Meet Lauren and Alex from Hummingbird Pediatric Therapies, two passionate professionals revolutionizing care for young people with disabilities. Their multidisciplinary approach spans three Illinois locations, offering everything from occupational and physical therapy to innovative programs like hippotherapy. What makes them unique? They're filling critical gaps between pediatric and adult services through their Therapeutic Life Skills program, while their Intensive Therapy approach delivers more progress in three weeks than traditional therapy models achieve in months.
The conversation takes a candid turn when discussing healthcare hurdles. "It's very frustrating when you know something's working or that a family could benefit from something," Lauren shares, detailing how insurance limitations often restrict access to life-changing services. These frustrations mirror my own journey after becoming paralyzed in a car accident, when insurance approved just three hours of care daily despite needing round-the-clock assistance. We explore how finding the right support—like my occupational therapist who introduced me to a game-changing mouse stick—can transform lives through what Alex beautifully describes as "inch stones over milestones."
Whether you're navigating disability yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply curious about innovative approaches to therapy, this episode offers raw perspectives on overcoming systemic barriers with creativity and determination. Because as I remind listeners: "I'm paralyzed from the neck down breathing through a machine, but that doesn't stop me from following my dreams and doing what I love to do. I don't got any excuse, and neither should you."
