Member of the Month: Meet Julie and NorCal Spinal Cord Injury Foundation

We welcomed Julie to Active at NorthBay Health in late October. She joined the club to aid in her rehabilitation to help her walk again. Julie currently uses the assistance of a wheelchair due to her paralysis. She was awarded a grant from the Northern California Spinal Cord Injury Foundation. Our training team is thrilled to be working with Julie!

Julie is an avid walker who enjoys hiking and traveling. One day, she began to experience an uncomfortable heaviness in her leg, followed by bouts of numbness. Her condition only worsened, eventually resulting in paralysis in both legs. Julie had slipped discs in her back that had cut a nerve.

After undergoing emergency surgery and physical therapy, Julie embarked on a month-long rehab Boot Camp, determined to walk again. Though she made progress, she suffered a setback after getting sick. Undeterred, Julie sought out the NorCal Spinal Cord Injury Foundation and applied for and was awarded a grant.

Thanks to the grant, Julie was able to work with the training team at Active NorthBay Health. With their training and support, she has been able to make significant progress. She can now hold herself up longer and with less support and even confidently march in place. Julie’s ultimate goal is to regain her strength and mobility so she can do the things she loves, like travel to New Mexico to stay with her best friend and enjoy the summer.

Throughout her journey, Julie has found joy in spending time with her family and dogs, and even cooked for Thanksgiving this year. She remains grateful for the support of her trainers and the progress she continues to make towards her health and wellness goals.

Northern California Spinal Cord Injury Foundation

NorCal SCI provides information, resources and programs allowing people affected by or living with a Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder in Northern California to thrive and live productively. They work to help enable people living with a Spinal Cord Injury/Disorder in Northern California to experience life not defined by a disability. They provide this assistance and support through consultations, fitness classes, care packages, newly Injured: Neilsen-NorCal SCI Grant Program, Intensive Outpatient Rehab: The Franklin Project, family support, educational video library and more.

If you are seeking more information, education, and support for SCI, please visit their website at https://norcalsci.org/