Meet Mo

When Mo completed the Bionic5K running race this April, it was a meaningful accomplishment — physically and emotionally.

“It gave me a confidence that I didn’t know I was missing,” says Mo. “I realized that I can do everything I used to do before.”

Mo first came to Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Boston in 2017, after an accident resulted in a double amputation of his lower legs. He relearned how to walk, now on prosthetics, and then continued with Spaulding outpatient therapy to keep working on his mobility and flexibility.

An elite athlete his entire life, Mo was eager to return to his passion for sports. He went on to become a member of the New England Patriots wheelchair football team and the Rollin’ Celtics wheelchair basketball team, traveling and competing across the country. But one thing was missing: running.

“Not being able to run has made me feel empty inside at times,” says Mo, who recently received a grant for specialty running prosthetics through a Spaulding donor-supported program. The BOOST Program for Limb Loss provides therapies and equipment to enable patients to achieve greater safety, independence, and quality of life. “When I got on the treadmill and was able to jog without holding on, I wanted to cry — cry because of how happy I was and how long it had been.”

Donations help Spaulding invest in specialty equipment and unique programs to meet the diverse needs of our patients. At Spaulding’s Outpatient Centers, we’ve used gifts to purchase motion-sensing vests to better analyze sport-specific movements, virtual-reality equipment to treat vestibular and balance issues, a Pilates tower to facilitate low-impact exercises, and an Exoskeleton robotic system to help people with leg weakness to walk.

Your gifts help our Spaulding patients get the customized therapy and resources they need to get their confidence — and their passions — back.

Mo participated in a BOOST running therapy program at Spaulding, also made possible by donations, to learn how to use his new blades. He credits his physical therapist Urvashi for helping him nail his form with her keen eye and extensive knowledge.

“Without donations to Spaulding, this wouldn’t have been possible,” says Mo. “Donors really make dreams come true, providing new hope and a different life.”