Stroke Patient’s Journey and Recovery Celebrated at a Special Reunion with his Medical Care Teams

Staff members from Arroyo Grande Community Hospital and Marian Regional Medical Center reunite with former patient to recognize National Rehabilitation Awareness Week

Photo (top): Gerald Sanders, center, celebrates during a reunion at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Friday to recognize his progress after experiencing a stroke in March. Sanders was treated at Marian Regional Medical Center, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital's Acute Rehabilitation Unit and the Centre for Neuro Skills in Los Angeles. 

ARROYO GRANDE, CA - September 20, 2024 – Gerald Sanders, a Central Coast resident who suffered a stroke in March, celebrated a joyous reunion at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital with the medical teams who treated him.

Sanders reunited at a celebration in his honor, with staff members from Dignity Health’s Marian Regional Medical Center and Arroyo Grande Community Hospital’s Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU). Representatives from the Centre for Neuro Skills in Southern California, where Sanders received his post-acute care, were also in attendance. 

“I feel blessed to be able to empathize and understand that, even in the most difficult times, people will give up their time and their spirit to enhance other people’s lives,” Sanders told his care teams as he got emotional. “All of you are a blessing and wonderful folks for the dedication and professionalism that you have shown to the community and to all the people that come here.” 

Sanders, 61, experienced a stroke earlier this year. He was initially hospitalized in March at Marian Regional Medical Center before transferring to Arroyo Grande Community Hospital’s Acute Rehabilitation Unit (ARU). After about a month of rehabilitation there, Sanders began post-acute therapy at the Centre for Neuro Skills in Los Angeles. 

After making remarkable progress on his recovery journey, Sanders, a father of five, was discharged from the clinic in August.

“It’s incredible. Gerald has made so much progress,” said Dr. Gabriel Wilds, a physiatrist at Arroyo Grande’s ARU. “We generally don’t get to see the final product, but to see him six months down the line is really special.”

“I can’t imagine something that’s more meaningful than helping other people recapture their life and their independence,” said David Harrington, the President and CEO of Centre for Neuro Skills. “With over 3 million brain injuries every single year, very few people get to our level of care in the post-acute, so that care continuum is absolutely critical for outcomes and for the person to resume their independence.”

The special event also celebrated National Rehabilitation Awareness Week, which is held in the third week of September and showed how vital rehabilitation care services are on the Central Coast. Arroyo Grande Community Hospital’s Acute Rehab Unit, which currently has 20 beds, will double its capacity with a new rehabilitation center planned in the near future. The ARU is the only unit of its kind in the area.  

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About Arroyo Grande Community Hospital

Arroyo Grande Community Hospital is rated a top Joint Replacement Center by Blue Shield and among the Top 10% in the Nation for Joint Replacement, offering the latest in robotic and other technologically advanced orthopedic procedures. The facility has achieved prestigious designation as a Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission for advanced, comprehensive care for stroke patients. The Emergency Department is nationally recognized for superior patient satisfaction and the hospital provides the only comprehensive hospital-based Acute Rehabilitation Center on the Central Coast, offering a wide range of individualized therapies. 

About Marian Regional Medical Center

Marian Regional Medical Center is a state-of-the-art, 191-bed medical center located in Santa Maria. The modern facility is home to a broad array of services including a level II trauma center, a level III neonatal intensive care unit, a nationally recognized cardiac care center, and boasts the Central Coast’s only Comprehensive Community Cancer Program as recognized by the Commission on Cancer.

Gerald Sanders takes a selfie with a member of his care team at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital's Acute Rehabilitation Unit during a reunion Friday. The event was held to recognize his progress after experiencing a stroke in March as part of National Rehabilitation Awareness Week.

Gerald Sanders speaks during a reunion at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital Friday to recognize his progress after experiencing a stroke in March. Sanders was treated at Marian Regional Medical Center, Arroyo Grande Community Hospital's Acute Rehabilitation Unit and the Centre for Neuro Skills in Los Angeles. The event was held to honor Rehabilitation Awareness Week and highlight the continuum of care for area patients in need of rehabilitation services.

Gerald Sanders speaks with Dr. Gabriel Wilds, a member of his care team at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital's Acute Rehabilitation Unit, during a reunion Friday. The event was held to recognize his progress after experiencing a stroke in March.

Gerald Sanders speaks with a member of his care team at Arroyo Grande Community Hospital's Acute Rehabilitation Unit during a reunion Friday. The event was held to recognize his progress after experiencing a stroke in March and to highlight National Rehabilitation Awareness Week.