Coming Full Circle and Back on His Feet

When Mike Leener was born with Fragile X syndrome, his parents, Jerry and Dina, were told he would have difficulty learning and wouldn’t be able to play sports or find work.

Fragile X syndrome is an X-linked genetic condition that causes intellectual disability and behavioral challenges. It affects approximately 1 in 1,700 males and 1 in 11,000 females. In some cases, Fragile X syndrome can cause gait abnormalities such as ataxia, leading to difficulties with ambulation.

However, Mike did not let his condition define his life’s journey. He won athletic awards in the Special Olympics and was honored as part of the Greater Washington Jewish Sports Hall of Fame at the Bender JCC of Greater Washington for his athletic performance.

His ambitions did not stop at athletics, however. He beat the odds again by working full-time until he suffered a spinal stroke.

“Mike is an overachiever,” Jerry said. “He was dealt a bad hand but has played it well.”

Learning to Walk Again

In 2016, Mike collapsed and was taken to the hospital, where he was diagnosed with a rare spinal cord stroke.

“He was told that it was highly unlikely that he would ever walk again,” Elan Burman, associate vice president of Philanthropy for Adventist HealthCare, said.

Mike was evaluated by Terrence P. Sheehan, chief medical officer for Post-Acute Care, who happened to be filling in for another physician at the hospital where Mike was being treated. It was Sheehan who diagnosed his condition and recommended inpatient rehabilitation.

“We didn’t know a thing about Dr. Sheehan or Adventist HealthCare,” Jerry said, “but he offered us hope when the others were telling us Mike would never walk again, that our vigorous, athletic son would be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.”

Over the course of an intensive coordinated rehabilitation program, experts at Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation worked with Mike to help him regain his strength. Through the care he received at Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation and his own unwavering determination, Mike was able to regain his ability to walk.

Continued Healing through Philanthropy

After his remarkable recovery at Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, Mike was so grateful for the care he received and the positive impact that rehabilitation had on his functional abilities that he decided to become a volunteer.

Someone once said that the best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. Today, Mike continues to find himself and his purpose through volunteering at Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation, where he contributes however he can. According to rehabilitation manager Stacey Buckner, Mike is a favorite with patients and with the staff.

Many people overlook volunteering, but it can be a very rewarding and fulfilling experience. After experiencing life-altering events that could negatively impact quality of life forever and then overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles, patients often experience a profound sense of thankfulness.

“They would like to express their gratitude in some way, but they often don’t know how best to do that; philanthropy provides that vehicle,” Burman said. “We find that people experience a reclaiming of agency after they’ve been through this debilitating incident or illness. Philanthropy is a way to take control and pay the care they received forward to other people and really forms this positive human process for many people.”

Adventist HealthCare offers charitable support to patients in need who might not be able to receive care otherwise.

“In terms of inpatient care, the hospital has a robust evaluation process to determine who is eligible for charity care,” Burman said. “We have two tiers of financial support. In the first tier, the hospital provides charity care. Then we also make a grant for people of modest means who might need modifications to their home, or other accommodations for disabilities.”

Mike’s parents expressed their gratitude for the care Mike received through philanthropy.

“Mike’s dad and mom have made possible a lot of the work that we have done here,” Burman said.

Their donation helped Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation purchase a ZeroG Gait and Balance System, which helps other patients like Mike to regain mobility. The ZeroG allows patients with profound weakness to support their body weight and avoid falls while they participate in physical rehabilitation activities. The ZeroG is particularly useful for patients with a condition affecting the brain or spinal cord, such as a stroke, or for those who could not otherwise participate in rehabilitation activities due to severe imbalance or inability to support their own body weight due to weakness.

Philanthropy can bring a sense of joy and purpose to donors and volunteers, knowing that their contribution has lightened the burdens and enriched the lives of others. Once a patient, now a volunteer, Mike has officially come full circle. Mike is a beacon of hope for Adventist HealthCare Rehabilitation patients — living, walking proof that they are in good hands and can reclaim their lives.

The original version of this story was posted on the Adventist HealthCare news site.