Community Cares: A Fundraiser for the Gould Family

Many of you know our dear client, Tricia Gould. She is one of those people who knows everyone and who would do anything for anyone! She has been with us since our inception in 2018 and now it is our time to help her.

Tricia experienced a life-changing event this past April when her husband, Dave, suffered a stroke while on a fishing trip in a remote part of Maryland. Once he finally made it to the hospital in Salisbury, he had emergency surgery to remove clots and place a stent in his carotid artery, but he was left with paralysis of his right side as well as significant speech deficits. Tricia and her three grown children were right by his side for his stay in Salisbury, and he was eventually transferred to Kernan Hospital for in-patient rehab.

After several weeks in rehab, Dave returned home with continued deficits. Tricia and her family and friends were able to adapt the house to his needs (ramp, hospital bed, etc) and Tricia was so grateful for the outpouring of help! This, however, is when the continuation of care became frustrating. Home visits were stalled due to insurance issues, and Tricia was doing everything she could (out-of-pocket) to help Dave continue to improve. This included acupuncture and many trips to their amazing chiropractor. She has even booked a visit with a functional medicine doctor in Florida later this month!

Eventually Dave was able to start outpatient rehab at St. Joseph, although it has been slightly inconsistent, and has qualified for a program called WISH (Wellness in Stroke Head Injury) at Towson University which starts on September 10th. This is great news for the family as Dave will receive PT, OT, and speech therapy consistently through this program!

At this time, almost 5 months post-stroke, Dave can walk with a cane and AFO for his right foot. He is still unable to use his right arm and his bladder is still not functioning. He also continues with speech deficits including aphasia and apraxia. Despite frustrating phone calls with insurance companies, appointment conflicts, concerns over money, and her own return to work, Tricia has persevered and we are so so proud of her. She has Dave on a strict (and expensive) diet to promote brain healing and eliminate toxins from his body. And, best of all, she continues to care for her own body by getting to Towne Barre several times a week! She is Super Woman!

As most of you know, Towne Barre is all about community, and Tricia is a solid member of our community. Therefore, this year, our annual October fundraiser will be dedicated to the Gould family as all money raised will go towards Dave’s medical expenses. As in years past, we are teaming up with Form Salon to create an amazing event, which will also include special guest (and good friend of Tricia’s) Mary Pinkard! This event will take place on Friday, October 11, from 6-8pm. Details and registration information can be found on our Events page.