Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

06/02/2026

For individuals like Jose V. who live with aphasia — a condition that can occur suddenly after a stroke and impacts a person’s ability to speak and communicate — there is no such thing as small talk.

Jose experienced a stroke that left him with many physical challenges, but losing his ability to speak and express himself hurt the most. Fortunately, he discovered our aphasia conversation groups offered at our Center for Aphasia Research & Treatment at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab — and he found healing through conversation, connection and communication practice.

In honor of National Aphasia Awareness Month this June, read Jose’s story to learn how he rebuilt his confidence and reclaimed his voice. bit.ly/43HYAAm

06/01/2026

We were proud to be part of the topping-out celebration for Henry Ford Hospital’s new patient tower in Detroit! This moment marked a major milestone in the $2.2 billion expansion of Henry Ford Health’s Detroit campus, as well as in our continued partnership together.

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab will occupy three of the top floors in the new patient tower — bringing a state-of-the-art physical medicine and rehabilitation facility and best-in-class care to Detroit. Our inclusion was made possible through a nearly $130 million investment by the Gilbert Family Foundation.

Cheri Blauwet, MD, chief clinical officer and senior vice president of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, spoke at the celebration on behalf of our organization.

“It’s an honor to help shape this next chapter in Detroit and bring world-class physical medicine and rehabilitation care directly to this community,” said Dr. Blauwet.

Read the blog for more on this exciting milestone: bit.ly/3PWKHLA

05/29/2026

"You can't tell, but I'm dancing now. It feels great. I feel ten feet tall."

As ALS Awareness Month continues this May, meet our patient, Cecil P. He comes to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for therapy as he navigates ALS, and his story was recently featured on CBS Chicago. Watch as Cecil works with his care team to stand up for a few minutes during physical therapy.

May is ALS Awareness Month, and a Chicago couple is tackling the devastating disease head-on.

05/28/2026

In recognition of Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) Awareness Month, meet Bob F. He was diagnosed with GBS a few years ago, but has come a long way since his earliest days in intensive care.

Bob is a patient at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Arlington Heights DayRehab Center. He participates in intensive physical and occupational therapy to work on mobility, strength and coordination, while still living at home and within his community in Chicago's suburbs.

Throughout his entire journey with GBS, Bob’s wife of 55 years — as well as his three daughters and their families — have rallied together to support his recovery, progress and independence at every turn.

Read Bob’s full story to learn how rehabilitation and unwavering family support have helped him keep moving forward. bit.ly/4u44eaX

05/27/2026

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is recruiting adults ages 18-75 for a research study on how the brain processes reward and learns from experience. We’re seeking healthy individuals and those with a history of neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury. You will be compensated for your time and participation in this study.

Your participation will help advance neurological research. Learn more and see if you’re eligible to participate. Learn more and complete our survey: bit.ly/4fbSCiq

05/27/2026

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is recruiting adults ages 18-75 for a research study on how the brain processes reward and learns from experience. We’re seeking healthy individuals and those with a history of neurological conditions, including traumatic brain injury. You will be compensated for your time and participation in this study.

Your participation will help advance neurological research. Learn more and see if you’re eligible to participate. Learn more and complete our survey at the link in our bio.

05/22/2026

After surviving a stroke at age 24, Natalie S. struggled to rebuild her life. Now, two decades later, she’s a peer mentor with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Henry B. Betts, MD, LIFE Center — sharing her hard-won lessons in resilience and self-acceptance to help other patients navigate stroke recovery.

“The peer mentor program gives patients a concrete example of someone who has survived a major illness or injury and returned to the world. I love sharing the lessons and discoveries that took me years to find,” said Natalie.

In recognition of National Stroke Awareness Month, read Natalie’s story to learn how she found new purpose as a peer mentor: bit.ly/43kFJeC

05/19/2026

Huge congratulations to Cheri Blauwet, MD, our senior vice president and chief clinical officer, who was just named to the Forbes “Accessibility 200” list!

Dr. Blauwet is a world-renowned physiatrist, a longstanding champion of accessibility and an elite athlete. She is a seven-time Paralympic medalist with leadership roles on the International Olympic Committee, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee, and the Boston Athletic Association (the organizers of the Boston Marathon). This is Dr. Blauwet’s second consecutive recognition by Forbes as a global leader in accessibility-related fields.

“Accessibility and universal design are reshaping how people live, work and engage with the world around them,” said Dr. Blauwet. “At Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, advancing human ability is at the center of everything we do. Through patient care, research, technology and innovation, we are helping unlock human potential in transformative ways. I’m honored to be part of this work and to be recognized by Forbes for the second consecutive year.”

Congrats, Dr. Blauwet! Read more on our blog: bit.ly/3PLlp2V

05/18/2026

At Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, what sometimes looks like simple play is anything but.

Happy National Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) Day — and thank you to all of our SLPs for the expertise and care you bring to our patients every day.

Learn more about speech therapy: bit.ly/4nLOFDd

05/15/2026

When a patient comes to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for stroke recovery, they participate in intensive therapy to recover abilities, increase independence and regain function. But, for patients like Danny H., his recovery didn’t stop there.

When Danny was ready to return to his career in office operations following his rehabilitation, he turned to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s vocational rehabilitation team, which offers comprehensive services designed to support patients in preparing for, finding and maintaining employment. His counselor helped him apply for disability benefits and coordinated with his employer on a phased, return-to-work plan. Over time, Danny built stamina and confidence and, today, has resumed a full-time schedule.

Thanks to donor support for our quality-of-life programs like vocational rehabilitation, our team continues to make an impact on patients like Danny.

Just last year, we connected 64 individuals to jobs suiting their ability levels and provided support services — such as one-on-one job counseling, return-to-work evaluations and assistance navigating workplace benefits and disability policies — to hundreds more.

Learn about vocational rehabilitation at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and how we help patients rediscover their purpose and pride at work: bit.ly/4umT9Th

05/14/2026

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is recruiting participants for a research study to understand if non‑invasive brain stimulation paired with speech and language therapy is an effective form of treatment for post‑stroke aphasia.

You may be a good fit if you have aphasia and if your stroke was at least six months ago. Participants must be between 18 and 80 years old, fluent in English, right‑handed and able to safely have an MRI.

Visit our website to learn more and to complete the study interest form to see if you are eligible. A member of the research team will contact you after the form is received.

bit.ly/4wvNyLN

05/13/2026

⛵ Big news in adaptive sports on the horizon!

Through a generous gift valued at more than $5 million, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab will offer accessible sailing on Lake Michigan to those with physical impairments. The gift — given by the Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Foundation and the family of Peter and Carol Goldman — will result in what’s to be called Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Judd Goldman Adaptive Sailing Program.

“The Goldman family have been friends and steadfast supporters of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab going back decades,” said Pablo A. Celnik, MD, CEO of Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. “We’re deeply honored they’ve entrusted us to help carry their vision forward, and we’re humbled to continue building on their remarkable legacy for generations to come.”

Read more: bit.ly/4u47pQB

05/12/2026

Today, we’re celebrating International Nurses Day by highlighting a few of our amazing team members and the incredible qualities and dedication they bring to patient care.

Interested in joining our team? Join us May 27 to tour our hospital, meet with hiring managers and learn more about nursing at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. Bring your résumé!

New grads are welcome and nurses with one year or more of experience may be eligible for a $10,000 hiring bonus. bit.ly/430Y9kn

05/11/2026

Creating a custom prosthesis is a multi-step process that includes a patient evaluation, casting appointment, prosthetic fitting and, finally, delivery — the day when a patient picks up their prosthesis and undergoes a final check for fit and function.

One of our expert certified prosthetist orthotists, Ashley Zinnamon, CPO, joined us to break down this process step by step.

Read the full Q&A with Ashley: bit.ly/4wkkMOc

05/11/2026

As part of our regular “Ask the Expert” series, we’re featuring Ashley Zinnamon, CPO. Ashley is a certified prosthetist orthotist at our Homewood DayRehab Center and a prosthetic user herself. Meaningful visits with her childhood prosthetist inspired her career as a CPO today.

In this video, Ashley shares insights about her clinical role as a CPO, her personal experience with amputation and her advice for those who have recently experienced limb loss.

Read the full Q&A with Ashley: bit.ly/4eC0jhz

05/08/2026

In honor of National Stroke Awareness Month, meet Pablo P., whose mindset after experiencing a stroke before the age of 40 is to “fear nothing!”

Pablo came to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for inpatient and outpatient stroke rehabilitation, recovering his mobility and cognitive abilities. When outpatient therapy ended, he felt he would benefit from additional therapeutic activities to continue his recovery, to build strength and endurance, and to improve his overall fitness.

He discovered adaptive sports at Shirley Ryan AbiltiyLab. Today, Pablo has found fitness, confidence and community through everything from adaptive sailing to cycling, rock climbing and skiing.

Read Pablo’s full story — and see what adaptive sport is next on his list. bit.ly/48Rc0NH

05/06/2026

Stem cell therapy has long been seen as a promising way to help the body repair itself and rejuvenate aged tissues. However, scientists have lacked an answer to a key question: What exactly makes these cells so powerful?

A first-of-its-kind study by research scientists Mitra Lavasani, PhD, and Seth Thompson, PhD, in Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Transitional Cell Therapy Lab suggests the answer may not be in the stem cells themselves, but in the secreted proteins they release. The new research, recently published in Aging Cell, explores the rejuvenating effects of these stem cell proteins — and opens the door to developing more targeted protein therapies for anti-aging effects.

Read our research spotlight to learn more: bit.ly/3QRXlLX

05/05/2026

Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is home to some of the most brilliant minds in the world. What advice would they give to kids as they contemplate future careers? At our recent Take Your Kids to Work Day, our “kid correspondent” was back at it, picking up pearls of wisdom from Dr. Pablo Celnik, CEO, Dr. Cheri Blauwet, chief clinical officer, and others.

Remember, it’s never too early to start thinking about careers at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab! Learn more: bit.ly/49cBMfk

04/29/2026

“What I love about OT is that OT is everything!”

As we close out National Occupational Therapy Month for 2026, we asked a few of our occupational therapists to share insights about their careers in OT — from what they love most about working with our patients to how they’ve applied their OT skills to different clinical and non-clinical roles at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

Swipe to meet our OTs and learn more about occupational therapy at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab: bit.ly/4cVMIPB

04/28/2026

For National Adaptive Sports Day, we’re giving a shout out to our adaptive sports teams and the many talented athletes who participate in our programs!

Here at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, we’re proud to offer Chicago’s most comprehensive adaptive sports program, with year-round competitive and recreational sports for youth and adults living with a physical impairment. Plus, we’re able to offer our programs at low or no cost to participants thanks to donor support! In this last year alone, we:

🏀Served 509 adult participants across 12 adaptive sports programs — from sled hockey to wheelchair basketball, rugby and softball — and four sports clinics.
🏒 Helped young athletes discover adaptive sports: 122 children participated in adaptive sports programs across eight sports, and 62 kids joined our spring-break and summer sports camps.

Visit our website to learn more about adaptive sports at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and how you can get involved! bit.ly/3QEuZEO

04/27/2026

Every person’s recovery journey is unique after experiencing limb loss and receiving a prosthesis. To help patients navigate the first year after amputation, our certified prosthetist orthotists at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab have outlined what to expect — from initial healing to pre-prosthesis training, prosthetic fitting and learning to care for a prosthetic limb over the long term.

In recognition of Limb Loss Awareness Month, visit our blog for our patient's guide to the first 12 months after amputation: bit.ly/4vRB1lC

04/27/2026

Join us in welcoming Tae Hwan Chung, MD, to our team at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab! He is one of the world’s foremost experts on — postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome — and has been appointed to lead a comprehensive, multidisciplinary POTS and autonomic disorders program at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.

“POTS affects all dimensions of a patient’s life — at home, at work and in the community,” said Dr. Chung. “The field of physical medicine and rehabilitation is uniquely positioned to serve those with POTS and related disorders given its multidisciplinary, holistic approach, and I’m eager to begin my work at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to bring answers, care and hope to even more patients.”

Visit our blog to read more about Dr. Chung: bit.ly/4cQdSau

04/23/2026

Super Woman recently made a special stop to visit our pediatric patients — and the joy she brought was just as mighty as her superpowers.

From dance parties and mask decorating to creating secret identities and discovering superhero strengths, the morning was filled with laughter, confidence-building moments and nonstop smiles.

Thanks to Super Woman for making this super visit possible and for bringing inspiration, imagination and joy to our pediatric community!

Learn more about child life at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab: bit.ly/42v4rs9

04/21/2026

In recognition of National Volunteer Week, join us in giving a shout out to our volunteers at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab!

In this last year, more than 175 volunteers made a significant and far-reaching impact on our patients, families and staff. Our volunteers support our team in day-to-day operations, special events and programming. And, our volunteers connect with our patients in deeply meaningful ways — visiting with the book cart, playing cards, or simply by serving as a reassuring presence during recovery.

We are so grateful for our vibrant, dedicated volunteer community. Thank you! Interested in volunteering? Visit: bit.ly/4cG9ISC

04/17/2026

In recognition of Parkinson’s Awareness Month this April, meet Benjamin Friedman, MD, attending physicia‍n and medical director of our Parkinson’s Disease & Movement Disorders Program (PDMD), and Aleks Gebska, manager of our adaptive fitness programs!

Dr. Friedman and Aleks are both featured in the Parkinson's Foundation “My PD Story” series — and share insights about their professional journeys and how they connect with the PD community today.

Read more on our blog, including details about our PDMD Open House on Sunday, May 3: bit.ly/3QufyyS