GCC's Adaptive Gym helps student recuperate
By Luis MontesSpanish Editor, The VOICE
Glendale Community College has been incorporating resources that would help every student on campus. The Adaptive Gym at is a good example of how GCC is giving students the tools that they need to succeed.
Chris Le Grady, an 18 year old GCC student, has found the adaptive gym at GCC a great help.
Le Grady had a stroke a little over a year ago, and he had to go through brain surgery. The left side of his body was paralyzed partially after the stroke.
The stroke was caused by rare condition called arteriovenous malformation or AVM, which Le Grady suffered from, and was removed last October.
Doctors predicted that he would remain as a vegetable, but he defeated the odds.
Le Grady has a weekly routine at the adaptive gym. Every Tuesday and Thursday, he practices different exercises.
"I've been using the light gate machine, which is more or less a parachute harness over a treadmill. It helps me work on building strength back up on my legs and building a gate pattern," said Le Grady.
He has been able to improve step movement, which has allowed him to walk almost a mile in just an hour.
He has built enough muscle strength on his left arm and leg that he is able to stand straight with a cane. Le Grady uses the adaptive gym's equipment with the help of his wheelchair.
Le Grady considers himself to be privileged, since there are only five fully-equipped adaptive gyms in the country; GCC has one of them.
He travels about 20 miles just to take the gym class and goes to Paradise Valley Community College for his academic credits.
There are other students in Le Grady's class that travel an average of sixty miles to take advantage of the adaptive gym class.
That proves that GCC has done a great job in providing help for students with such conditions.
He attributes his great success to his trainer, Mary Lea. "Mary Lea has helped him quite a bit," said Joe Le Grady, Chris' father. Joe has been an important help in Le Grady's recovery by taking his son to every practice twice a week and has been there for his son in every aspect of the recuperation process.
Le Grady is an example of courage and perseverance. Just with little help from great people like his trainers and his family, he has been able to improve over the last few months.
Please send comments to lmontes@gccvoice.com
