Sister-Bear Foundation

A Tragic Accident

In March of 2018, Julie Granger’s daughter Kathryn was severely injured in an auto accident that left her paralyzed from the chest down and caused the death of her best friend. Kathryn was treated at an acute care hospital in Fort Worth and was able to return to her home in Amarillo; however, she was unable to access resources in her hometown that would facilitate her ability to adapt to a new life as a paraplegic.

A Long Journey and Commute to Healing

Julie commuted with Kathryn weekly on a 10-hour, round-trip journey between Amarillo and Fort Worth to access specialized therapy, where her neurological and physical rehab included advanced, innovative treatments such as robotics, cutting edge muscle/nerve stimulation, aquatic therapy, muscle atrophy mitigation techniques, and virtual reality training.

Hardship Inspires Help for Others

The cost and time of travel created a hardship for the Granger family, and they realized that many others in the Texas Panhandle region could benefit from the type of rehabilitation Kathryn received in Ft. Worth. Fortunately, Kathryn was able to access care in Lubbock, but it was limited to robotic treatment only. However, the time and distance still limit her to weekly trips when she could benefit from more regular adaptive fitness sessions closer to home.

Sister-Bear is Born

The Granger’s story is the catalyst that led Julie to start Sister-Bear Fund in 2019, with the goal of helping many adults in Amarillo and the surrounding area who have suffered strokes, spinal cord and brain injuries, and other neurological injuries or illnesses to access fitness and wellness resources. In case you are wondering, Kathryn Granger is the "sister" in Sister-Bear, which is a family nickname for her that also honors her late friend, "Sarah-Bear".

Sister-Bear Foundation's mission is to provide access to adaptive fitness and wellness resources for adults recovering from a stroke, spinal cord or brain injury, or other neurologic event to improve their health, functionality, and quality of life.

A Partnership is Formed with NWTHS

In October 2021, Sister-Bear Foundation formed a partnership with Northwest Texas Healthcare System to help bring neurological rehabilitation to Amarillo! Thanks to the generous supporters of the nonprofit's annual Sister-Bear Shoot, Sister-Bear paid a $5,000 deposit to purchase a pre-owned Lokomat® from Neurological Recovery Center in Fort Worth to be placed in the new NWTHS Physical Therapy facility in Wolflin Village.

Lokomat Therapy Leads to Enhanced Life for Mobility-Impaired Adults!

The Lokomat can be used for patients with walking impairments caused by muscle weakness and limited active range of motion in lower extremities. Any adult with a neurological illness or brain or spinal cord injury that limits their mobility can benefit from Lokomat therapy, which primarily increases lower extremity muscle strength and the range of motion of joints, and improves endurance, balance, and muscle tone regulation and spasticity reduction.