Pat Sanders was once defined by movement—hiking, canoeing, biking, building with his hands. He was an active father and husband who lived fully and capably. But in a single moment, that physical life was shattered. A bicycle crash while riding with his family resulted in a severe spinal cord injury that left him immobilized, with doctors warning he might never regain use of his arms or legs. “I could see blood running up my face and I could not move,” he recalled. The prognosis was grim, and his initial inpatient rehabilitation, while helpful, was limited—just a few weeks when months of therapy were truly needed. With insurance caps and a lack of comprehensive services in his hometown of Kokomo, Indiana, Pat and his family were forced to improvise and travel long distances in search of more complete care.

Determined to reclaim mobility, Pat and his wife connected with NeuroHope in Indianapolis to help them built a makeshift treadmill with a body-weight harness system at home, attempting to recreate some of the rehabilitation benefits he wasn’t able to easily access locally. But the discovery of DRIVEN NeuroRecovery Center—through its new partnership with NeuroHope and Conquer Paralysis Now—offered a game-changing solution. 

“It’s a one-stop shop,” Pat said. “I've been to a lot of facilities in Indiana, and there’s really nothing like this.”

At DRIVEN’s state-of-the-art Indianapolis facility, Pat began using advanced systems like the body-weight-supported treadmill and the ceiling-mounted Vector harness track. These technologies allowed him to safely simulate walking while incrementally regaining balance and stamina.

The addition of aquatic therapy was another critical milestone in Pat’s rehabilitation. “We do step-ups, sidestepping, working on balance—just walking in water helps a lot,” he explained. Combined with circuit training, adaptive strength classes, and fine motor exercises, Pat has made measurable progress in both upper and lower body function. “I finally started moving my right arm,” he shared. “And over the last six months, I’ve been able to move my fingers in my right hand.” Small gains like these are major victories in the context of paralysis recovery. “Every month, we celebrate. If I stood for another three minutes or walked a few more steps, that’s a win.”

Now into his second year with DRIVEN, Pat continues to build on each milestone. “My big goal is still to walk again—and it’s not if, but when,” he said. With his wife and sons by his side, he remains committed to consistent therapy, grateful for a facility where cost, community, and access align. “This place is affordable and accessible. That makes it sustainable, and that’s not something you get everywhere,” he said. For Pat, DRIVEN isn’t just a rehab center—it’s the foundation of a future. 

“If you have any kind of movement or want to get back to the life you had before, don’t give up.”