Empowerment Grant from High Fives Foundation will help San Bruno resident Kevin Cheung in the recovery process from a life-altering injury
Cheung will receive $4,439 Empowerment Grant for sessions of dry needle therapy and physical therapy at the PEAK Center in Englewood, Colo.
The High Fives Foundation is awarding 24-year-old Kevin Cheung of San Bruno, Calif. an Empowerment Grant to help aid in his recovery from a life-altering injury sustained at Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe, Calif.
On March 7, 2015, Cheung over-rotated a backflip while overshooting a jump at Squaw’s Gold Coast Terrain Park. Cheung landed face first on the bottom of the landing, incurring burst fractures at C1, C5, T4, T5, T6 and a torn transverse ligament next to c1. Cheung is currently undergoing outpatient rehabilitation at Craig Hospital in Denver, Colo.
This June Board-approved Empowerment Grant will provide Cheung with 36 sessions of physical therapy at the PEAK Center at Craig Hospital. It will also provide five sessions of dry needle therapy. Dry needling has shown to be effective in treating the neuromusculoskeletal system based on pain patterns, muscular dysfunction, and reconnecting neuro-pathways. The process involves the use of thin, monofilament needles to penetrate and stimulate underlying muscular activity and connective tissues for the management of pain and movement impairments.
“He is making a great recovery,” said Roy Tuscany, High Fives Foundation Executive Director. “It is largely in part due to his tremendous work ethic and the amazing team at Craig Hospital.”
Since the High Fives Foundation’s January 2009 inception, the Empowerment program service has assisted 85 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, 26 High Fives Athletes and two organizations have been awarded 40 board-approved grants totaling $211,393.
In the month of June the High Fives Foundation disbursed $30,194 in board-approved grants to nine athletes.
June Empowerment Athletes:
Jamie Crane-Mauzy from Salt Lake City, Utah.
Bond Camp from Breckenridge, Colo.
Megan Wemmer from Boulder, Colo.
Nick Fairall from Andover, N.H.
Kevin Cheung from San Francisco, Calif.
Mike Schwarz from Chester, VT.
Jim Harris from Salt Lake City, Utah
Aaron Baker from Northridge, Calif.
Josh Dueck from Vernon, British Columbia
Kevin’s positive attitude and determination to regain mobility was evident from the first day I met him. I was really happy to see that he’s been selected a High Fives athlete!