MEET WHITNEY
Whitney was only 12 when a brain hemorrhage changed everything. She was on a horse at the time. Eleven years later she still works hard on her rehabilitation. She recently had surgery to implant a Baclofen pump to help reduce spasticity, one of the results of the stroke. Music and pool therapies help get those muscles moving.
Her childhood was not the usual one, by any stretch of the imagination. Coping with physical challenges, cognitive issues and visual impairments meant that Whitney’s young life played out with physical and occupational therapists by her side and hours of practice, relearning the basics. While many of her friends distanced themselves after the stroke, she says confidently now, “stroke does not define who I am!” She has made new friends at RMSC. “And, do we have a lot of fun!” Whitney and her friends in the programs truly understand each other. She says what so many who participate at RMSC say, “They are my greatest support!”
Among her many accomplishments, Whitney has completed high school and received a certificate from Arapahoe Community College. She hopes to find a job in the near future…and “a significant other to enjoy life with.”
Whitney and her sister, Alicia, rode in the July “Riding for Rehab” cycling events at the Mountainside Fitness Center in Lone Tree. Their dad, Terry, was there to cheer them on!
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