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About Project Walk Sometimes a story says it all. Here is an excerpt from a 5/6/2008 TimesCall.com story entitled "She Dreams of Walking" (for the full story, click here):
Project Walk founder Ted Dardzinski said most of the center's clients don't go home walking but do return in better physical condition.
"We don't promise anything," Dardzinski said.
But he said some people do walk again. Recovery depends on how hard the person works, the injury type and the time elapsed since the injury, he said.
Project Walk does not accept insurance, and Ohlfs estimates it will cost $15,000 for six weeks of therapy and lodging. Although her husband, Michael, a financial adviser with Charles Shwab and an intelligence officer in the U.S. Naval reserves, will use paid vacation and sick time, part of the trip includes unpaid family leave, not included in the $15,000 estimate.
Ohlfs first visited Project Walk in September 2005 and did three hours of therapy five days a week for two and a half weeks. Her parents, Longmont residents Dalene and Bill Sheeder, paid $4,000 for the therapy, and her husband's parents paid for their lodging.
Staff at Project Walk developed a personal program for her and filmed it so she could continue with a home project, she said. But after coming home and facing the same stresses, she regressed, Ohlfs said.
"When I was at Project Walk, I did really, really well," Ohlfs said. "Physically, I became stronger. Mentally, I became more confident. It was the happiest I had been since the car accident. Nobody there put any limit. They believed the sky is the limit. It was a positive, exciting atmosphere."
In June 2006, she returned to Project Walk for three days.
"In those three days, I was a different person," she said. Our Program Our Mission
Project Walk exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement. Project Walk is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization.
Recovery Options
Trial Week
Project Walk® is the most experienced exercise-based spinal cord injury recovery center in the world. We have learned what it takes to succeed. During your trial week, our job is to educate you on our theory, the latest scientific research, our program's physical and mental demands, and how someone with SCI can recover. At the end of your visit, you will have an understanding of all aspects of recovery and what it takes to be successful.
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In House
Our In-House program is the ideal program for those that are able to make the required commitment. As stated before this is not a six month, one or two year program. It is a program dedicated to pushing you as hard as possible to recover as much as possible, however long that takes. This is the program that all of our clients who have made the most recovery have gone through.
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Home-Based Program
We designed the Home-Based Program for clients that can't relocate to San Diego to participate in our program. It is designed to maintain the nervous system, and through repetitions, improve it. While this is not the same as being at Project Walk® working one-on-one with a certified specialist, it does allow you to perform the repetitions necessary to improve.
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Train Your Trainer
Project Walk® has developed an educational program, Train Your Trainer, to teach individuals how to safely and effectively train our clients at their homes or gyms. This program allows our clients to stay at home while getting the proper stimulation to regain function. We supply you and your trainer the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively work your paralyzed body through your personalized program.
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Project Walk
