Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital

01/23/2026

It’s a Very Mary Graduation for Carina!🧡🎉

After welcoming her first child, Banks, Carina developed a rare neurological condition that affected her ability to walk, talk and hold her newborn son.

At Mary Free Bed, she focused on rebuilding everyday skills, with her husband, baby and care team supporting her every step of the way. 💚

With Banks as her biggest motivator, Carina reached milestone after milestone. Today, she celebrated her graduation with a victory lap through the tunnel, cheered on by her therapy team and family, walking alongside her husband while pushing Banks in his stroller. ✨

Now, the family of three is headed home to Kalamazoo! Congratulations, Carina — you truly embody what it means to be a super mom. 🧡✨

01/23/2026

A week and a half after welcoming her first child, Carina Klein experienced a rare neurological condition that impacted her ability to walk, talk and hold her newborn son.

She spent nine weeks at Mary Free Bed for inpatient rehabilitation. Throughout her rehabilitation journey, Baby Banks was her greatest motivation. Now, Carina is heading home. 🧡

Watch her story from FOX 17 ⬇️

A new mother from Kalamazoo is defying the odds after a rare autoimmune event left her unable to walk in the weeks after giving birth to her son.

01/22/2026

Big wins for Mary Free Bed Kids! ✨🎉

Grand Rapids Kids has ranked Mary Free Bed Kids among West Michigan’s Best Physical Therapy, Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy teams. 💚🤩

We’re also celebrating Mary Free Bed Kids therapists who were individually recognized as Grand Rapids Kids Top Docs. Please join us in congratulating these outstanding pediatric clinicians:
⭐️Andrea Dennis – Physical Therapist
⭐️Ashton Kowalski – Occupational Therapist
⭐️Briana Dean – Physical Therapist
⭐️Courtney Van Os – Occupational Therapist
⭐️Hannah Robb – Physical Therapist
⭐️Sydney Woodman – Speech-Language Pathologist

We’re beyond grateful for our extraordinary therapists every single day – their hard work, compassion and dedication brings hope and freedom to kids and their families across West Michigan. Here’s to you and the amazing work you do every day! 🧡🎉

View the article here ➡️ https://grkids.com/best-doctors-in-grand-rapids/

01/19/2026

Today, the Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation System pauses to honor the life, leadership and lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. – a visionary who believed equity and compassion should shape how we care for one another.

At Mary Free Bed, that belief lives on in our mission, our people and our work. We honor Dr. King’s legacy by treating this as a day on, acknowledging our collective opportunity to lead with compassion, fairness, and respect in how we show up for one another and our community.

His vision continues to guide us forward. As individuals, teams, community members, and a health care system, we honor our responsibility to help shape a future where dignity, access, and care are experienced by all.

01/17/2026

Zamboni alert! Clear the ice: this week’s Maryest Moment deserves a fresh glaze.🏒 🚨

Check out the smoothest news of the week in Sports 'N Spokes Magazine! The November issue features one of our favorite high-impact sports: sled hockey. It’s fast, physical – and this time of year, the competitive season is in full force.

Inside the issue, you’ll find a full feature on the Grand Rapids Sled Wings – an adaptive hockey team sponsored by Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation. Bonus: Molly McKinney, sports coordinator for Mary Free Bed Wheelchair and Adaptive Sports spotlights the magic of sled hockey, and Mary Free Bed athlete Connor Fee even made the cover!❤️ 🖤

We’re honored to capture cover-worthy moments (shout to our photographer Tony) and see our athletes and programs recognized on a national stage. We’ll be cheering on the Sled Wings all season long. 🏒

01/16/2026

🌼 And the Mary Free Bed DAISY Award goes to … Haley Stroup! 🌼

When care, compassion and kindness come together, we bloom. Haley is a Mary Free Bed Kids pediatric nurse who leads every day with compassion and heart. She was nominated for this award for going above and beyond to make everyone around her feel safe, seen and cared for – from her littlest patients to their biggest supporters.

The DAISY Award is an international program that celebrates extraordinary nurses like Haley whose skill and compassion make a lasting difference in the lives of their patients.

Congrats, Haley! We’re DAISY-lighted 🌼 to celebrate you for this well-deserved honor and for restoring hope and freedom through rehabilitation every single day. 🎉👏


DAISY Foundation

01/14/2026

Take a Bite Out of Cancer

Mary Free Bed and Gilda's Club Grand Rapids are coming together to offer a free, supportive workshop focused on how nutrition can play a meaningful role during cancer treatment and survivorship.

This session will share practical, approachable strategies to help manage common nutrition-related challenges, support energy and promote overall well-being. Whether you’re navigating cancer personally or caring for a loved one, this workshop offers encouragement, connection and helpful tools along the way.

Join us for an evening centered on feeling nourished, supported and empowered throughout the cancer journey.

01/12/2026

Ready… set… SCUBA! 🤿🌊

This week’s Adaptive Scuba Diving Clinic gave divers of all ages the chance to explore new depths alongside our incredible partners at Moby’s Dive Shop.🧡

From deep breaths to big grins, this experience was truly next-level fun!
Ready to dive in?✨

A special thanks to WOODTV for covering the event! Check out story here: https://tinyurl.com/2e5w4fkm
�👉 Get involved with Wheelchair & Adaptive Sports at maryfreebed.com/sports

01/09/2026

🎶 “Country roads, take me home, to the place I belong…” 🎶

It’s time for the Mary-est Moment of the Week!

This week, Groovin’ Gary, a volunteer at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids, filled our Sub-Acute Rehabilitation floor with music, smiles and joy for both patients and staff. 🤩

From John Denver to Willie Nelson, Gary brought the hits - and a whole lot of heart. We are so grateful for volunteers like him who use their talents to brighten our halls and lift spirits. 🌟 🎸

Thank you, Gary, for sharing your musical gifts with the Mary Free Bed family! 🧡

Interested in volunteering? Learn more at maryfreebed.com/volunteer

01/08/2026

The frontier of human ability is in our hands.

Osseointegration is agency in human evolution.

See a glimpse into my body-engineering journey over a year in, built in collaboration with Mary Free Bed Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics.

01/07/2026

Meet Ms. René🧶💚
She’s knot just any volunteer! She turns miles of yarn into miles of smiles, one stitch at a time.

From cozy hats and warm mittens to stuffed animals and sensory-friendly blankets, if it can be crocheted, Ms. René can purl it into perfection.🧡

We’re so grateful for volunteers like René who devote their time and talents to supporting our patients and families.

Our volunteers weave love, comfort, and hope into everything they do. And we feel it in every stitch.✨

🧡Learn more about how you can volunteer at Mary Free Bed here maryfreebed.com/volunteer/