Stroke survivors and their care partners gathered at the MGH Institute of Health Professions on Friday for “Moving Forward Together,” a day dedicated to reflection, connection, and discovering new possibilities for life after stroke.
 
Presented by the Tedy’s Team Center of Excellence in Stroke Recovery, the free event welcomed 40 stroke survivors and care partners to 1CW for a series of talks, workshops, and activities designed to support recovery and help individuals identify meaningful next steps.
 
“We were so glad to be able to provide this opportunity for stroke survivors and care partners to connect, move, reflect, and leave with one or two clear next steps that help them keep moving forward in ways that matter to them,” said Gwen Larsen, physical therapy faculty member and Education/Community Outreach Coordinator of the Center.
 
The day featured a keynote talk from MGH Institute faculty member, Dr Kathy Lyons, a nationally respected expert on recovery and quality of life, whose work focuses on helping individuals shape their rehabilitation around what matters most to them. Participants also took part in a hands-on goal-setting workshop led by faculty and student volunteers from the Institute’s various programs.
 
For Hannah Indiviglio, an MS-SLP student who was one of the 17 student volunteers at the event, the experience was powerful.
 
“I facilitated a goal-setting workshop for a group of stroke survivors,” she said. “It was inspiring to witness their determination, resilience, and willingness to support one another while working toward meaningful personal goals.”
 
The goal-setting programming was developed by the Living Well Collective, an interprofessional group of researchers at the Tedy’s Team Center of Excellence led by co-directors of the Cognitive Neuroscience Group and associate professors Lauryn Zipse and Sofia Vallila Rohter, with contributions from director of the Ruth Sleeper Nursing Center for Clinical Education and Wellness and associate nursing professor Kathy Sabo, assistant professors Megan Schliep and Rob Cavanaugh, director of the Tedy’s Team Center of Excellence Kimberly Erler, and Larsen.
 
In the afternoon, participants traded worksheets for movement as award-winning choreographer Betsi Graves led a joyful dance session through her Movement Meets program with Urbanity Dance. Graves guided attendees through breathing exercises and adaptable movements, encouraging them to embrace their unique ways of moving.
 
The session highlighted how dance can support recovery by fostering creativity, connection, and physical well-being. Graves emphasized that every movement could be modified and that individual expression was part of the beauty of dance.
 
For some participants, the activity rekindled meaningful experiences. Caregiver partner Jodie Williams shared how much the class meant to her and her husband.
 
“He loves it, that’s why I keep signing him up,” she said about her husband Derrick who suffered a stroke due to a brain aneurysm in 2023. “Before his stroke, he was always the first person on the dance floor. It brings back something he really enjoys.”
 
Throughout the day, stroke survivors and care partners connected with each other, students, and faculty. and with faculty members, including Erler, Vallila Rohter, Zipse, Sabo, Schliep, and Cavanaugh.
 
As the event concluded, participants were encouraged to reflect on their progress and continue building momentum in their recovery journeys.
 
“We hope you leave feeling proud of yourself for taking time to reflect on where you are in your journey after stroke and for setting goals for moving forward,” said Erler. “We’re here to support stroke survivors and care partners even when we’re not having events like this.”
 
With conversation, community, and even a little dancing, Moving Forward Together demonstrated how recovery can be strengthened through connection and how small steps can lead to meaningful progress.