Celebrating the small victories

For people receiving care in St. Joseph’s Rehabilitation Program, life changed in an instant – but the road to recovery can take a lot longer. They might be facing physical, mental and emotional challenges after an illness or injury, requiring an in-hospital stay or specialized outpatient or outreach services.

The dedicated team at St. Joseph’s Parkwood Institute is there to help each patient navigate rehabilitation and clinical care, gain back strength and function and feel independent again. Thanks to generous donor support, patients have access to leading-edge equipment and technology to help them reach their goals. 

Here are a few of the frontline care providers and clinical leaders who patients might meet on their journey to recovery:

Connie Ferri, Speech Language Pathologist, Inpatient Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Program

For over 20 years as a Speech-Language Pathologist, Connie Ferri has helped people celebrate the “small victories” in recovery from brain injury.

She supports people who, after brain injury, are working to regain their communication, cognitive-communication, voice and swallowing functions. Connie helps people regain their speech, attention, memory, reasoning, reading, writing skills and works through complex feeding and swallowing challenges.

“I'm so grateful for my interdisciplinary team because we all have the same goal of helping our patients reach their highest level of independence,” says Ferri. 

She’s inspired by patients hitting their recovery goals, however big or small – like being able to form new memories, express their thoughts and needs, or enjoying a meal with their family again. “It's challenging work, but it’s gratifying to celebrate those small victories every day with our patients.”

Stephanie Cornell, Clinical Manager, Outpatient ABI Program

Previously a physiotherapist at Parkwood, Stephanie now oversees the Outpatient and Outreach Acquired Brain Injury Programs, the Outpatient Spinal Cord Injury Program, the Parkwood Fitness Centre and clinical therapeutic spaces.

“What I love about this role is the variety, because there are so many different people and programs involved,” says Stephanie. “Being in leadership has allowed me to learn a lot about areas that I wasn't as familiar with before and with a new perspective”

She’s also able to witness the impact of new equipment and technology on care outcomes. Many of the unique tools available to patients – from robotic exoskeletons to functional electric stimulation bikes – are donor funded. The newest innovation, the FLOAT overhead body weight support system, lets people practice walking above ground to build up their confidence for recovery.

She’s proud to be part of a team that’s right on the frontier. “All of the people here are inspired to bring better care to patients, and they’re working hard with research teams and academic partners to make that happen.”

Saagar Walia, Clinical Manager, Inpatient ABI and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) Program

“I’m really fortunate to work with people who are so creative,” says Saagar Walia, a Clinical Manager who facilitates the work happening on the ground, guides best practices and empowers staff. 

No two days are the same – just like every patient is unique. His team is always collaborating, innovating and problem-solving to ensure they’re providing specialized care that best fits each patient. 

For Walia, it’s the team’s drive to improve care that really makes that ABI and SCI programs at St. Joseph’s program so special. “There’s openness and willingness to try new things and see how we can better serve people,” he says. “Our patient population changes and evolves over time and that means that we as a team must change and evolve, too.” 

Jill Robinson, Social Worker, ABI Program

Whether she’s connecting with someone one-on-one or leading a group session, Jill Robinson is always impressed by the resiliency of people receiving care for an acquired brain injury. 

“There’s a sense of family at St. Joseph’s, not only with my colleagues, but also being able to build a unique relationship with patients,” she shares. “We get the opportunity to watch them grow and succeed in their goals.”

As a student, Robinson took part in an international development program in Ecuador that sparked her interest in social justice and advocating for vulnerable groups. In this role, she has the chance to meet people of varying ages and backgrounds, supporting them through emotional and mental changes after a brain injury. 

“Seeing that post-traumatic growth and being part of that story with them is really special,” she says. “We’re just here coaching, but they do the work.”

Your Donation Matters Here

Donors help ensure patients receive the best possible care by funding new equipment and technology that otherwise wouldn’t be possible. Your donation today will support rehabilitation services.

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