Featured Patient
Memorial Day weekend began like any other for Kurt Angstadt, who set out on a routine training ride on his bike. But this ride was far from routine—it was the day that changed his life forever. Not long after he left home, Kurt was struck by a van, leading to devastating injuries. He was rushed to the trauma team at Paoli Hospital, where he had many fractures in his ribs, spine, pelvis, face, and right leg, along with serious injuries to his lungs, heart, and abdomen. After enduring multiple surgeries and 55 days (about 2 months) at Lankenau Medical Center, Kurt was transferred to Bryn Mawr Rehab, where his journey of healing began.
At Bryn Mawr Rehab, Kurt discovered a place of hope and resilience. The team provided him with the support and encouragement he needed to tackle the immense challenges ahead. As he began to comprehend the extent of his injuries, Kurt faced the daunting task of rebuilding his life. Over 25 days, he embraced the comprehensive care and innovative therapies that Bryn Mawr Rehab is known for, dedicating himself to relearning how to walk, talk, eat, and even breathe. Each day, he underwent three hours of intensive, personalized therapy designed to restore not just his physical abilities but his confidence and spirit.
For Kurt, Bryn Mawr Rehab became more than just a place of healing—it became a community that empowered him to reclaim his life. As a husband, father of two young boys, and a seasoned triathlete, Kurt was no stranger to hard work and perseverance. However, starting from such fundamental tasks was a new and humbling experience. Thanks to the unwavering support of the team at Bryn Mawr Rehab, Kurt found the strength to face each new challenge.
Kurt often speaks of the many angels who guided him on his path to recovery. He vividly remembers the long hallway adorned with artwork, where he would practice walking each day. “My therapist knew which pieces of art were my favorite and would start me walking a little further away from them each time. I would walk until I reached my favorite picture—it kept me going,” Kurt recalls. This thoughtful and personalized approach exemplifies the dedication of Bryn Mawr Rehab to helping patients not only recover but thrive.
Honoree
Having been raised in a family of nurses, Donna always felt comfortable in the healthcare environment. Starting her career in the “up and coming” field of medical records at Mercy Haverford Hospital, Donna forged a strong relationship with her supervisor and mentor, now retired Main Line Health CFO Mike Buongiorno, who ultimately convinced Donna to follow him to Main Line Health when he joined the system. In her first years at Bryn Mawr Rehab, Donna was not only responsible for medical records, but also utilization review, outpatient admissions, and eventually inpatient admissions. In 2001, Donna was promoted to Vice President of Clinical and Support Services, assuming responsibility for program development, facility design, financial oversight, and facilitation of quality.
In 2003, the departure of another one of her close mentors and friends, former Bryn Mawr Rehab President Pat Ryan, led to a promotion to President for Donna, making her the fourth female hospital President in the Main Line Health system at that time.
Donna credits the plethora of opportunities and exciting projects she has been afforded throughout her career for her long tenure at BMRH. President and CEO of Main Line Health Jack Lynch called on Donna in 2015 to oversee the PIVOT Project – the largest organizational transformation in the history of Main Line Health with the system-wide implementation of the Epic electronic health record system. Donna was responsible for managing the team, technology, training, and processes that comprised Main Line Health’s $500 million investment. On March 3, 2018, Main Line Health became one of the few health systems across the country to implement Epic simultaneously across all acute care locations and ambulatory practices throughout the system’s $1.5 billion enterprise.
Another BMRH program close to Donna’s heart is Project SEARCH, an educational and work transition program for adults with disabilities, to achieve sustainable employment and greater independence. Donna recalls attending a conference in State College, PA with current Executive Director and Vice President of Bryn Mawr Rehab Rose Plumari when they learned about this program and together, immediately decided to pursue bringing it home to Bryn Mawr Rehab’s patients. Donna approached Jack Lynch, who did not hesitate to accept their proposal and committed the partnership of Main Line Health. Formally established at Bryn Mawr Rehab in October 2010, Project SEARCH combines real-life work experience through the integration of classroom instruction and on-the-job training. Fourteen years later, Donna still feels a great sense of personal pride in the program and its graduates, who have accumulated longevity in their positions and continue to express their gratitude for the life-changing opportunities that have been afforded to them by the program – as well as the employment managers, whose excitement continues over the availability of new interns from each year’s graduating class.
Perhaps the crowning jewel of Donna’s contributions to Bryn Mawr Rehab is Art Ability, which has been an integral part of BMRH since its first exhibition and sale of work by artists with disabilities in 1996. Under Donna’s leadership, the program has grown exponentially, thanks in large part to the addition of a gala in 2018 to highlight an impactful patient story and raise funds for the betterment of Art Ability and the hospital. Almost 30 years after its inception, Art Ability has become a well-recognized program in the international art community, with more than 1,000 artists participating over the years, generating over $12.3 million in sales. These sales not only benefit the artists directly, but also BMRH in order to sustain the innovative therapies and programs available to our patients.
Despite Bryn Mawr Rehab’s significant growth and therapeutic advances over the years, Donna acknowledges one thing that has not changed – its people. Many individuals lifted her up throughout her career and provided her with opportunities to grow and be successful: Mike Buongiorno, Pat Ryan, Jack Lynch, and Barbara Wadsworth, to name a few, as well as a close friend and colleague whom Donna acknowledges to have been extremely instrumental in her career, Rose Plumari. She is also incredibly grateful for the unwavering support of her family: her husband, Chris, and children, Sean and Jenna. As for the Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital community, “The dedication, the compassion, the creativity that our staff do every day for the care of our patients. That has not changed. We wouldn’t be who we are if it wasn’t for our team – the doctors, the nurses, the therapists, the housekeepers, the food service staff, the pharmacists. We’re all on the same playing field to get our patients where they need to be – on the road to recovery.”
Featured Artist
Rebecca Scheuer is a retired high school counselor and artist living in Lancaster County, PA with her husband, two dogs and two cats. She began her oil painting journey in 2015 after a serious car accident. Rebecca and her husband, John, were hit head on by a texting teenager going 80 miles per hour. The accident left her with a concussion, hemorrhage behind her right eye, and months spent in a fog with severe double vision. Her visual therapist suggested painting as an exercise in hand/eye coordination. Having never dabbled in anything more than a few craft projects, Rebecca immediately took to painting and devoted herself to her practice. She began taking painting lessons with Bruce Becker at The Warehouse Studios in Reading, PA who helped her hone her style and technique. Despite her challenges, Rebecca has maintained a cheerful, positive outlook on life and her sense of humor is often reflected in her colorful, whimsical paintings. She enjoys painting animals and cocktails, two of her favorite things. Rebecca says, “Painting things that make me smile has given me the opportunity to express myself and share my love of bright colors, nature, and the simple beauty in our everyday surroundings. It took an unfortunate event to jumpstart this journey, but now I’m hooked.”See below for a sneak peek at some of the work Rebecca will have in this year's Art Ability exhibition.
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