April is Occupational Therapy Month. ATI joins the American Occupational Therapy Association [AOTA] and other rehab providers to celebrate occupational therapists and their work.

Occupational therapists [OTP] and occupational therapist assistants [OTA] are an essential part in the rehabilitation process. They help patients learn how to perform the everyday “occupations”, or tasks, to improve their quality of life.

At ATI, we have more than 175 occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants. Our OTs and OTAs live and work across 17 states. They all provide the same exceptional, patient-centered care.

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Not sure where to start with physical therapy? Get a free screening and let us help you start the path to recovery today.

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What is Occupational Therapy?

Occupational therapy practitioners collaborate with patients. Their role is to help patients adapt to physical and/or cognitive changes or differences.

OTP teach patients how to perform everyday tasks that “occupy” their home, work and school life. Occupations are everyday activities that people need to do, want to do and are expected to do. These tasks bring meaning and purpose to life.

What does an Occupational Therapist Do?

At ATI Physical Therapy, our OTPs can evaluate upper extremity performance in a variety of daily occupations. These occupations may include home chores, work tasks, roles, sports or performing arts. Our skilled OTPs provide interventions addressing strength and/or range of motion limitations. They also provide remediation or adaptation of occupations to increase performance.

A typical progression for an occupational therapy visit is to improve performance in activities of daily living (ADL). The patient will start with activities such as bathing, dressing and feeding oneself. As the patient progresses, these activities change. They lead to improving performance in instrumental ADLs such as driving, caring for children, meal prep and work tasks.

The tools that OTPs use to accomplish patient goals look similar to the tools that physical therapists use. OTPs utilize exercise equipment, home exercise programs and hands on techniques. OTPs also use custom fabricated orthosis or custom adaptive equipment. This equipment helps position, protect or mobilize the upper extremity. Each of these devices is based on the individual. Plus, each of these devices help patients adapt and alter their surroundings.

How Can Occupational Therapy Help Me?

The occupational therapists at ATI focus on adapting their patients’ skills and environments. Their primary goal is to assist their patients in meeting their daily needs. ATI OTPs are skilled in the specialty area of hand therapy. This means they have additional training and experience. These OTPs help those with an upper extremity injury return to daily occupations.

At ATI, we know every patient is different. That is why our hand therapists can test and treat many upper extremity cases. These cases include but are not limited to:

• Arthritis
• Nerve Compressions/Irritations (e.g., Carpal Tunnel and Cubital Tunnel)
• Soft tissue sprains and strains
• Fractures
• Tendonitis/Tenosynovitis (i.e., DeQuervain’s, Trigger finger, and Epicondylitis)
• Rotator cuff and other shoulder injuries
• Wound care
• Scar management
• Tendon lacerations and repairs
• Amputations and re-plantations
• Compression-based and traumatic peripheral nerve injuries

Why See a Occupational/Hand Therapist?

At ATI, our therapists can deliver preventative, non-operative and conservative treatment. They are also capable of providing post-operative and industry consultations. These practices help their patients adapt to changes in their hands and upper extremities.

With ATI you will find:

• Accurate assessments
• Immediate care
• Effective treatment
• Reduced treatment time
• Faster recovery
• Improved outcomes
• Education to help minimize injury recurrence

You may visit our clinic for any number of reasons. That is okay. Our hand therapists conduct individualized evaluations and develop customized treatment plans. Our priority is to determine what kind of care will help relieve your pain and help you perform everyday occupations with satisfaction.

If you experience aches or pains in your hand, wrist, elbow, or shoulder, visit one of 900+ locations to receive a complimentary screening. Our trained therapists will assess your performance and provide you with options. We want to help you get back to living your best life.

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Every October the American Physical Therapy Association recognizes practitioners across the nation. Everyday our physical therapists [PT] and Physical Therapist Assistants [PTA] help their patients. Their goal is to help them move better so that they may return to their regular activities. While we see the incredible work of our therapists daily, we also would like to join the rest of industry in celebrating all clinicians’ efforts.

Get Your Free Physical Therapy Screening

Want to discover how you can benefit from physical therapy? Get a free screening and let us help you start the path to recovery today.

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What is Physical Therapy?

Physical Therapists are experts in movement, they diagnose and treat MSK-related symptoms and conditions. The primary goal of physical therapy is to improve and/or restore physical movement.

A PT may use a combination of hands-on therapy, stretching, strength training and cardiovascular conditioning. These techniques help patients gain strength, increase range of motion and reduce pain.

At ATI, we offer a range of specialties to help a broad spectrum of patients. Some of our services include:

• Certified Manual (Hand-On) Therapy
• Instrumented Soft Tissue Techniques (e.g., joint mobilization)
• Spinal Manipulation
• Dry Needling
• Manual Therapies
• Musculoskeletal Assessments (McKenzie Method)
• Aquatic Therapy*
• Peripheral Joint Measurement Assessments (Isokinetic Dynamometry)*
• Vestibular Therapy
• Women and Men’s Pelvic Health
• Sports Physical Therapy
• Worker’s Compensation Cases

*Therapy and/or assessment available at select clinics.

What are the benefits of Physical Therapy?

Many! Physical therapy is the preferred treatment for those experiencing pain from musculoskeletal-related issues.

Physical therapy benefits include:

• Pain reduction and/or elimination
• Injury recovery and prevention
• Improved balance and coordination
• Increased mobility/flexibility
• Manage symptoms to age-related and chronic conditions
• Stroke recovery
• Ease women’s health issues, including those pregnancy and post-partum related
• Avoid and recover from surgery
• …and MORE!

PT is the preferred way to ease musculoskeletal symptoms without surgery or pharmaceuticals.

Try PT today

If you are experiencing MSK-related issues, our dedicated therapists can help. They will test and diagnose your pain to develop a custom treatment plan. Our goal is to help you receive the treatment that best suits you and your needs to get you back to feeling your best.

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June is Men’s Health Month. During this time, we encourage men to take a proactive approach to their personal health. Men face their own unique set of health concerns and challenges. One such example is men’s pelvic health. Men who experience incontinence, sexual dysfunction, or even low back, groin or hip pain could be experiencing a pelvic floor disorder.

Though there may be several other symptoms present with pelvic floor disorders in men, they often are improperly diagnosed due to pelvic floor concerns being more closely associated with women. As a result, men may not know that physical therapy may be their best option to help find relief.

Get Your Free Physical Therapy Screening

Want to find out how physical therapy can help your pelvic health issue? Get a free screening and let us help you start the path to recovery today.

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Understanding Men’s Pelvic Health & Common Symptoms

As aforementioned, men can experience pelvic disorders like their female counterparts. For men, the pelvic floor muscles make up a dome-shaped structure in the pelvis. These muscles, tissues and nerves support and maintain bladder, bowel and sexual function.

Men who have weak or have limited control over their pelvic floor muscles may suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction. When this occurs, men may experience one or several of the following symptoms:

• Low Back Pain
• Groin and/or Hip Pain
• Abdominal Aches and Pains
• Sexual Dysfunction
• Urinary Frequency/Difficulty Urinating
• Constipation/Diarrhea
• Pain with Bowel Movements

What Causes Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Men’s pelvic health can be influenced and impacted by any of the following:

• Trauma
• Surgery
• Long Durations of Sitting
• Heavy Lifting
• Sudden Increase in Activity Level
• Previous Infections
• Scar Tissue
• Stress
• Poor Posture

Whatever the cause, it is important to take care of your pelvic health. If left untreated, pelvic issues can potentially worsen over time.

How Can Physical Therapy Help Me?

If you have explored other options for pelvic concerns/symptoms but have yet to find help, it may be time to try physical therapy. While it can be difficult to talk about pelvic health disorders, our physical therapists are specially trained to make you feel comfortable and provide the insight and assistance needed to help you find relief.

Prior to examining you, it is important to have a candid conversation with your physical therapist. Discussing possible causes, symptoms and previous treatments will help your therapist in determining a care plan that is right for you.

After an initial discussion, your physical therapist will most likely perform a physical exam. During this initial exam, your therapist will determine the range of motion, strength and flexibility in your pelvis, hips and back. Your physical therapist will also discuss the importance of an internal rectal pelvic floor muscle examination to feel for muscle tension, coordination concerns and weakness that may be contributing to your symptoms. This may or may not be completed at the first visit depending on your consent and preference.

Once your therapist has thoroughly assessed your situation, they will determine a treatment plan specifically for you. Your treatment plan may include one or several of the following:

• Muscle Awareness and Coordination Training
• Therapeutic Exercise
• Core Strengthening
• Activity Modification
• Postural Education
• Stretching
• Relaxation Techniques
• Biofeedback – Internal and External
• Electrical Stimulation
• Home Exercise Program Instruction

The number and frequency of sessions will be determined based on your specific needs and may change throughout the duration of your treatment.

Interested (but Nervous) About Getting Started? Take the First Step and Schedule an Assessment.

Be proactive about your health. It’s important! While it may be uncomfortable talking about some of the symptoms associated with pelvic dysfunction, it is possible to find relief (and potentially prevent future issues too). Take the first step and schedule an appointment with one of our pelvic health therapists near you.

The post June is Men’s Health Month appeared first on ATI.

In episode one, Dr. Crupain shares the benefits of nutritional awareness and tips for how to “eat healthy” to better care for patients

LISTEN TO EPISODE ONE

In episode two, Dr. Crupain shares nutritional strategies for how to best care for patients who have underlying, chronic health and MSK issues

LISTEN TO EPISODE TWO

The post ATI Fit to Practice Podcast with Dr. Michael Crupain appeared first on ATI.

Joining ATI: Missy’s Inspiring Journey

Missy Brass, Illinois District Director

The Early Years

In January 2011, ATI Physical Therapy acquired the small orthopedics and physical therapy company I worked for in rural Illinois, which brought some surprise and apprehension to our team. As clinic director, I assured them that the move represented a great opportunity — we would be part of a larger organization with added benefits, more stability and longer-term career opportunities.

Ten years later, how right I was.

Abounding Opportunities

As our clinics transitioned to ATI, we quickly realized that our new company was very patient-centered, customer service-driven, and focused on each team member’s satisfaction and career development.

ATI had a variety of leadership and training programs with a vast array of educational resources for clinicians and upcoming leaders. I was fortunate to be chosen for the management track, which gave me the chance to grow as a leader.

Two years later, I was named clinic director over a second clinic. Two years after that, I was promoted to oversee eight clinics in my area. While that brought new challenges, I continued to grow as a leader while gaining more experience. In 2019, I was named district director with an even larger span of control, overseeing 19 clinics and more than 80 team members.

I’ve been fortunate to advance my career and work alongside great clinicians, excellent support staff and outstanding leadership.

Doing It All Over

My career with ATI has been rewarding, fun and exciting from day one. ATI continues to focus on being patient-centered, developing leaders and ensuring that team members have access to the right resources, benefits, and opportunities. Along the way, I’ve seen up close how ATI is both a leader in physical therapy and a great place to work.

Reaffirming Recognition

In January — 10 years after coming to ATI — I was named District Director Leader of the Year for 2020. Not only was it confirmation of how right I was about the opportunities at ATI, it was also a recognition that I was both honored and humbled by.

Now more than ever, I look forward to many great years to come, developing future leaders within ATI and for our industry.

Join Us in Leading the PT Industry

If you are interested in potentially joining ATI Physical Therapy, take a look at our available career opportunities across the country.

VIEW OUR CAREER OPPORTUNITIES

Missy Brass has nearly 30 years’ experience in physical therapy. She graduated from the University of Illinois at Chicago and began her career at the prestigious Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center in Downey, Calif. After stops in Beverly Hills, Calif., and Ottawa, Ill., she has been a key leader and valued team member at ATI for the last decade. 

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Labeed Diab, Chief Executive Officer

Like me, I’m sure you’re glad to leave 2020 in the rearview mirror. While last year presented obstacles to overcome, it also presented and accelerated opportunities and key learnings on many fronts. It is now up to us to apply those learnings, with a fresh perspective, to key 2021 initiatives.

A Pathway to a Brighter Future in PT

The 2020 pandemic allowed us to lay the groundwork by investing in our people to become the future leaders of our company and the industry. Our team members already had the background, education and training to be exceptional healthcare providers, but was there an opportunity to expand their business acumen and leadership skills?

By partnering with renowned Duke University, we started the ATI Academy and its flagship program, Pathways. This program gives individuals the opportunity to grow in their careers by exposing them to a variety of business aspects – from finance and marketing to compliance and customer service. We believe the more we can provide our team members a holistic view and knowledge of the business and industry, the better decisions they can make as leaders.

Recognizing Our Top Leaders

Additionally, we introduced a recognition program for our clinical leaders – ATI’s Leader of the Year Award. This past January, we awarded eight individuals with ATI’s highest honor. The recipients excelled in three key areas: exceeding business and productivity goals, demonstrating and living our mission and values and leading others to succeed.

Growing Satisfaction Across Our Patients and Partners

While it is important to consistently adapt and look at things with a fresh perspective, it is equally important to continue to focus on core fundamental elements, like delivering exceptional customer service for both patients and referral sources.

We take pride in the fact that we improved both our Net Promoter Score (NPS) and our Google reviews during the pandemic and that trend is continuing into 2021. Couple that with our ability to show referral sources proof points on our industry-leading outcomes, and it becomes a win-win for all parties and a differentiator for us in the industry.

Growing into the Future

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a new beginning and chapter for ATI that we announced on February 22. Building on our investments in our people and putting the care of our patients first through the delivery of predictable outcomes, ATI announced a business combination with Fortress Value Acquisition Corp. II. In the second quarter of this year when the deal is expected to close, ATI will become a publicly traded company on the NYSE.

This deal represents one of many important milestones ATI Physical Therapy has achieved over the years. It marks an exciting new chapter for the company, one that we expect will give us greater potential to extend our reach to help more patients with innovative tools and resources, further enhancing the patient experience.

Leading the Way in the Physical Therapy Industry

As you can see, it is an exciting time at ATI. We are taking our lessons learned and adapting them to new adventures and initiatives with the goal to continue to elevate our profession and be a leader for our industry.

Labeed Diab joined ATI Physical Therapy as its CEO in February 2019. A seasoned business executive, Labeed brings a successful track record of effectively combining strategy, business development and operations in the emerging retail healthcare space.

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Baseball season is in full swing, and, like every year, the players’ health is the most important factor in determining their performance individually and as a team. Whether it’s stretching before and after practice or taking time off to rest, players take all the necessary precautions to stay healthy during the season. Promoting long-term health for baseball players starts at a young age, but sometimes injuries are inevitable — especially for pitchers.

The workload pitchers undergo puts continuous pain and strain on their bodies. To keep you or your child healthy throughout the season, ATI Physical Therapy’s research scientist and baseball injury expert, Ellen Shanley, PhD, PT, OCS, provides her expert insights into the prevalence of arm injuries for pitchers and breaks down ways to avoid these injuries and how ATI can help.

The prevalence of arm injuries

In professional baseball, 40 percent of the injuries that require players to miss time occur in pitchers. Of all upper-extremity injuries, pitchers sustain 67 percent of them. One quarter of all the high school pitchers that we follow each year sustain a shoulder or elbow injury that requires treatment. The importance of injuries is the loss of playing and training time, expense of treatment and replacement costs, but more importantly, a player also has increased risk for future injuries.

Reducing the risk of injuries is important for players of all positions and ages. While many of the strategies used are the same for all players, some are different in younger athletes.

The most important factor for all players is rest

Most professional players take four consecutive months off competition to recover and train for the season. Recommendations for youth and adolescent athletes include three months off per year and playing multiple different sports throughout the year to allow for proper motor development and for rest and recovery. In addition, players are advised to play on only one baseball team per season and no more than three seasons of baseball per year. At least one day of rest from sports per week is optimal.

Other critical factor for both professional and amateur players

Other critical factors include participating in offseason and preseason conditioning programs with special focus on arm care. Programs for younger athletes should also focus on building good overall athletic abilities and maintaining flexibility as they are growing. To maintain good health during the season, consider these tips to avoid injuries:

• Take time for extra rest if you have increased soreness or fatigue especially early or late in the season. If this persists, seek care.
• Seek care if you have pain during or after practice or competition.
• Seek care if you experience a sustained, unexplained or prolonged decrease in performance.

Youth and adolescent athletes

For youth and adolescent athletes, avoid specializing in one sport and one position until at least mid-adolescence. Proper nutrition, sleep and balancing the demands of school and sports are important in an athlete’s long-term physical development.

Ways ATI can help

ATI, through the sports medicine program and physical therapy clinics, provides community screenings for athletic teams in the beginning of the baseball season . We also offer year-round complimentary screenings, which can be useful for any athlete when they have questions about their health.

With a published arm care program, our team implements expert-backed treatment methods in high school, collegiate and professional athletes. While utilizing the program, baseball pitchers have shown a 50 percent reduction in injuries over the last three years.

What is the difference in MLB Draft strategies between teams that draft high school pitchers versus college pitchers?

There are many factors that go into each teams’ draft considerations. Teams have overall draft philosophies that reflect the players and strengths of the organization, their needs and draft/development experience. Assuming talent and availability are essentially equal, some teams prefer to work with younger players because they have less wear on their arms and are more malleable. Other organizations prefer athletes who have faced a higher level of competition and therefore know adversity.

What do teams look at in injury history? Is it a good thing to have already had Tommy John surgery (TJS) or a bad thing by that age?

Injury is always an important consideration. Teams generally try to avoid players with major injuries but TJS injuries are a bit less of a concern than some other problems. The return rate and level of play outcomes for this injury are better than most surgical type injuries for both pitchers and position players. However, early TJS injuries can reflect wear and technical issues that can be a cause for concern.

What should high school kids and parents do to promote long-term arm health?

Promoting long-term health really is about balance. Diversity in sport participation until 15 years old can develop proper athletic movement patterns. Participating in preseason physicals, screening and training can assure athletic health prior to competition. Balanced scheduling will allow adequate rest between academic, athletic and other activities. Finally, maintain a good recovery plan and seek help if you have a decrease in performance or develop some arm pain.

To hear more on the topic of arm injuries, Ellen Shanley, PhD, PT, OCS, breaks down injury-based strategies and how parents can promote long-term arm health. Listen to the full interview here.

Are aches and pains preventing you from getting back in the game?

If you have sustained an injury and are unsure of the steps needed to get back to life before the injury, stop by your nearest ATI Physical Therapy clinic for a complimentary screening and get back to doing you. Our team will assess your injury, provide next step suggestions in care and get you on your way!

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Health and Safety, Our Top Priority

At ATI, the health and safety of our team members and patients is always our top priority. As an essential business, we have remained open since the beginning of the pandemic and will continue to do so. While COVID-19 has changed the daily clinic operations, we have instituted additional safety measures to prevent the spread, providing the highest protection for both our patients and our team members.

Over the course of the pandemic, we have developed and refined our protocols and procedures based on the regular consultations with a respected, Chicago-based epidemiologist and following Center of Disease Control recommendations as well as state and local orders and guidelines.

How ATI Keeps our Patients Safe

We’re keeping patients safe by communicating protocols regularly with our clinics and ensuring they continue to follow the appropriate measures. We continue to screen everyone, every time with no exceptions. We’ve provided self-screening criteria to all team members prior to reporting to work each day. Upon arrival, managers will again screen staff members, following the same criteria, to identify potential close contact with those who may be exposed to or have contracted COVID-19.

If there is a possibility of exposure, we ask that team members remain home to self-quarantine for the required period of time prior to returning to work. We’ve mandated employee mask use and social distancing practices, as well as hand sanitation or hand washing before and after every treatment. We’ve provided safety glasses and face shields for our occupational therapists for additional protective measures.

How ATI Keeps our Team Members Safe

We’re keeping team members safe by mandating patient mask wearing and social distancing.

Through a regular cadence of communications, printed and digital signage, we’ve reminded our team members to adhere to all state and local regulations as well as hand and respiratory hygiene, cough etiquette, avoiding shaking hands, and washing or disinfecting their hands before and after consuming food. We ask team members to continually self-monitor for symptoms and immediately notify their managers if they suspect any changes in their health.

Clinic protocols include verbal screenings of all new patients prior to scheduling. If they answer yes to any of the screening questions, we reschedule them for a future date. If they experience symptoms within 72 hours of their appointment, we also reschedule them or ask them to take advantage of ATI’s telehealth option, CONNECT. To date, we have provided more than 51,000 online physical therapy sessions to help keep our patients on their road to recovery.

Keeping Clinics Clean to Reduce Risk

We have also doubled our efforts in keeping each clinic as clean as possible by sanitizing all treatment tables and exercise equipment after every use. This includes cleaning high-volume traffic areas such as the front desk counter, waiting room chairs, bathroom door handles, office and break areas, as well as cleaning shared objects such as laptops, keyboards, mobile phones/phone receivers, pens and markers. While one case of COVID is too many, the infection rate among our team members remains incredibly low during this time. This is due, in part, to our stringent screening and sanitization protocols as well as the commitment from our team members to keep everyone safe and healthy.

While this may become our new normal as the vaccine is rolled-out throughout the year, rest assured we will do everything we can to provide protection for the health and safety of our team members and patients.

A 15-year ATI veteran and trained physical therapist with a background in athletic training, Chief Operating Officer Ray Wahl is responsible for day-to-day operations and clinical functions across the company’s national footprint.

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Nate Bard, Chief Growth Officer

As healthcare businesses chart their recovery from COVID-related losses, growth is our only path back. At ATI, we’re more committed to investing in growth than ever before.

In addition to COVID-19’s impacts on our industry, here are a few additional headwinds facing physical therapy:

• Consumers’ insatiable desire for on-demand services

• Medicare reimbursement changes

• Ongoing reimbursement for telePT

• Attempts to replace PT with wearables and videos

• Continued physician and health system consolidation

While we inherently know the value of PT and the positive disruption we can have on musculoskeletal care, the question is not whether we’re changing enough to keep up. The challenge is to get ahead and lead the disruption.

It’s with that lens that we think about growth in 2021.

New Clinics

ATI growth in recent years has come primarily through opening about 75 new clinics per year. By adding to our staffing and resources in this area, we hope to eclipse that rate this year through a combination of new construction and acquisition.

Organic Growth

It’s one thing to open or acquire a new clinic, but it’s quite another to deliver new patients to those locations while also keeping the current clinics busy.

The referral-based model that our industry has known since inception is in decline. To survive, we must innovate to meet customer expectations. To thrive, we have to intercept the patient before they even get into the “system.”

At ATI, we also own the domain ptfirst.com — there you’ll find how ATI’s quality care and scale have helped us change employers’ minds about the role of PT in the physical health journey.

We continue to adopt best practices from consumer-packaged goods, retail and other industries to modernize how we interact directly with consumers — the majority of ATI patients now engage with our online presence before coming to us.

Top-Rated Physical Therapy Care

The quality care patients receive is evident in our 4.9-star Google rating. Without that, we don’t have the ATI brand. Rather, because we consistently deliver that quality care, we can confidently extend our brand beyond the historical referral model.

Mergers & Acquisitions

After a few years of limited acquisition activity, we ramped back up on this front last year and are rebuilding this team and process.

We’re excited to extend our reach into new markets with the help of great industry leaders who are looking to join us. We are building and growing to put physical therapy in its rightful place at the front of the line for patient care.

Together, we won’t just change the perception of PT — we’ll fundamentally reinvent the way patients, payers, employers and partners manage physical healthcare.

Nate Bard leads ATI’s growth function, serving as its Chief Growth Officer. In this role, he is responsible for mergers, acquisitions and real estate.

The post Building and Growing Our Presence in 2021 appeared first on ATI.

To kick off the weekend, ATI brought together more than 200 PT students and professionals to build 70 prosthetic hands for below-elbow amputees that were victim to land mines and other accidents in developing countries. The prosthetics built at the event will be distributed at no cost to recipients through the Ellen Meadows Prosthetic Hand Foundation.

The ATI Foundation closed out the ‘Build-A-Hand’ volunteer event with a special presentation for two very deserving beneficiaries. The first presentation entailed a donation to Watertown, Mass., resident Toni Calisir, a young teen battling an undiagnosed medical genetic condition similar to muscular dystrophy. Toni’s condition leaves him with weakness from head to toe; he uses a wheelchair most of the time, needs maximum assistant with mobility and is non-verbal.

Toni and his family received an adaptive bike so that Toni can ride with his dad, an activity in which he shows great interest. This enhancement to his daily life will allow Toni to enjoy simple pleasures and outdoor activities just like other teens his age, while also providing him and his family opportunities for bonding and memory making.

The second presentation featured Brian Manning, a former 26-week premature child born four months early with cerebral palsy and epilepsy. At birth, Brian had a grade four brain bleed and was in NICU for over three months. Brian has been fighting all his life – from when he was breathing through a ventilator to when he had a colostomy. He has had brain surgery to remove the right side of his brain and has paralysis on his left side, with fifty percent of his vision lost in each eye.

In order to provide Brian with the care he needs, his mother, Brenda, left her job to stay home and care for all of his needs. In addition to providing for his medical needs, Brenda and her husband, Eric, organize and coach the Watertown Challenger Baseball team. This team allows children with special needs to enjoy “America’s game” alongside volunteers who come out every week to support and cheer on these amazing kids.

The ATI Foundation gifted Brian with a bike similar to the one that was provided to Toni. The Manning’s nominated Toni for this bike after seeing the joy on his face when he saw Brian’s bike.

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