When Mark Wilson first entered On With Life’s outpatient clinic in Coralville, he knew he had a long journey ahead of him. He walked through the front doors on his first day of therapy and was greeted by three words painted on the wall – “We Empower Hope,” but didn’t think much about it. The meaning became more clear as Mark continued on with his therapy sessions and now, two years later, he fully understands the power those three words hold.
Mark, an Iowa City native and avid Hawkeye fan, suffered a right brain stroke on August 5th, 2020. He began his recovery at the University of Iowa hospital and was then transferred to their rehabilitation hospital for two weeks. From his room there, Mark had a perfect view of On With Life’s newest outpatient facility. Although he had not heard of the clinic before, the word stroke in the logo stood out to him. Upon visiting, his wife, Pam, was immediately impressed with the facility and staff. Just weeks after the initial stroke, Mark began therapy at On With Life.
“Seeing the words ‘Brain Injury, Stroke, and Neuro’ on the building sign of On With Life from my hospital window was a blessing,” said Mark.
Up until his stroke, Mark had kept active and busy through workouts, outdoor chores, various projects, volunteering, serving on committees, attending social events and traveling. The change of pace in his life and inability to complete simple everyday tasks were a struggle for Mark and led to a lot of fear and negative thoughts. It was his three initial therapists at On With Life – Paula Duve, Matt Easley and Kate Thompson – who helped him develop hope and see a brighter future.
In occupational therapy, Kate helped Mark work on the skills and strength needed to complete day-to-day tasks. In physical therapy, Paula worked with Mark to improve his balance, coordination and mobility of his left leg. In speech therapy, Matt helped Mark work through some of the cognitive and mindset challenges he was facing. Each of his therapists catered Mark’s therapy sessions to his unique lifestyle, preparing him for yard work, social events and even Iowa football games.
Mark recalls once when he showed up to a physical therapy session and Paula had a ladder set up for him. He had recently mentioned to her that there was one chore at home Pam wasn’t eager to take over, and that was the attic critter check. He spent that session climbing the ladder and placing objects on top of a shelf all in preparation for that one chore.
“Their sincere words of comfort, the tasks they had me do at the clinic and the exercises they recommended for me at home, specific to my needs, motivated and encouraged me to regain increased mobility in my arm and leg,” said Mark. “The small steps of progress led to giant strides of success and still do.”
Eager to share his progress and stroke journey at On With Life with others, Mark collaborated with On With Life staff as they planned an event at the Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City that would bring together his friends and family in an effort to raise awareness about the new clinic in the area. It was a successful event that helped raise both awareness and funds for On With Life, but what really stood out was the speech Mark was able to give to his peers. Watching him stand in front of a group of people to share his story is a memory his therapy team won’t forget.
“I sat nearby him in case his arm became too tired to hold his notes or turn the page, but I knew he wouldn’t need the help,” recalls Matt. “He used all the skills he worked on in therapy – the endurance to stand, the coordination to turn the page, the memory and focus to follow his script, and the emotional regulation skills to save some happy tears for the end. It made all of us feel proud to be a part of his story.”
Within the last year, Mark came back to On With Life for another stint of therapy. Even though he is no stranger to the facility, he continues to be amazed by the progress he makes. At the end of every session he walks out and tells Pam and Laura Carlson, the clinic coordinator, “you’ll never believe what I did today!”
Now, as Mark walks past the words “We Empower Hope” as he enters and leaves the clinic, he knows the significance of them. Through his recovery journey at On With Life, Mark felt empowered to commit to goals he once didn’t think possible; to change his mindset and stay positive. He felt empowered to work hard, overcome obstacles and have courage even in the toughest of moments. Most importantly, he felt empowered to move ‘on with life.’
“Hope is a small word, but its power to support and inspire affects attitude and responsiveness,” said Mark. “Why is hope so important to me? To have hope is to want an outcome that makes your life better in some way. It not only can make a tough situation more bearable, but hope can also improve lives because a better future motivates you to take steps to make it happen. It keeps us going when we want to quit and makes victories that seem unattainable possible.”