NeuroFit Gym

Meet Mary! Mary is living with Parkinson's Disease. She attends classes at the gym and enjoyed utilizing a standing aid that was on loan to us. She loved boxing in a standing position rather than seated in her wheelchair, and her jab-cross was much more powerful! Without this aid, she is unable to stand independently. We have several other gym members who also benefitted from the standing aid during their therapy sessions. This piece of equipment allows an individual normally unable to stand independently the opportunity to achieve an upright position, weight bearing on their legs. Unfortunately, we had to return the standing aid to the company. Booo! NeuroFit Gym is raising money to purchase a standing aid, as well as an automatic door opener for our members. Through exercise, education, community, and connection, NeuroFit’s mission is to provide a gym-like environment in a safe, welcoming space in which individuals with neurological issues can participate in exercise classes specific to their diagnosis, attend private or group workout sessions, and receive individualized attention to teach them how to adapt to their new life, reclaim their independence, and improve their quality of life. NeuroFit is a 501(c)3 organization operated by licensed physical therapists Amy Bertram and Colleen Schuster.

WOW! Just, WOW! Thanks to you and many others, we have met our original goal of $20,000!!! Due to some direct gifts, we are able to reduce the published goal by nearly a third, to $14,200. We will be ordering the equipment next week, and hope to have it by the end of the year.

Subsequent gifts will be used to further benefit the NeuroFit Gym and its patrons. I don't have words to express how much we appreciate your support. Thank you!
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Hello, and thanks for considering my fundraiser!

 

As you may know, I’ve spent the last two years in rehabilitation from a spinal cord injury. Most of that time I have been working with Amy and Colleen at the NeuroFit Gym. They have been a very real godsend to me in that time. Not just to me, though. But to the many others they help overcome the challenges of Parkinson's, CVA, TBI, SCI, Alzheimer's, MS, ALS,

and other neurological disorders.

 

Your donation will help provide specialized Gait Training Equipment that helps people like me learn to walk again! I had the opportunity to use this equipment while at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago. By helping support the patient’s weight, it allows them to walk for longer periods of time, increasing strength and stamina. It also encourages proper gait mechanics by avoiding bad habits that often develop.

 

Admittedly, this effort is selfishly motivated. I really want to get back to walking again! But the beauty of this opportunity, of supporting the NeuroFit Gym, is that it will help many more people who face challenges similar to my own. Individuals suffering from Parkinson’s Disease and other neurological disorders will benefit as well.

 

Your gift will go directly to the NeuroFit Gym, a registered 501c3 organization. Therefore, your gift is tax-deductible. If we meet our goal, it will provide an unweighing system as well as a rehabilitation treadmill, similar to those you can see in the video. To learn more about the gym, check out their website: https://www.theneurofitgym.com/

 

I know that $20,000 is a lot of money. And, frankly, I’m embarrassed to be asking for your help. But the last two years have taught me that we are not as independent as we might like to be. And I think I am realizing that maybe, we weren’t created to be.

 

Thanks for your help.