Gleason- Neuro Note #2

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Documentary: Gleason
Amazon Prime $2.99 
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgkQU32XSFQ
Website: http://www.teamgleason.org

Gleason was one of the hardest documentaries I have ever watched. It was also one of the most inspiring documentaries I have watched. I chose this documentary to gain insight on the disease ALS and the impact it has on someone’s life. This documentary takes you through the life of Steve Gleason, a retired New Orleans Saint NFL player, after he discovers his diagnosis of ALS. 6 weeks after the diagnosis, Steve and his wife find out they are having a baby. Knowing that this fatal disease is progressive he decides to start video blogs to pass on to his son Rivers once he has passed. 

Throughout the documentary you can see how progressive the disease is. Month after month he loses his ability to walk. He first uses a cane, and then a walker, and then eventually a wheelchair. They have therapist that come in and educate his wife and his caretaker about range of motion and the importance of body positioning in wheelchairs. Steve eventually loses his ability to talk and begins using a talking device that he controls with his eyes. We see Steve struggle throughout the documentary with his purpose of wanting to be the best dad he can be. He has devices that help him hold bottles to feed his son with. He also was able to hang toys around his walker for his son to play with. Because those are the things that are important to him, I thought it was cool to see him be able to do those things. It’s important as occupational therapist that we find out what that purpose in someone’s life is and do everything we can to help them feel like they have achieved that.

 Early on in his diagnosis Steve and his wife decide to start a non profit organization for people with ALS called Team Gleason. He was given the choice to raise money to find a cure or raise money for technology, services and equipment. Steve chooses technology, services, and equipment which I thought was really cool. They provide services and technology to people with ALS. They are also able to send individuals with muscular disease and injuries on life adventures to document and bring awareness towards ALS. In 2015, a law was signed to ensure access to all people who need assistive communication device. That law is called the Steve Gleason Act.   Today they are still pushing boundaries of what is possible in living with ALS. They work with large tech companies working with innovating technology and are striving to find new solutions. 

We have learned that ALS is so progressive and with there being no cure, it’s important to make the time on earth you have left the best. As occupational therapist, it’s important to educate our clients on that. This film gave me a true insight on this heartbreaking disease and how progressive it can be. Steve Gleason has overcome so much and has been an inspiration to so many people. I recommend this documentary for anyone who is wanting to know more about this disease. I also recommend going on the Team Gleason website to learn more about what this foundation is doing and the people it has impacted. 

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