.

Keep an eye on your podcast feed.

crick·et - /ˈkrikit/ - definition: an insect notorious for its bold leaps and musical chirping sounds

On our first episode of “Rehabilitationships,” we talk with Bryce Burnette. Bryce, a young man from Kalamazoo, Michigan, loves music. He also loves his job, working at a cricket farm. That’s right – a cricket farm!

Bryce’s life changed in an instant in a rollover car crash. He sustained a spinal cord injury, losing almost all function and sensation from his neck down. 

Five days after the accident, Bryce transferred to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, where he met Laura Meengs, a physical therapist on the inpatient spinal cord injury team. Laura and Bryce’s entire team worked to help him regain his strength and function. 

After weeks of hard work, Bryce was able to walk out of the hospital and continue his recovery at home. He also returned to his music and the cricket farm.

Listen to our first episode of “Rehabilitationships” to hear Bryce and Laura share their story together. Find out how rehabilitation and relationships work together to make this recovery sing.

Learn more about Bryce's story here: https://www.maryfreebed.com/rehabilitationships-podcast-launches-with-inspiring-story-of-cricket-farmers-recovery/

Here's a teaser for our first episode of “Rehabilitationships," when we will talk with Bryce Burnette. Bryce, a young man from Kalamazoo, Michigan, loves music. He also loves his job, working at a cricket farm. That’s right – a cricket farm!

This new podcast from Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation shares stories about the intersection of rehabilitation and relationships. 

Stay tuned to your podcast feed for the full episode of “Rehabilitationships,” to find out what made this recovery sing!

Read more about this story here: https://www.maryfreebed.com/rehabilitationships-podcast-launches-with-inspiring-story-of-cricket-farmers-recovery/

What are “rehabilitationships”? Simply put, it’s where rehabilitation and relationships meet.

We set out to discover and share what it really takes to make an extraordinary recovery from an injury or illness, and that’s where the “Rehabilitationships” podcast got its start.

At Mary Free Bed, we know a thing or two about rehabilitation. For over 130 years, we’ve been changing lives and restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation.

But if you ask our patients, it’s the relationships that set us apart – the connections they’ve made with their therapists, nurses, doctors and everyone who makes a recovery possible. You could say rehabilitation is in our DNA, but relationships are at our heart.

In this new podcast, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation brings you real stories of recovery from real patients and real clinicians. Join us each month, when we have conversations with real people, who will share their extraordinary experiences of hope and recovery through rehabilitation.

In each episode, released monthly, patients are joined by their clinicians as they chronicle their shared journey. You’ll hear about the challenges they faced and the breakthroughs they made together. 

In this trailer you'll hear just a sample of the stories we'll dive into for future episodes. We are so excited to share this with you!