- [Darus] Working with the physical therapist at Bradley University has been one of the most important parts of my recovery journey.

After my stroke, from the very beginning, I wasn't just treated like a patient, I was treated like a person with goals, strength, and potential to get back to where I was before.

- All right, we're gonna do our balloon keep up.

So we're gonna try to keep the balloon up as long as possible.

(people chattering) - [Speaker] There we go.

(gentle music) - There we go, keep driving those feet up.

- I'm Melissa Peterson.

Welcome to the Glen and Poly Barton Clinic for Fitness and Function at Bradley University.

- [Assistant] Up and forward.

There we go.

(upbeat music) - [Speaker] One, two, three, and up.

- This space has been really built up from the ground up.

We were over in Olin Hall when I started.

We had our anatomy lab there and classes there.

And really to see it grow, not just physically in the space that we have, but just grow in our knowledge and really reach a greater population is amazing.

- [Speaker] Good job.

Nice.

(people applaud) - So this space is multi-use.

It is where we learn, it is where we serve the community, but it's the home of Bradley's Doctor of Physical Therapy program.

- This is a space that captures everything we do, both from the academic side and the clinical side of the Department of Physical Therapy and Health Science.

So we are able to have all three cohorts of our DPT program all in one place at one time.

They have space for lecture-based classes, they have space for lab-based classes.

We have our faculty offices.

Our students have a lounge space because they tend to be here a lot.

So our students have 24/7 access to this space, so they can come practice on the weekends if they have an exam coming up.

We also make it a really welcoming space for our clients.

So we have a lot of space for our PT students to work with our clinic clients.

(people chattering) - [Assistant] Good job, Larry.

Breathe.

- Yeah, it's very unique in the sense that the students benefit, the patients benefit, the community benefits, and really we're just trying to be a bright spot in the sense of, you know, good physical therapy.

- We don't deal with insurance, and we don't ask for any payment or reimbursement for our services.

So the participants who come in are typically people who have run out of insurance benefits or don't have insurance benefits.

We specialize in neurologic patients.

They're a population with those chronic neurologic disorders that are deemed plateaued or at a certain point insurance doesn't continue to pay for therapy.

(people chattering and laughing) - So when I had my stroke, my mother heard about this place, heard about the Bradley therapy and also PTS, which is where I go as well too.

So immediately they got me right into it because I was doing therapy in Kansas City, but I wanted to up it a little bit so I can get back to myself.

And so they bought me here so I can live with them, not worry about paying bills or anything.

- One of the hard things for Darus is his age.

And so there's a tendency to not wanna participate because there's a lot of sediment and with age that comes along and he didn't.

He was like, "That's not me, that's not my profile."

So when we came here it was like, oh, there are people my age.

There are activities that are different.

There are students.

And the students were like the major difference because they were his age.

So they were engaging, they were doing things he wanted to do and had done and could discuss and be a part of, and it was just like he felt his people.

(people chattering) (upbeat music) - I think it offers people hope.

It gives them the opportunity to know that there's something beyond what insurance will pay for.

And, again, it's that sense of community, that belonging, that these people, you know, if somebody misses a day because they're sick, everybody's saying like, "Where's Rick?

Where's Darus?

Where's Derrick?"

People look out for each other and really get to know each other.

They love working with the students because the students are excited to be here.

They're always so fun and interactive, and I think the students gain that perspective too.

They're able to step away from the books.

It's become a really kind of almost source of stress relief because they might have tests this week, but it's relieving to get to come into the clinic and just do an hour of patient care and you can really see the students, they're so invested, they're so bought in, and it's just another good reminder of their why and why they're really doing physical therapy.

It's great for all involved.

- No, you're good.

We're driving the left up and down so we're not swaying.

- What this does for the community.

I want it to be a thing that kind of provides hope and I think it has.

I think the people that come in here through the pro bono clinic or through the FITBUNS class that we have, I think it provides a space for them to be vulnerable and, you know, feel safe to get work done and get better with their physical therapy.

But also just, you know, become the best version of themselves physically, mentally, emotionally.

And I love that we can be a resource for people.

So I'm just very thankful that I get to be a part of that.

(people chattering) - Being part of the learning experience also gave me purpose knowing that my journey was helping shape future physical therapists, made the hard days meaningful, and reminded me that setbacks don't define me and perseverance does.

My time at Bradley have helped me move forward, not just physical therapy but mentally and emotionally.

I'm stronger, I'm more determined, and more grateful than ever.

I may still be on the road to recovery to getting fully back to where I was, but because that experience, I know I'm capable of getting there.

I will always carry the gratitude for the students and faculty who played a role in helping me rebuild my strength and my life.

And I will forever be grateful.

(upbeat music) - I wanna say thank you.

I want to say thank you to the many, many people who have had personal relationships with my son, who have helped shape him, who continue to shape him.

Thank you.

Yeah.