Anita Kaiser’s lived experience inspires spinal rehab research

Anita Kaiser, UHN KITE research trainee and University of Toronto Ph.D. candidate.
Anita Kaiser, UHN KITE research trainee and University of Toronto Ph.D. candidate.

When’s the last time you checked your tire tread? If you’re like me, never! That was until hearing how low tire tread led to a life altering car crash for Anita Kaiser. Stopping for gas, after smelling rubber, she and her twin sister were reassured by a garage attendant, “Tire pressure is good, tread is low. It’ll get you home but when back, get a full inspection.”

That 400-highway solo car crash, minutes later, resulted in a devastating spinal injury for Anita, a recent bio-chem undergraduate and only 24 years old.

Now this UHN KITE research trainee and University of Toronto Ph.D. candidate will defend her dissertation, “Development and validation of a measurement tool to track participation in activity-based therapy for people living with spinal cord injury or disease,” in September 2024.

She shared her medical journey. “I spent four months in hospital getting my breathing and other functions stabilized, then a year at Lyndhurst, now part of UHN’s Spinal Rehab Centre, surrounded by caring professionals. The program – my rehab boot camp with hours of therapy each day – focused on building strength in muscles that were still innervated and learning adaptive ways of doing things to be as independent as possible.”

When asked, Anita clarified the word ‘innervated.’ “Innervated means my brain and some of the muscles, for example, in my hands were still connecting and communicating so I retained some muscle movement.”

She continued, “My next research goal, which I am uniquely positioned to investigate, has emerged from my personal experience with a new rehab protocol called Activity Based Therapy aiming for maximum neurorecovery, independence, and quality of life even years after injury.

“An invaluable aspect of the program that enhanced the psychological services was socializing and talking with my peer group. Facing our individual challenges, we supported each other through setbacks and successes,” she added.

Once she completed the program and moved into her own apartment, she missed the support and had to learn to adjust to a new life in a less accessible world. No more meals delivered on cue. Being alone for hours and facing the reality of things she could not accomplish.

“Even though caring family, friends and rehab supports were in place and deeply appreciated, this was the toughest time…mourning my pre-injury life and facing my reality,” she said. But she did not let her trials deter her. Twelve years after her injury Anita successfully defended her Master’s thesis. “I researched parenting with a spinal cord injury.” She also gave birth to her now teen daughter, thrilling herself and her husband.

She’s also no couch potato. She gives back and is at ease sharing her health journey. “I travelled across Ontario for two years with SmartRisk talking about spinal cord injuries and encouraging high schoolers to be mindful of protecting themselves from injury.” 

An avid sportswoman, Anita has certified as a scuba diver, attained her level three sailing rating, swum competitively for three years at the provincial level and enjoyed adaptive water and downhill skiing, horseback riding and biking, remarkably, all since her injury.

Anita offered some sage advice. “We all experience difficulties and may need to realign our priorities. I do have down moments, but when no one’s around to cheer me on, I focus on the positives, being grateful, and then I get going.”

Join Team Leaside Life at UHN’s Sept 8th Rally for Research presented by BMO and meet Anita, an inspiring rehab researcher.

 

About Suzanne Park 67 Articles
Suzanne Park is a leadership and conversation coach and writer who enjoys bringing to the pages of Leaside Life the unique experiences and community contributions of her Leaside neighbours. Her daughter Zhen, a student at Leaside High School, is also a contributor to Leaside Life with a fresh perspective on her community.