$900 Empowerment Grant will provide Kailyn Forsberg with massage therapy and acupuncture at Craig Hospital to increase sensations below her injury level
When Forsberg arrived at the trauma center, she and her family were told that she had a complete spinal cord injury at the C7 level. She describes having some sensations below her chest and tingling when her feet are massaged. She says she feels “something” when her hamstrings are stretched. The May Empowerment Grant from the High Fives Foundation is intended to accentuate these stimulations.
Forsberg is currently undergoing intense inpatient rehab at Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo. The Forsberg family has been in close communication with the High Fives Foundation since the day of her injury.
Forsberg’s goal is to recover as much as is medically possible and get back to doing the things she loves. Eventually, she would like to become a safety advocate in the action sports community.
“Craig Hospital is one of the best spinal centers in the country,” said Roy Tuscany, Executive Director of the High Fives Foundation. “Kailyn has an amazing attitude and therapists there love working with her.”
“Our need is to get the best possible care and rehabilitation for Kailyn. It sounds like partnership with High Fives is one critical way to help accomplish this goal,” said Mitchell Forsberg, Kailyn’s dad.
$4,236 Empowerment Grant will provide Bond Camp with personal training, pool therapy and specialized equipment to aid in his recovery
The High Fives Foundation is awarding 29-year-old Bond Camp an Empowerment Grant to help aid in his recovery from a life-altering injury. Camp was backcountry skiing south of Breckenridge Resort in an area called Crystal Lakes. While skiing one of his best lines of the season, he caught an edge, causing him to spin and crash onto his back. The impact led to T2 and T3 fractures causing paralysis from the chest down. The crash also led to a broken left scapula, three broken ribs, and a punctured left lung.
Since the injury, Camp has focused intensely on his recovery first with inpatient rehab at Craig Hospital and now as an outpatient athlete at the PEAK center, both in Englewood, Colo.
“I am a true believer of the power of positive thinking and therefor expect to walk again one day,” said Camp.
This May Empowerment Grant from the High Fives Foundation will go towards sessions of specialized personal training at the PEAK center, warm water pool therapy at Easter Seals Colorado and a specialized multichair that will allow for easy maneuvering adapted for every day life.
“Bond is an absolutely amazing individual with such a positive outlook post injury,” saidRoy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. While at Craig, Camp has befriended other High Fives Athletes Eric Zerrenner and Jim Harris. They have continued to stay in touch and give each other support through each of their recoveries.
Since the High Fives Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 82 athletes from 20 states in nine respective funding categories which include: living expenses, insurance, travel, health, healing network, adaptive equipment, winter equipment, programs and “stoke” (positive energy, outlook and attitude).
In 2015, the High Fives Foundation set a budget of disbursing $266,000 via board-approved grants through the Empowerment Fund. Since January 2015, 21 High Fives Athletes and two organizations have been awarded 29 board-approved grants totaling $181,199.
In the month of May the High Fives Foundation disbursed $34,406 in board-approved grants.
April Empowerment Athletes:
Kailyn Forsberg from Eagle, Colo.
Lindsay Runkel from Westport, Conn.
Bond Camp from Breckinridge, Colo.
Danielle Shannon from North Conway, N.H.
Matt Leonard from San Francisco, Calif.
Gates Hunsaker from Bountiful, Utah.
Jeff Andrews from Truckee, Calif.
Jason Giovannoni from Reno, Nev.
