A Story of Strength, Resilience, and an Unbreakable Will
In 2015, Ivy couldn’t get out of bed.
Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS)—a rare inflammatory disease that attacks the spine—had taken her mobility and slowly dimmed her independence. Walking was painful. A wheelchair became necessary. Depression quietly followed.
But Ivy’s spirit was stronger than her diagnosis.
With the guidance of Dr. Philip Ploska, spine surgeon and CEO of Regenerative Orthopaedics and Spine Institute, and Lisa Sims, NP-C, Ivy began a journey that would test every ounce of her strength. What followed were four spinal fusions, seven total surgeries, months of recovery, and relentless physical therapy.
There were insurance battles.
There were setbacks.
There were days when progress felt invisible.
Yet Ivy never stopped showing up.
She drove 60 miles for appointments.
She committed to physical therapy when it hurt the most.
She chose movement—because with AS, movement is medicine.
Step by step, she rebuilt her life.
And this past weekend, Ivy crossed the finish line after completing 26.5 miles — a full marathon distance.
Let that sink in.
From wheelchair-bound… to marathon finisher.
Her achievement isn’t just about distance. It’s about determination. It’s about refusing to let pain write the final chapter. It’s about a strong will that refused to surrender to circumstance.
“I just kept putting one foot in front of the other,” Ivy says. “I knew if I didn’t quit, I would get there.”
Today, Ivy stands as living proof that healing is not linear, recovery is not easy, and hope is not passive. Hope is active. It moves. It fights. It endures.
Her journey is part of our HOPE Series — stories that remind us what is possible when expert care meets extraordinary courage.
And Ivy is just getting started.
