Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Celebrates Patient Perseverance with Sixth-Annual SkyRise Chicago

CHICAGO, Oct. 30, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- When Elizabeth Bandolik was 9 years old, she was rushed into emergency brain surgery for a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. Surgery was followed by a coma that lasted weeks. When Elizabeth finally woke, she was no longer able to walk, talk, read or write. 

Thanks to her relentless willpower and her dedicated team at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC), Elizabeth, now age 34, lives a fulfilling life and will soon do what once seemed impossible. This Sunday, Nov. 2, Elizabeth will climb 2,109 steps at Willis Tower for SkyRise Chicago 2014 to celebrate the 25^th anniversary of her time with RIC.

"SkyRise is so much more than a stair-climbing event. It's a celebration of the human spirit," said Dr. Joanne C. Smith, president and CEO of RIC. "The climb brings together friends, family, patients past and present, doctors, therapists and community members to show their support for the unyielding perseverance that so many dedicate to rehabilitation."

Last year, SkyRise welcomed nearly 3,000 participants who either climbed the 103 floors of Willis Tower or hand-cycled the equivalent on stationary machines calibrated for resistance and time to match the stair-climbing experience.

All proceeds help RIC, the nation's leading provider of comprehensive physical medicine and rehabilitation^[i], deliver quality clinical care and cutting-edge research to more than 50,000 patients from around the world. The Ability Institute of RIC – a $550 million, 1.2 million-square-foot research hospital – will open in early 2017 to support a fully integrated model of care with scientists, engineers and device developers working together in the same space as patients and clinicians.

Sen. Mark Kirk to Climb Again

In addition to Elizabeth Bandolik, many other extraordinary current and former RIC patients will be participating in SkyRise 2014, including Sen. Mark Kirk.

• Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.): In January 2012, Sen. Kirk suffered a massive stroke. With intensive therapy at RIC, he was able to relearn how to walk. By the fall of that same year, Sen. Kirk participated in his first SkyRise climb. This year at SkyRise, he plans to reunite with his friend and fellow former stroke patient, Jackson Cunningham, age 12.
• Adam Finney: In 2005, Adam broke his back and sustained a severe spinal cord injury in a car accident, resulting in paralysis from the waist down. At RIC, Adam learned about SkyRise and was immediately interested in the chance to be active again. He now holds the event's handcycling record and travels the country with RIC's handcycling team.
• Heather Kroupa: The night Heather arrived home after giving birth to her first child, she suffered a stroke. She was immediately immersed in treatment at RIC with 6-hour daily therapy sessions. Heather has since given birth to a second child and will be conquering SkyRise for her second year in a row.
• Mike Dineen: After a bad fall, Chicago police sergeant Mike Dineen suffered from a traumatic brain injury that left him in a coma for three weeks. With RIC, he relearned most basic skills and 11 months after his injury, he participated in his first SkyRise event. Mike, now a 15-year veteran of the Chicago Police Department, will be participating in his sixth SkyRise climb.

Willis Tower's Skydeck Chicago Enters 40^th Year

RIC has hosted SkyRise Chicago in partnership with Willis Tower since its premier event in 2009. This year also marks the 40^th anniversary of Skydeck Chicago, the 103^rd floor of Willis Tower. On this unique floor, visitors can experience The Ledge – four glass-bottomed, enclosed balconies that extend 4.3 feet outside the building and 1,353 feet high above Chicago's streets. Skydeck has played a crucial role in SkyRise as the official finish line of the climb.

"We are honored to be able to celebrate Skydeck Chicago's 40^th year with our friends at RIC and more than 3,000 SkyRise participants," said Randy Stancik, Vice President at U.S. Equities Asset Management, LLC, Willis Tower's management and leasing agent. "With about 25,000 visitors daily, we're proud to have been a vital part of downtown Chicago memories for the past four decades, and for many years to come."

Willis Tower was only open for one year before its most popular floor – Skydeck Chicago – was born in 1974. Other facts about Willis Tower include:

• Willis Tower was the tallest building in the world from 1973-1998
• Views from Willis Tower can reach nearly 50 miles on a clear day, allowing visitors to see into four different states
• The tower weighs more than 222,500 tons and cost more than $175 million to construct
• Willis Tower stands 1,450 feet tall
• Located at 233 S. Wacker Drive, it is positioned in the heart of Chicago's financial district

For more information about SkyRise Chicago, visit www.skyrisechicago.com or find the event on Facebook. For more information on RIC, visit www.ric.org or find RIC on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube.

About The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) is the nation's leading provider of comprehensive physical medicine and rehabilitation care to patients from around the world. Founded in 1954, RIC has been designated the "No. 1 Rehabilitation Hospital in America" by U.S. News & World Report every year since 1991. RIC sets the standard of care in the post-acute market through its innovative applied research and discovery programs, particularly in the areas of neuroscience, bionic medicine, musculoskeletal medicine and technology transfer. For more information, go to www.ric.org.

[i] As ranked by U.S. News & World Report

SOURCE Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

Related Links

http://www.skyrisechicago.com