FES THERAPY CHANNELS HOPE:
CARL KEITH’S STORY

For more than 30 years, Carl Keith of West Des Moines, Iowa, built his career in the electrical, instrumentation and controls trades, working on the construction, maintenance and operation of power plants and paper mills. Much of his work involved leading teams responsible for installing turbine combustion electrical equipment, including conduit, wiring and control panels. Outside of work, he put those same skills to use building two homes, completing all the electrical installation himself, from the service entrance to the finishing details.

On November 16, 2022, Carl’s life changed during what was expected to be a routine disc replacement surgery. He awoke with paralysis from the stomach down, resulting in an incomplete C6/C7 spinal cord injury that left him with quadriplegia and no use of his lower extremities, hands or fingers. Before his injury, Carl was an active professional who frequently traveled overseas for work to provide for his family. He also enjoyed jiu-jitsu, hunting, fishing and home improvement projects.

Today, he faces the ongoing physical and financial challenges of living with a spinal cord injury, including the costs of daily nursing care, physical therapy and medical equipment. Despite these challenges, Carl remains committed to his rehabilitation. After making progress through outpatient physical therapy, he began researching functional electrical stimulation (FES) bikes as a way to continue his recovery at home. That search led him to the Myolyn website, where he discovered The Joseph Groh Foundation.

Through the generosity of the Foundation’s donors, Carl received a grant for a MyoCycle Home Plus (MC-HP-2), a 10-channel FES cycling therapy system designed to support his continued rehabilitation. Access to this equipment means more than adding another tool to his home. It provides an opportunity to build on the progress he has already made and work toward improving his physical health, mobility, and quality of life.

“Having an FES bike will improve my physical and emotional health by giving me access to a new form of movement during my physical rehabilitation sessions,” Carl shared. He hopes the equipment will help reduce muscle spasms and pain, improve his range of motion, and support bowel health. Without the bike, Carl explained, his rehabilitation options are limited to exercises from his wheelchair or bed, making further progress more difficult.

Carl’s discovery of Myolyn highlights the importance of the Foundation’s reach in connecting individuals with resources that support life after a life-altering injury. Through the generosity of our donors and the strength of the trades community, these connections help individuals like Carl build their next chapter.

The Joseph Groh Foundation provides grants throughout the year to help individuals connected to the contracting industry who are living with life-altering disabilities access essential resources and regain independence. Monthly Luminary donors provide dependable support that helps sustain this work and advance the Foundation’s mission.