This is a story about love, compassion and ingenuity.
Robert and Terry are in love. From the minute you meet them, you can not only see it – you can feel it. It’s in the small touches they exchange, the ease they have with one another and the way in which they laugh together.
Meeting in grade school, they played together often. Barbies were a favorite for Terry – and although Robert wasn’t a fan, he would join in so that he could spend time with her. Sharing a first kiss at a young age, their affection for one another never completely disappeared. A move for Terry’s family created distance between the two, and eventually they lost touch.
Meeting again many years later on Facebook was an accident – but one both welcomed. Their feelings for one another were rekindled and they married soon after. 
Today, Robert is a patient in the Complex and Continuing Care Program at Parkwood Hospital. He arrived in January, after suffering a massive stroke on New Year’s Eve. After spending four weeks in the stroke unit he was transferred to the Complex and Continuing Care Program, where he remains today.
With Terry by his side, his recovery has been full of surprises.
In addition to a number of very serious health challenges as a result of his stroke, Robert lost his ability to read.
The compassionate and dedicated team of therapists and Speech-Language Pathologists included Robert in the orientation and cognitive-communication therapy group where they use SMARTBoards.
SMARTBoards are a relatively new piece of equipment in the therapy programs at Parkwood Hospital, brought forward by a member of the speech pathology team who had experience working with it in a different organization. With a little ingenuity, SMARTBoards have become central to many group and individual therapy programs.
An interactive tool, SMARTBoards level the playing field for the patient – their potential is far beyond the clinical elements. There are literally hundreds of active projects that can be incorporated into the SMARTBoards that help with deductive reasoning, cognitive-communication activities, visual tracking, word finding reading, writing, and mathematics.
The board has accessories or tools, which allow the caregiver to circle, highlight, and focus in on a small part of the exercises. It also offers live connections to the internet in order to better individualize therapy for patients. The interactivity and playful elements of the board, elevates rehabilitation to a whole new level.
At first seeing the board was difficult for Robert, due to changes in his vision and an inability to turn his head to the left. However, other components of therapy and interaction with other patients provided benefits and so he continued to come to the group program despite his challenges with reading.
Then one day – he surprised everyone – and started reading single words.
The board had easily allowed for word magnification – which helped with his vision and the care team developed a technique whereby they put a red line along the left hand side of the board guiding him – to a starting point for reading. Now he is able to read paragraphs, and correct himself when he makes errors.
Robert’s journey continues – but this small victory – speaks to his resilience, the innovation and dedication of the care team at Parkwood Hospital and a special piece of equipment that you helped to fund.
You can make a difference in someone’s life, with a donation to support the purchase of new SMARTBoards, through the Season of Celebration campaign.
