Spero Means Hope

In this final episode of season 3 of the 'Spero Means Hope' podcast, we catch up with Jamilra Desira, one of our former patient who has had to fight against both Lupus and Guillain-Barre Syndrome when she was diagnosed at the young age of nineteen years old. Jamilra opens up about her journey which brought in relationship difficulties and mobility deficits, yet reminded her of the importan...

In this new episode of the 'Spero Means Hope' podcast, host Mercia Martin interviews Jimmy Pang, a physical therapist with a unique journey navigating life with chronic pain and migraine headaches. Jimmy shares his experiences growing up abroad, his struggles with chronic pain, and how these experiences shaped his practice. He discusses the complexities of headache disorders, the importanc...

In this new episode of the  Spero Means Hope  podcast, host Mercia Martin interviews Adilah Yelton, a passionate midwife who shares her incredible journey from a surprising brain tumor diagnosis to her recovery and return to midwifery. Adilah discusses the importance of community support, the cultural differences in postpartum care, and the joys and challenges of being a midwife. She emphasizes th...

In this episode of the Spero Means Hope podcast, Mercia Martin interviews Urmila Rahman, a neurological occupational therapist who shares her personal journey into the field of occupational therapy, influenced by her father's stroke. Urmila discusses the importance of patient advocacy, the dynamics of caregiving within her family, and the lessons learned from her experiences both as a daughter and...

In this new episode of the Spero Means Hope Podcast, Nisha shares her inspiring journey of resilience and recovery after facing significant health challenges, including a dual diagnosis of cancer and stroke. She discusses her background, the impact of her diagnoses on her life, and the importance of community support in her healing process. Nisha emphasizes the need for gratitude, mindfulness, and...

In this new episode of the Spero Means Hope podcast, host Mercia Martin interviews Kelly Lamb, the senior development manager at the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Kelly shares her journey from a love of outdoor activities and music to her impactful role in fundraising for spinal cord injury research. She discusses her personal connection to the cause through her husband, JD, who sustained...

In this heartfelt conversation, Jason shares his journey as a caregiver for his wife, Angel, who faced a life-altering diagnosis. He discusses their love story, the challenges of navigating healthcare, and the emotional rollercoaster of caregiving. Jason emphasizes the importance of support, communication, and Faith in overcoming obstacles, while also highlighting the small victories that bring ho...

In this engaging conversation, JJ Mowder shares her journey from a young girl inspired by her mother, a physical therapist, to becoming a full-time professor and educator in the field of neurological physical therapy. She discusses her experiences in various clinical settings, her transition from patient care to education, and the challenges she faced along the way, including self-doubt and fear....

In this new episode of the 'Spero Means Hope' podcast, host Mercia Martin interviews Jacqueline and Alexa Child, co-founders of Dateability, a dating app designed specifically for disabled and chronically ill individuals. They discuss their personal experiences that led to the creation of the app, the challenges faced by those with chronic illnesses, and the societal perceptions of disabil...

In this new episode of the Spero Means Hope podcast, host Mercia Martin interviews Margo Lindstrom, a patient with cerebral palsy, who shares her journey through physical and occupational therapy. Margo discusses her experiences with therapy, the challenges of living with a disability, and the importance of community support. She reflects on her milestones, misconceptions about cerebral palsy, and...

In this bonus episode of the Spero Means Hope podcast, we catch up with Tim Siegel, a former tennis coach turned advocate for families affected by brain injuries after his son Luke suffered a life-altering accident. Tim shares his journey of becoming Luke's primary caregiver, the establishment of his nonprofit Team Luk3 Hope for Minds, and the importance of community support, faith, and forgivenes...

In this new episode of the 'Spero Means Hope' podcast, Erin Gallardo, PT, DPT, NCS shares her journey from working as a neurological physical therapist to building Neurocollaborative, an online community of continuing education and mentorship for neuro rehab professionals. She discusses her professional journey, the challenges she faced along the way, and how she maneuvered her transition from cli...

In this new episode of the 'Spero Means Hope' Podcast, we connect with Jackson Ryan, grandson of former Houston Astros pitcher and Baseball Hall of Fame member Nolan Ryan. Jackson is the current baseball ops coordinator for the Round Rock Express and was born with cerebral palsy. In this episode, Jackson discusses his experience playing baseball and living a limitless life with a positive mindset...

In this new episode of the Spero Means Hope Podcast, Kevin and Barbara Hill share their journey navigating Kevin's ALS diagnosis and finding both joy and support in their community. They discuss the milestones and the obstacles they have faced along the way. They also highlight the importance of Faith, family, and friends in keeping their positive mindsets. Kevin emphasizes the need for more resea...

In this new episode of the Spero Means Hope Podcast, Allyson shares her journey of dealing with chronic pain and finding hope through physical therapy. After a car accident sustained in her early twenties changed her life, she had to undergo multiple cervical and lumbar surgeries, experienced chronic unrelenting pain, and depression. She had begun to despair at the thought that pain would become a...

In this episode, Jenny Tuccitto, a physical therapist and the Director of Communication and Innovation for LSVT Global, shares her journey in the field of physical therapy and her transition to a non-clinical role. She discusses the unique aspects of the LSVT program and the impact it has on patients with Parkinson's disease. Jenny also emphasizes the rewards and challenges of a career in healthca...

Summary Bill Corrigan, a 64-year-old diagnosed with ALS, shares his journey of pursuing marathons and adapting to life with the disease. He discusses his passion for running, his career as an instructional designer, and the impact of ALS on his physical abilities. Bill emphasizes the importance of mindset, gratitude, and community support in facing the challenges of ALS. He shares his love story w...

Christopher is a Houston native, single father of two and billing specialist. In this new episode of the ‘Spero Means Hope podcast’, Chris retraces his professional journey which led him to a career in the administrative side of the medical field through a vast array of experiences. Chris also opens up about his experience raising his son and daughter as well as they key life events that have shap...

Cheyenne was born with Cerebral Palsy and has been a primary wheelchair for most of her life. Despite some physical limitations, Cheyenne grew up not letting her diagnosis define her. In this new episode of the Spero Means Hope podcast, she reflects on her journey overcoming a challenging childhood and making key encounters that helped her connect to her Faith and lean on the truth that she is lov...

We are changing our upload frequency from weekly to bi-weekly! Thank you for tuning in to the podcast and for all the support!

Jay is an Austin native and a former highschool football player who sustained a traumatic spinal cord injury while tackling one of his teammates during football practice in September of 2015. Following the incident, he was left paralyzed from his neck down and found his life turned upside down. In this episode, Jay shares his positive outlook on life. He names this current season of his life “Roll...

Liz is a 46 year old mother of two and avid runner who decided in 2014 to take on running as a daily habit. One day after the other, Liz built steady consistency, running 2 miles every single day for the past 10 years. In this new episode of the ‘Spero Means Hope’ podcast, Liz gives insight into what motivates her to prioritize her health, maintain this daily habit and model a healthy lifestyle to...

In this episode, Stan Wedel shares his journey navigating life following his diagnosis of Parkinson’s Disease. Stan reflects on how his determination to engage in regular exercise, connect with community members and get support from his dear wife Ann have allowed him to change his outlook on what life with Parkinson’s Disease can look like. Today, Stan celebrates over 9 years of sobriety, is an ac...

In this special opening episode, Katie Bouchillon, owner and founder of Spero Rehab shares the story behind the company, its name, its mission, and its vision. Born from a passion project, and a desire to destigmatize disability while providing rehab solutions to individuals following their acute hospital stay, Spero rehab pioneers a unique blend of outpatient neurological and orthopedic rehab ser...

In March of 2022, Isaiah Tucker sustained a cervical level spinal cord injury while working as a welder in Minnesota. Since the incident which completely changed his life, he has been working on regaining movement and function with the goal of returning to independent living. In this final episode of the season, Isaiah opens up about "the good, the bad, and the ugly" of his daily life as a quadrip...