When Edwin Cunningham arrived at Whittier Rehabilitation Hospital-Bradford three months ago, he was recovering from brain surgery and multiple strokes, used a breathing tube, and could not walk. Today, his progress is an inspiring example of determination, hard work, and the impact of dedicated rehabilitation.
His journey at Whittier began in our Long-Term Acute Care (LTAC) unit where he received daily medical management, hospital-level acute nursing, and respiratory care that got him to the point where he could breathe on his own and progress to rehabilitation in our Inpatient Acute Rehabilitation (IRF) unit. It was here that he received intensive therapy to help him rebuild strength and mobility.
“I got my strength back,” Mr. Cunningham shared. Through consistent physical and occupational therapy, he has regained strength in his arms and legs and is now walking with a walker—an incredible accomplishment from where his journey with us began.
He gave special recognition to his physical therapist, Laurie St. Laurent, PT, saying, “Laurie was one of my favorites. She helped me learn how to walk again, get my strength back in my legs and my arms. I couldn’t even use the walker at first. But now I’m walking with a walker on my own.” At discharge, he was walking up to 280 feet with a rolling walker and navigating stairs and ramps with close supervision of his therapist.
Mr. Cunningham also spoke highly of Michael V. Lin, MD, Physiatrist, for the holistic care that he provided. Dr. Lin helps our patients optimize functional recovery—improving their quality of life after stroke, brain or peripheral nerve injury, musculoskeletal conditions and other medical diagnoses.
Mr. Cunningham expressed his gratitude for the entire Whittier team. He shared that the nurses, CNAs, and therapists were incredible, always making sure he felt cared for, safe, and comfortable. “They’ve been there for me since day one, so they’re kind of like family.”
His progress hasn’t come without challenging days. Mr. Cunningham shared that there were “better days and bad days” when he was sore after therapy, but he continued to push himself. “It pays off to get up and keep doing it,” he said. His message to others going through rehabilitation is that you have to “work hard and put the effort in.”
He even had great things to say about the meals during his stay! “The food was excellent, actually” and he also shared, “I had three square meals a day, and snacks when I needed them.” Through it all, Mr. Cunningham continues to approach his recovery with a positive outlook and determination. His words say it best: “I’ve come a long way. One day, that’s all you need, is one day at a time.”
We are incredibly proud of the progress Mr. Cunningham has made over the past three months and honored to be part of his journey. He told us that he hopes to come back for outpatient therapy with us when he is able, and we look forward to seeing him again. Keep up the amazing work, Mr. Cunningham!
