The Annual Jim Thorpe Inpatient Rehab Reunion is held every year to celebrate the success of their rehab patients. Each year a courage award is given to the patient who has shown the most strength and perseverance. That patient this year was Gloria Dille.
83 year old Gloria Dille suffered a stroke back in May. She starting her rehab with Jim Thorpe at CCMH, and was there for about a month working with the speech, physical, and occupational therapists.
Gloria says it was an honor to receive the Courage Award.
“Just to be here and see everybody that took care of me is an exhilarating experience,” said Dille.
“We think of everybody here as family,” said Brenda Hensley, Gloria’s daughter.
Hensley says they asked around to find the best facility to go to, and everyone pointed them to Jim Thorpe at CCMH.
“She’s so grateful to all of us. She tells us how much we’ve inspired her and how special we are to her,” said speech language pathologist Andrea Marr. “But I’m not sure she realizes how special she is to us.”
Andrea Marr is a speech language pathologist who worked to help Gloria with her swallowing disorder. Marr says when it comes to recovery, it’s all about the patients perseverance—something Gloria showed a lot of.
“The patients own determination and motivation. Even when they’re fearful that they might fall or that they’re not progressing. Just pushing through that fear and not giving up,” Marr said.
Hensley says choosing Jim Thorpe at CCMH, was the best decision.
“They treated my mom with dignity. Naturally when she came here she had no mobile function, and everyone treated my mother with respect and gave her the best care possible,” Hensley said.
Gloria says, if it wasn’t for Jim Thorpe, she wouldn’t be back home with her husband, which was her goal all along.
“This facility sets a bar and nobody else can touch it,” said Dille.
There were many nominations for this years award. And the winner is chosen by the Leadership Team from the rehab center.