Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Celebrates 40th Rehab Reunion
The J. Paul Sticht Center on Aging and Rehabilitation at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center recently celebrated its 40th rehab reunion.
The annual event brought back dozens of former patients and their families to reconnect with each other and with the care teams who supported them on their recovery journeys.
“This annual reunion is such a special occasion, not only for our patients and their loved ones, but for our own teammates, who look forward to reconnecting with their patients and celebrating their progress,” said Dr. Walter Davis, medical director of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist’s inpatient rehabilitation and associate professor of orthopaedic surgery and rehabilitation at Wake Forest University School of Medicine.
“Our support for our patients doesn’t end when they leave our care, but continues even after they return home, and this event plays an important role in the emotional, social and physical healing process.”
The Sticht Center inpatient rehabilitation team helped Mike Harris learn how to walk again, after he spent two months hospitalized at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center for necrotizing pancreatitis.
“This reunion means so much to me,” he said. “I wanted to come back and thank those who helped me recover and launch back into the real world. They treated me and my family wonderfully and got me on a path forward and I am forever thankful.”
Jury White was the victim of gun violence that left him paralyzed from the waist down. “We take so many things for granted – simple things like walking, getting out of bed, stretching – until you wake up in a hospital bed and realize you can’t do that anymore,” he said.
He said being able to come back and see the team who helped him adjust to his new life was incredibly fulfilling.
“It’s not an act – they genuinely care for each one of their patients,” he said. “They taught me so many things and they inspired me to be an advocate for others.”
Dariel Rathmell was airlifted to Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center after suffering a stroke. She spent several weeks in inpatient rehab at the Sticht Center, which she described as invaluable. “If you have to have a bad event, it’s nice to have a great recovery experience,” she said. “The staff are incredible and so kind.”
She said the reunion was like visiting old friends.
“It’s amazing to come back and see those who helped me,” she said. “This event has been on my calendar since the day I left.”
The team at the Sticht Center’s inpatient rehabilitation program cares for patients who have experienced life-altering injuries or illnesses, such as strokes, brain or spinal cord injuries, trauma, amputations or other neurological or orthopaedic conditions.