Sports Rehabilitation and the Human Spirit: How the Landmark Program at the Lakeshore Foundation Rebuilds Bodies and Restores Lives

Sports Rehabilitation and the Human Spirit tells the intersecting story of a man, Michael E. Stephens, and an organization, the Lakeshore Foundation of Birmingham, Alabama. The Lakeshore campus is world-renowned for rehabilitation, sports, and fitness services for children and adults who have experienced physical disability as a result of injuries, birth conditions, illness, or in service to our nation. The people who partake of the services at Lakeshore include those with paralysis, amputations, and limited mobility and function due to muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, stroke, and other health conditions that could present significant physical challenges. Stephens, who experienced a spinal injury and paralysis as a young man, became a successful hospital executive and entrepreneur. In 2003, Lakeshore was designated by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as an official United States training site for Paralympic and Olympic athletes.