Back in the Game with HBOT

For Wauseon High School athlete Riley Riegsecker, sports have always been more than just a pastime. They are a way of life. A dedicated and competitive athlete, Riley has played varsity basketball for the past two years while also competing in track and AAU basketball. His commitment to athletic excellence is reflected in a demanding training schedule that includes six days per week of basketball skill development, strength training, and plyometric conditioning.

That dedication was suddenly put to the test when a routine basketball workout resulted in a serious injury.

During a training session, Riley landed awkwardly and severely rolled his ankle. The pain was immediate and intense. Within a short time, his ankle had swollen to approximately the size of a tennis ball, and he struggled to move normally. The injury occurred at one of the worst possible times; just ten days before the start of Northwest Ohio Athletic League (NWOAL) play.

After being evaluated at urgent care, Riley’s ankle was placed in a compression wrap and stabilized in a walking boot. He required crutches to get around. The injury not only sidelined him from basketball practices, games, conditioning sessions, and weight training, but also made everyday activities difficult. Even getting around his own home was a challenge, and he developed a noticeable limp.

For an athlete accustomed to constant movement and competition, the sudden loss of mobility was difficult, both physically and emotionally.

As a teacher at New Horizons Academy, Riley’s mom, Allie, had heard numerous success stories over the years about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) at Sara’s Garden. Determined to explore every possible avenue to support Riley’s recovery, the family decided to pursue treatment there in hopes of helping him heal faster and return to the court.

The results were encouraging almost immediately.

After just two Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy sessions, Riley experienced noticeable improvements in both his mobility and his limp. He was walking more comfortably and moving with greater ease. Those early gains provided a significant boost to his confidence and motivation.

As treatment continued, Riley reported additional benefits. He experienced increased energy, less fatigue, reduced ankle pain, and an overall sense of improved well-being. These improvements helped support his recovery and allowed him to gradually resume normal activities with greater comfort and confidence.

Throughout the process, Riley was surrounded by encouragement from family, friends, teammates, and community members. Many had heard positive stories about HBOT at Sara’s Garden and were eager to follow his progress. Their support became an important source of motivation as he worked toward his goal of returning to competition.

What happened next exceeded everyone’s expectations.

Despite the severity of the injury, Riley was back on the basketball court just ten days later for the opening game of league play. Not only did he return to action, but he also delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 21 points and helping lead Wauseon to a hard-fought victory in an exciting, closely contested game.

“Seeing him compete at that level so soon after his injury was remarkable,” Allie shared. “We never imagined he would be able to return that quickly.”

Riley went on to enjoy an exceptional season, earning numerous accolades, including First Team NWOAL, First Team District 7, Second Team All-Northwest District, and Honorable Mention All-Ohio Division IV honors.

Today, five months after the injury, Riley feels fully recovered. The swelling has completely resolved, he no longer requires an ankle brace, and he has returned to training and competition with confidence. He feels stronger, more stable, and comfortable participating in the activities he loves without fear of reinjury.

While every injury and recovery journey is unique, Riley believes Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy played an important role in supporting his healing process, reducing discomfort, and helping him return to an active lifestyle sooner than expected.

His family’s gratitude remains strong.

“We are incredibly thankful to have such a valuable resource so close to home,” Allie said. “Sara’s Garden played a tremendous role in helping Riley return to the basketball court and enjoy a season that we feared might have been cut short. We were amazed by both the results and the speed of his recovery.”

For athletes facing injuries and the uncertainty that often follows, Riley’s story serves as an inspiring example of determination, support, and the potential benefits that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy may provide as part of the recovery process.

No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

From Lost Memories to New Beginnings

For Tim Coons, life has never followed a simple path. At just four years old, he was diagnosed with Myotonia Congenita, a rare inherited condition that prevents muscles from quickly relaxing after contraction. Throughout his childhood and into early adulthood, this meant frequent falls—and often, being unable to get back up right away. Those moments came with a cost: repeated head injuries from ages 4 through 27, shaping both his physical and cognitive experiences in ways he only later came to fully understand.

Despite these challenges, Tim adapted. He lived with resilience, often pushing through without medical intervention, trusting that time alone would help him recover. But in February 2020, everything changed.

A severe auto accident left Tim with multiple head injuries and a concussion that would dramatically alter his life. In the months that followed, he lost nearly all of his memory—up to 95%—for six to eight months. He describes that time as being trapped: confined to a dark room, in constant pain, aware that he should be able to remember, but unable to access even the simplest thoughts. With the COVID-19 pandemic limiting access to care, he found himself searching for relief wherever he could.

Like many facing chronic pain without guidance, Tim turned to short-term solutions. He began using THC to cope, which temporarily dulled the pain but led to a difficult cycle of dependency. “If I quit for even one day,” he recalls, “it felt like my head was being compressed with sharp daggers from every direction.” It was a loop he knew he needed to break—but didn’t yet know how.

That turning point came when his mother discovered Sara’s Garden. Known for its natural and innovative therapies, Sara’s Garden offered something Tim had never tried before: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).

From his very first session, the impact was undeniable.

After just one HBOT “dive,” Tim walked outside and felt something he hadn’t experienced in years—connection. “I felt more connected to life than ever before,” he shares. His senses sharpened, his mind cleared, and for the first time since his accident, the pain began to ease. That initial breakthrough marked the beginning of consistent, meaningful progress.

With each treatment, improvements continued. His headspace became clearer. His memory strengthened. The constant pain that once dominated his days began to fade. Perhaps most significantly, within just a few sessions, he noticed the grip of THC addiction loosening. By the third dive, the intense urge to rely on it had disappeared.

HBOT didn’t just help Tim recover—it helped him rebuild.

Following another serious fall that resulted in additional head trauma and a prolonged loss of consciousness, Tim returned to Sara’s Garden. This time, the results went beyond recovery. “Not only did I heal,” he says, “I became better.”

Today, Tim is back to working with clients, reconnecting with colleagues, and pursuing his ambitions. His coworkers, who witnessed his journey in real-time, were astonished by the transformation—seeing him go from struggling to function to thriving again in a matter of days and weeks. What once felt impossible—clarity, consistency, and forward momentum—has become his new reality.

He now approaches life with renewed purpose: continuing his professional work, building a nonprofit, and contributing to a growing business venture—all while maintaining a demanding daily schedule. Most importantly, he has broken free from THC entirely, embracing long-term healing over short-term relief.

Tim’s journey is a testament to perseverance, the power of support, and the impact of innovative natural therapies like HBOT. As he reflects on everything he has overcome, one message stands out clearly: “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

At Sara’s Garden, that opportunity helped Tim find his way back—not just to who he was, but to who he’s becoming. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

When Healing Finds Its Way

Emily was a young girl full of energy, always in motion and eager to fill her days with activity and new experiences. She loved keeping herself busy, whether that meant juggling school, hobbies, or spending time with friends, and she was always excited to try something new. Curious and motivated, Emily thrived on learning and pushing herself beyond her comfort zone. She had recently begun practicing for her driver’s license, savoring the growing sense of independence that came with each lesson. She was also preparing to take the next big step into adulthood by getting ready to look for her first full-time job. Everything in her life seemed to be moving forward, fueled by her enthusiasm and determination.

Not long after returning home from a mission trip to the Dominican Republic, Emily began to feel unwell, starting with an uneasy sickness in her stomach that she assumed would pass. Instead, her condition worsened, and one morning she woke to find her entire body overwhelmed by weakness. She was painfully fatigued, unsteady on her feet, and troubled by a numbness that made even simple movements difficult. The vibrant independence she had been building slipped away as she was forced to stop preparing for her driver’s license and spend days confined to the couch. Needing help with tasks she once did effortlessly was deeply upsetting, leaving Emily frightened and frustrated by how suddenly her world had changed.

When her condition did not improve, she was admitted to the hospital with doctors suspecting Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a diagnosis that explained the sudden and frightening changes in her body. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) (pronounced Ghee-yan Bah-ray) is a rare neurological autoimmune disorder in which a person’s immune system mistakenly attacks part of their peripheral nervous system—the network of nerves that carries signals from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body.

Emily spent a week in the ICU, where she received daily infusions of intravenous immunoglobulin to halt the progression of the disease. The treatment was effective in stopping the GBS from worsening, but it did not restore her strength. When Emily was discharged, she was still left feeling weak and exhausted, her body slow to respond as it once had. Doctors explained that recovery would be a long process, taking months and possibly up to a year to feel normal again. She was told there was nothing she could do to speed up her healing—only wait and hope her strength would gradually return.

Emily was not willing to sit back and wait a year for her health and independence to return. Though her body was weakened, her determination remained strong, and she refused to accept inactivity as her only option. She remembered Sara’s Garden and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy from two years earlier, when she had been treated there with remarkable success for Lyme disease. That experience gave her hope that healing did not have to be passive or slow. Drawing on that memory, Emily and her family began exploring whether Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy could once again play a role in helping her body recover and regain strength.

After just one week of hyperbaric treatments, Emily began to feel her strength returning in small but meaningful ways. She felt more awake, more present, and increasingly ready to be active again, no longer relying on a walker for support. Each day brought a little more confidence and energy, reinforcing her determination to keep moving forward. By the third week of treatments, the changes were unmistakable—Emily was going out again, reconnecting with the world around her, and becoming more involved with her family and friends, embracing a renewed sense of independence and hope.

Emily’s family and friends couldn’t help but notice the significant changes taking place during her HBOT treatments, both physically and mentally. With each passing week, she seemed stronger, more engaged, and more like herself, prompting loved ones to excitedly say she was “coming alive again.” After treatments, people often commented that they could see the difference in her eyes—brighter, more focused, and full of renewed energy—clear signs that she was truly feeling better and reconnecting with life around her.

Months after completing her HBOT treatments, Emily continues to feel great and fully back to normal. She is full of energy, motivated, and ready to keep working toward new milestones with confidence. Her progress has translated into meaningful achievements—she passed her driver’s test and is now proudly employed at Special Grounds Coffee. These accomplishments reflect not only her physical recovery but also her determination and enthusiasm for moving forward into this new chapter of her life.

Emily loved and appreciated her time at Sara’s Garden while receiving Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, describing the experience as overwhelmingly positive and life-changing. From the supportive environment to the sense of community she felt during each session, her time there played an important role in her healing journey. Reflecting on her experience, Emily shared, “The staff is so kind and caring and it’s so nice to get to know new people in the chamber.” The compassion, encouragement, and connections she formed at Sara’s Garden left a lasting impact on her life and recovery.

No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

What Happens When Meds Don’t Work?

As a young adult, Jolie enjoyed a busy and active lifestyle. She was working full-time and attending school part-time to be a medical secretary. She and her husband had just purchased their first home and spent all their extra time cleaning and renovating the house, mowing the lawn, planting flowers and having friends and family over for gatherings. She also enjoyed cooking, baking and going on long nature walks. That all changed when she was 24 years old, and her world was turned upside down.

Jolie would suddenly become too dizzy to walk without holding on to something to stabilize her. She lost all her stamina and struggled to walk more than 10 minutes without getting fatigued. She reached a point where she could no longer garden or do yard work. Simple tasks, such as shopping for groceries, would drain her energy for an entire day. Even driving a car for more than a few minutes would completely exhaust her. As her condition continued to deteriorate, Jolie and her husband were forced to sell their home when it became too unsafe for her to navigate stairs without falling.

Jolie was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), an incurable, autoimmune disease that impacts the central nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. “Sclerosis” refers to scarring of the white matter of the brain and spinal cord. In the case of MS, the immune system, our body’s defense mechanism, mistakenly targets myelin cells, the protective coverings of the brain and spinal cord nerves. This damage to the myelin sheath disrupts the transmission of messages or signals that nerves send across the body, affecting crucial functions such as vision, sensation, and movement.

MS usually strikes young adults like Jolie. Over time, it can render a person unable to write, speak and walk. According to a 2019 study funded by the National MS Society, around 1 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. That number is more than twice what was found in previous studies. Unfortunately, scientists still don’t know the root cause of this disease. However, over the past two decades, extensive international medical research has demonstrated that Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can play an extremely important role in the treatment of MS. In many European countries, HBOT is now considered an integral part of the MS treatment program, and doctors are recommending it as part of their patients’ care plans.

Unfortunately, the American medical community has been slow to accept HBOT as an alternative therapy for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Treatment regimens continue to focus on the use of medications and corticosteroids to reduce nerve inflammation, limit the frequency and severity of clinical attacks, slow disability progression and reduce brain and spinal cord lesions. As with any drug therapy, those that are used to treat MS come with a range of potential side effects, ranging from mild irritation at an injection site to potentially serious complications, like liver damage or severe infections.

However, there is scientific evidence to suggest that oxygen treatment does have beneficial effects for MS sufferers. Many MS people report improvements in their overall symptoms and their functional ability. Patients have reported improvements with their ataxia, numbness in their fingers and hands, balance, visual fields, concentration, pain, weakness, and dizziness. Ideally, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treatments should be initiated as soon as the condition is diagnosed, and before irreversible lesions have become established. This does not mean that patients whose diagnosis was determined more than five years ago will not benefit.

Oxygen is essential to all body tissues, particularly injured ones that require oxygen to heal. Extra oxygenation through HBOT is proven to accelerate the healing process and reduce inflammation. Inflammation in the central nervous system is a signature characteristic of MS, which is one of the reasons why HBOT can slow the progression of the illness. HBOT is also known to boost energy, promote faster recovery from fatigue, reduce pain, and improve concentration and mental clarity, thus alleviating many of the symptoms of MS.

Jolie’s MS treatment journey began like most others in the U.S. with medications. She was placed on numerous drugs for her fatigue and dizziness. None of which worked. She went to physical therapy, but they simply focused on helping her learn how to economize her movements and work at a slow, steady pace. The goal here was only to help manage household tasks and take care of her family. Returning to work and school was impossible.

Jolie learned about HBOT at Sara’s Garden by sheer coincidence. Her daughter had just been diagnosed with Autism and she was looking for a school that specialized in this condition where she could learn, cope, grow and thrive. While touring the school, staff noticed that she was struggling to walk and asked if she was ok. After hearing about her condition, staff informed her about the success Sara’s Garden had in treating individuals who suffer from MS through Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. She scheduled a tour of the hyperbaric center the very next day. Feeling she needed to do whatever she could to take care of her health and her family, she decided to give it a try. To this day, Jolie claims it was the best decision she has ever made.

By the end of the second week of treatments, Jolie began noticing significant improvements in her symptoms. Her dizziness had faded away and her energy levels had increased. Driving was no longer exhausting, and she was able to start taking walks again. Jolie was able to start playing with her children again and even started taking college classes again to complete her degree. Her family said that it was like having the old Jolie back again.

Jolie has said, “The beautiful thing about Sara’s Garden isn’t that it’s faith-based, though that helps, nor that it is a medical treatment that doesn’t pump you full of chemicals. The most beautiful thing – the greatest thing – about Sara’s Garden is that it is a community of people who have hope in miracles, who care about not just you, but anyone who is suffering and needs the kind of help they can give. It is a place where people can connect, uplift, encourage and relate to one another. It’s a place where the greatest treatment isn’t the oxygen therapy – it’s the encouragement, hope and comradery that you find with the staff and other clients.”

Ever since Jolie’s first visit, she has said the same thing repeatedly, with all her heart to anyone who will listen, “Hope grows at Sara’s Garden!” Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Jolie has her life back. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

But You Look Fine

When you are suffering from debilitating symptoms, there is nothing more frustrating than receiving inconclusive test results and no answers as to what is going on with your body, all while being told “…but you look fine”. Individuals living with Lyme disease know this all too well.

In August 2018, Greg was on a motorcycle trip in British Columbia when he started feeling sick. To be safe, he decided to return home to Connecticut, where strange things started happening. Blisters would appear at various places on his body. He was becoming more and more fatigued and would frequently wake up drenched in sweat. Sometimes, he had to change his clothing twice in one night.

Based on his symptoms, Greg was tested for Lyme disease, but tests came back negative. His doctor continued testing him for many other conditions, but all those tests came back negative as well. Unfortunately, Lyme disease is difficult to diagnose and can be even tougher to treat. Testing for Lyme disease can be very challenging. In fact, many patients receive several false negatives and suffer for years before being correctly diagnosed. Thankfully Greg did not have to wait that long as he decided to see a new doctor who had extensive knowledge and experience with Lyme disease.

The doctor listened to Greg’s story and stated, “I have one of three possibilities… Lyme, Lyme or Lyme.” Because only a recent infection shows up on the rudimentary tests that Greg had already received, the doctor ordered more extensive tests for Lyme, and they indicated that he had been infected for some time.

Lyme disease gets its name from the small coastal town of Lyme, Connecticut. In 1975, a woman brought an unusual number of pediatric arthritis cases to the attention of researchers at Yale University. In 1977, the researchers identified and named the clusters “Lyme arthritis.” By 1979, the name was changed to Lyme disease, when additional symptoms such as neurological problems and severe fatigue were linked to the disease.

Eventually, scientists discovered that the disease was caused by a spirochete transmitted by the bite of an Ixodes tick and determined that short course of antibiotics would resolve the issue. Unfortunately, the divide between what the medical community says about Lyme disease and what the chronically ill patients who suffer from it say they are experiencing has remained a wide chasm for decades.

The highest incidences of Lyme disease in the United States are typically reported in the Northeast and Midwest. However, more recent research indicates Lyme disease-carrying ticks are present in all 50 states and approximately half of all U.S. counties, making it the fastest-growing vector-borne disease in the country. The 30,000 cases reported annually to the CDC by state health departments represent only a fraction of the cases diagnosed and treated around the country.

Greg started antibiotics in September 2018. At first, he felt better, but he soon regressed and became increasingly worse. It turns out he had a “co-infection” of Lyme called Babesiosis, caused by microscopic parasites that infect red blood cells. It went undetected because Greg had only been tested for the common strain of Lyme found near his home in Connecticut. He began taking Atovaquone, the same drug prescribed for Malaria. A year later, he began having severe mental problems and tested positive for another co-infection, Bartonella, requiring yet another medication.

For three years, Greg was off and on antibiotics, yet many of his symptoms remained; fatigue, joint pain, neuropathy, and mental issues such as cognitive disfunction, anxiety and depression. With no relief in sight, he began seeking alternative treatments in hopes of feeling better. He went to Germany for whole body hyperthermia treatments, tried a “Lyme diet” and did frequent infrared saunas. All had helped to some extent, but his bad days were still really bad, and he wanted more relief.

Greg had heard about hyperbaric oxygen therapy being used to treat Lyme disease at Yale University back home in Connecticut but had never considered trying it himself. He stumbled upon Sara’s Garden by sheer coincidence… or divine intervention. He had traveled to Northwest Ohio to attend the Wauseon National antique motorcycle event and struck up a conversation with our staff at a tent sale unveiling the new Special Grounds coffee truck. He immediately rode over to Sara’s Garden to learn more about HBOT treatments.

Greg felt this was something he had to try. He started noticing benefits after his first week of treatments. Most notably, he was sleeping better, had more energy and his joint pain began to dissipate. On weekends, Greg would take trips or ride home on his motorcycle. His friends would repeatedly make comments that he was looking and acting much better. He is relieved to feel that he has reached a much more comfortable level of living in his battle with Lyme.

He stated, “I know that the Lyme I have is chronic, so it is a matter of suppression, rather than cure. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy helped me reach a higher level of well-being. Because of this I am planning to return to Sara’s Garden to help me maintain and possibly get even better. I’m so thankful for the staff at Sara’s Garden. From top to bottom, they couldn’t have been better. I feel like I left Wauseon with many new friends!”

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Greg now has hope for a pain-free future. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

A Journey From Hope to Healing

Hashimoto’s disease, or Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, is an autoimmune thyroid disorder in which the immune system mistakes the thyroid gland for a pathogen. The immune system normally reacts when it detects bacteria, toxins, or viruses. But with autoimmune disorders like Hashimoto’s, the immune system becomes dysregulated and causes an autoimmune reaction, attacking the body’s own glands, organs, and tissues. In the case of Hashimoto’s disease, the body’s immune system launches an attack and seeks to destroy thyroid cells. Damage from that attack makes it hard for the gland to produce enough thyroid hormone. Low thyroid hormone levels can make a woman’s periods irregular, which in turn can make it harder to get pregnant.

Growing up, Chelsea never had regular periods. She always thought this was just because she was a very active teenager and young adult. Menstrual dysfunction can occur when the amount of energy used exceeds the amount of energy taken in through nutrition. Excessive exercise, overtraining, stress, dieting and weight loss can lead to changes in normal hormone levels resulting in menstrual dysfunction. Doctors never seemed to be concerned with Chelsea’s menstrual irregularity at any of her checkups as it was always just attributed to her active lifestyle.

When Chelsea got married in 2015, she and her husband started trying to get pregnant right away. However, they both knew that it might be more difficult to have children because of Chelsea’s menstrual irregularity. They were still hopeful. In 2017, after struggling to get pregnant for almost two years, Chelsea’s doctor finally did some extensive testing. Tests showed that Chelsea had Hashimoto’s disease. Since her thyroid was still somewhat functioning, doctors had missed the diagnosis over the years.

Miraculously, Chelsea and her husband found out that they were expecting later that spring. Because Chelsea had Hashimoto’s disease, she was referred to a specialist for a level-2 ultrasound in July at week 19. She was so excited to see her baby in the ultrasound. Her hope was to announce both the pregnancy and the gender at the same time on social media immediately after the appointment. When the tech began the ultrasound, Chelesea saw a round area on the screen. She asked if what she was seeing was the baby’s head. Her heart sank when the tech told her that it was the chest. She immediately knew what was missing… a beating heart. Chelsea delivered her beautiful, stillborn baby girl at the hospital two days later. They named her Hope.

A year after Hope’s birth, Chelsea still hadn’t gotten pregnant again, so they started searching for more definitive answers. After more testing, Chelsea was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) or Diminished Ovarian Reserve (DOR). Doctors told her that it was highly unlikely that she would conceive again. However, as she sat in the doctor’s office receiving this devastating news, all she could think of was, “You are not God.” And so, she prayed. Oh, did she pray.

Chelsea also began seeking out alternative therapies and treatments. She started seeing an acupuncturist, changed her diet, and came to Sara’s Garden for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT). Chelsea knew about HBOT because her sister, who had also been diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Failure (POF) due to Lyme Disease, had also come to Sara’s Garden. Just like Chelsea, Taylor had also been told by multiple reproductive specialists that she could never have children. She is now the mother of three, with one on the way! (Read Taylor’s story)

Because Chelsea lived in Florida, she spread out her HBOT treatments at Sara’s Garden throughout the next year. In September of 2019, when Chelsea completed her HBOT treatments, she went to see one last reproductive specialist. Just as before, he told her that she would never have children of her own because of the POF and that it was a miracle she had even gotten pregnant with Hope in the first place. If they wanted to have kids, Chelsea and her husband were told that their only option would be through In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) using an egg donor. They declined as they did not feel that it was what God had for them.

Two months later, on November 3rd, 2019, Chelsea held a positive pregnancy test in her hand! She can only attribute that miracle to God. He brought Chelsea healing from the grief of losing her daughter, and He brought her physical healing that allowed her to conceive.

“When I arrived at Sara’s Garden for my first treatment and saw that their mission is “Hope, Help, Healing”, I knew that I was in the right place. I needed healing in more than just my body, and God provided that to me. He used Sara’s Garden, a grief counseling group at my church, my acupuncturist, and the countless prayers of family, friends, and even strangers to bring me healing. It is only because of Him that I was able to give birth to a perfectly healthy, 8 lb. 12 oz., baby boy on July 8 of 2020.”

No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

The Journey to Discovering HBOT

Bacteria called group B Streptococcus (group B strep, GBS) commonly live in people’s gastrointestinal and genital tracts. Most of the time the bacteria are not harmful and do not make people feel sick or have any symptoms. Sometimes the bacteria can invade the body and cause certain infections. How people spread GBS bacteria to others is generally unknown. However, experts know that pregnant women can pass the bacteria to their babies during delivery.

Doctors worked to treat Kara’s GBS infection while she was in labor. Unfortunately, they did not realize that the infection had already spread to her baby’s placenta until it was too late. While she was giving birth, Kara’s baby girl, Melody, became stressed and she lost oxygen to her brain as her heart rate dropped from 140 bpm to 30 bpm. Kara’s OB was not yet in the building and by the time they got a specialist to her, Melody had been without oxygen for over 20 minutes.

Due to the trauma from the delivery, Melody has had to deal with a host of conditions and setbacks; most notably that of the condition Lissencephaly. Lissencephaly is a rare, brain malformation characterized by the absence of convolutions (folds) in the cerebral cortex. The word lissencephaly literally means “smooth brain.” Lissencephaly is caused by defective neuronal migration during embryonic development, the process through which nerve cells move from their place of origin to a permanent location within cerebral cortex gray matter.

The Lissencephaly caused Melody to have severe seizures resulting in respiratory distress affecting her lungs. She has difficulty swallowing, muscle spasms, slow physical development, and significant psychomotor impairment. Melody is not able to do daily tasks and is dependent on her parents to help her with all her physical needs.

Melody’s journey to discover Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) at Sara’s Garden happened completely by accident. When Melody was six years old, her parents began searching for possible schools that could meet Melody’s needs and help in her continued therapies, intervention, and development. They arrived here to check out the school, New Horizon Academy. While meeting with the admissions coordinator, they learned all the services that were available between the school and Sara’s Garden. They were intrigued upon hearing about the benefits that HBOT treatments could provide. They were willing to try anything if it would help alleviate Melody’s seizures, improve her muscle tone, and reduce her muscle spasms. Little did they know how much it would help her.

By the second day of treatments, they started noticing significant changes in Melody. The muscle spasms and twitches that she had plagued Melody her entire life began subsiding. Melody’s muscle tone had always so tight and caused her so much discomfort that she would fight her parents to wear her AFOs or even sit in her wheelchair. By the end of the first week of treatments, they noticed a complete change. Melody was now wearing her AFOs 5 hours a day.

Melody did 20 treatments during her initial visit to Sara’s Garden in October. They returned a few months later in February for an additional 10 treatments and followed up with 20 more treatments the following June. Her family cannot believe the amazing results they saw in her. Even her therapists back home were shocked at the results upon seeing her again. She is now thriving at accomplishing tasks. Before coming to Sara’s Garden, Melody had never walked, talked, ate independently, or played with objects. This was the first school year where she has accomplished virtually all her IEP goals. Her motor skills have improved to the point that she is now pulling objects out of a bucket and making purposeful movements in her gait trainer (even moving it on her own). She no longer has severe muscle tone issues and has been using communication boards to effectively communicate with those around her.

Her sleep habits improved as well as she began sleeping throughout the entire night. This was the first time in her life that she had ever slept so well. Melody is now more alert and awake throughout the day. Most exciting, is that Melody had experienced multiple seizures leading up to her time at Sara’s Garden. She has now gone six months without any seizure activity after completing her treatments.

Melody’s mom stated, “The staff here at Sara’s Garden has been hands down amazing and supportive. Trusting them to take care of my baby girl was so hard because she had never away from us. They understood our fears and accommodated our needs. They were so easy to talk to and made the whole process so much easier for us. I appreciate everything they are doing at Sara’s Garden and will continue to come back to keep pushing our daughter to advance even further. It’s so worth giving HBOT a try!”

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Melody’s family now has hope for a more independent future for their daughter! No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

HBOT Helps Restore Dreams and Plans

Woody Allen once said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.” Tony had been involved in ministry off and on for many years. He developed a passion for church planting and dreamed of planting a new church when he finished his residency.

Unfortunately, his plans hit a severe and sudden wall (or in this case truck) in early 2022. On Valentine’s Day, Tony was driving back from visiting his mother at a nursing home in Whitehouse. Doctors believe he had an allergic reaction and passed out, causing his vehicle to drift left of center striking a semi-truck head on. The impact was so intense that he broke the truck’s axle. The semi delivered an even more horrific blow to Tony. Tony’s car was so severely crushed that it was virtually unrecognizable. Tony ended up damaging his eyes and ears, breaking his foot, lower back, most of the ribs on his left side and suffered a collapsed lung. It was truly a miracle that he survived.

Following his accident, Tony underwent countless surgeries in hopes of repairing the damage to his body. Despite the doctors’ best efforts through these surgeries, Tony was still plagued with constant migraines, back aches and body pain. He struggled with getting a good night’s sleep and experienced concerning depression. Tony’s massage therapist told him that his body was so hard that it felt like concrete. He eventually exhausted his physical therapy sessions through insurance after not showing adequate progress. Tony was not able to work for over a year due to the struggles and setbacks he experienced throughout his recovery process.

Chiropractic, physical, and massage therapy were able to relieve some physical tension but couldn’t address the constant pain, and migraines Tony was living with. Unfortunately, the only plausible treatments and relief doctors were able to offer came through the endless barrage of different medications. However, these drugs eventually began to take a toll on him physically and he knew something had to change.

Tony’s pastor had originally mentioned Sara’s Garden to him shortly after the accident. At the time, he didn’t understand how HBOT could help his situation and he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to try and learn. It wasn’t until months later, when he became concerned with the path all of the medications were taking him down, that he started to look into Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy more diligently.

He was surprised and encouraged to learn how HBOT had been successful in treating traumatic brain injuries. Research showed that many military troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are returning home with TBI and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In the past few years there have been numerous Defense Department-led studies looking at the effects of HBOT on troops with TBI. HBOT is an effective and economical treatment for TBI and PTSD, without the very dangerous and negative side effects of antipsychotic medication. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has also been shown to improve client’s fine and gross motor skills, speech, thinking (cognition), memory and physical healing.

For Tony, HBOT provided immediate feedback as to its effectiveness. Tony experienced significate relief within the first 45 minutes of his initial session. He stated, “I noticed the constant ‘thudding’ in my head went away. For the first time in a long time, there was clarity in my thinking.’

Since completing treatments, Tony is overjoyed to report that the migraines which had plagued him for so long have finally gone away. He has noticed more flexibility with his back and felt there was finally a shift in his body’s healing. People have commented that he looks so much better and seems to have better control of his body movements and surety in his gait.

Tony has expressed, “I feel great and am so thankful for these treatments. My bones are healed, my migraines have dissipated, and my back is loosening up. Everyone at Sara’s Garden was so helpful and friendly. I cannot begin to tell you how much this process has meant to me. I grow stronger every day and have much better mental clarity.”

Thanks to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at Sara’s Garden, Tony was once again able to turn his focus to the plans and dreams he had before his accident. He has started seeking work and by the grace of God, has started a new church plant endeavor in central Ohio.

No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… for this and many other conditions. HBOT is treatment without drugs… without surgery… without pain.

Let’s Get Moving

Being first time parents can be scary. There is so much uncertainty; so many “What ifs?”. With all the new experiences that come with pregnancy and preparing for a baby to arrive, new parents have a lot to navigate and prepare for. For Matthew and Emily, Eleanor was to be their first child. There were no issues or complications throughout the entire pregnancy process; no warning signs that something might be wrong with this precious gift. Preparing for their baby to need significant early intervention services was the furthest thing from their minds.

The family was so excited when Eleanor was born. Their beautiful child had finally arrived and they loved every minute they spent together. However, by the time Eleanor was six months old, Matthew and Emily began having concerns that she did not seem to be meeting her developmental milestones. Her pediatrician told them not to worry about it, and to simply wait and give her time to catch up.

Unfortunately, waiting did not work. By the time Eleanor was a year old, she was significantly behind in virtually every developmental milestone. Doctors determined that Eleanor had generalized hypotonia (abnormally low muscle tone). Hypotonia can be a condition on its own or it can be indicative of some other condition where there is progressive loss of muscle tone. In Eleanor’s case, despite countless evaluations and genetic testing, an officially diagnosis was not given, although doctors hinted at her condition being a combination of Ataxia and Paraplegia. Whatever Eleanor’s underlying condition may ultimately be, it has led to significant developmental delays in her fine motor, gross motor and communication skills.

Eleanor began seeing a physical therapist, occupational therapist and speech therapist. Over the course of the next year and a half, Eleanor did make some progress through these therapies, but nothing monumental. She still had not yet learned to crawl, sit up from a lying position or walk. She had very little independence in moving herself around the home. Matthew and Emily were still searching for answers.

Thankfully, Eleanor’s grandmother, Lori, works at Sara’s Garden in the hyperbaric center as its Clinic Director. She began encouraging Emily to consider bringing Eleanor to Sara’s Garden for Conductive Education (CE) services. Conductive Education believes that neurological disorders are not seen as limiting factors and that everyone has the ability to learn and thrive. Conductive Education is built on the assumption that damage to the central nervous system, which causes motor dysfunction, can be overcome by using specialized learning strategies and that the nervous system can generate new neural connections.

Conductive Education allows kids to see themselves as self-reliant, regardless of how many limitations the world tells them they have. It also helps children develop an “ortho- functioning personality,” meaning it helps them achieve educational and daily living goals via nurturance and developing a teaching plan that centers around the child and their likes and dislikes.

Matt and Emily started noticing benefits of Conductive Education after Eleanor’s very first month (4 sessions). She was beginning to make connections between the strengthening exercises she had been doing and actual, usable motions. She was using the strength in her arms, legs and core to crawl using motions and spoken commands. Her family noticed very quickly how much more Eleanor was able to do each time they saw her. Eleanor’s visiting nurse through her county’s early intervention program was also very impressed, noting that she hadn’t seen so much rapid progress before Eleanor began CE.

Emily noted that “The staff at Sara’s Garden have been great and I really appreciate their willingness to not only teach Eleanor, but also me. They are patient and explain the exercises and activities so that we can practice them at home. I’m excited to see how much more progress Eleanor can make working with these amazing conductors!”

Eleanor is now nearly 3 years old. After about 5 months of CE, it’s clear that she feels more independent. She can now walk with support from her parents and is extremely motivated and excited to move around her house on her own and go everywhere her parents go.

Thanks to Conductive Education at Sara’s Garden, Eleanor has a much brighter future. She is ready to get moving and experience far more independence than her family believed was possible. No matter what you’ve been told, there is hope… and Conductive Education can help you find it.

It Takes a Village

It Takes a Village to Raise a Child & It Takes Community Partnerships to Support Sara’s Garden & Its Families!

They say, “It takes a village to raise a child;” and Sara’s Garden believes that it takes a community and community partnerships to support its children and adults with disabilities and other special needs, as well as their families. Sara’s Garden wants to thank and recognize its many community partners and partnerships for all they do for our clients and their families!

Through fundraising efforts, vocational partnerships, organizational collaborations, community partnerships, and the love and support of our volunteers and donors, Sara’s Garden, New Horizons Academy (NHA), its Career Center, and its latest venture—Special Grounds Coffee impact the lives of so many in need from across Northwest Ohio. Through these community partnerships, Sara’s Garden is able to support and lift up so many children and clients with disabilities and their families with the power of hope, help, and healing!

Sara’s Garden believes that when a child with special needs is given the opportunity to become as independent as he or she can possibly be and to fulfill his or her full potential, families and communities are changed forever! Among the many community partners and partnerships, which bring hope, help and healing to our clients and families are: Anderzack-Pitzen Construction, Andres O’Neil & Lowe, Arrow Tru-Line, Auto Images, Babcock Flooring Installs, Beck Insurance, Blue Layne Boutique, Car 1, Circle K, Continental Plaza Car Wash & Drive Thru Carry Out, Cordy Insurance Agency, Creighton Electric, Csehi Family, Defiance Moose Family Center, Edward Jones, Everence, F&M Bank, Gearig Flooring, Golf Graphics, Grieser Transportation, Guy O’Connor, Haas Door, Hite Concrete Equipment, Holthues & Associates, Ironwood Golf Club, Kinsman Propane, Krauss-Lane Electric, Meijer, Meyer-Badenhop Insurance, Miller Brothers Construction, Nagle Companies, Pettisville Grain, Reinbolt Family, Reitzel Ag Equipment, Returning American Warriors (RAW), Riley Tractor Parts, Rupp Seeds, Rychener Seed, Schuette Construction, Subway, Swanton Welding & Machining, Terry Henricks Auto Group, The Image Group, The Leaf and Seed Café, Tomahawk, Wauseon Chamber of Commerce, Wauseon Machine & Helping Hands, Weeping Willow Florist, Winzeler & Bok, and Wolf Creek YMCA.

Through community health and educational partnerships, Sara’s Garden is able to provide the highest quality of medical and educational programming available and empowers individuals with disabilities to reach their full potential. According to Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines, over 80% of NHA families are considered low-income with 63% considered very low-income. Our special needs students and their families are dealing with multiple medical, mental health, and financial issues and concerns. NHA students are from over 25 Northwest Ohio public school districts with many of them participating in Special Grounds Coffee fundraisers and other activities to help support vocational skills training for youth and young adults with disabilities. Among the schools working with NHA, Sara’s Garden, its students, and Special Grounds Coffee are– Bryan City Schools, the Delta Parent Athletic Club, Evergreen Local Schools, Liberty Center Schools, Millcreek-West Unity School’s Future Farmers of America (FFA), Pettisville Local Schools, Stryker Local Schools, and Wauseon Exempted Village Schools. Through its medical and health care partnerships, Sara’s Garden also works closely with numerous medical providers including Dermatology Associates and the Fulton County Health Center (FCHC).

Special Grounds Coffee works closely with its local school partners and other organizations through coffee fundraisers to help provide meaningful vocational opportunities for NHA’s special education students. Those that have been a part of the coffee fundraising program have seen a great return on their investment both financially and through hands-on product preparation, bagging, and delivery. Among Special Grounds Coffee community partners are: Christy’s Corner, Continental Plaza, Crossroads Church, Diamond Jim’s Pool Hall, Enviroscape ECM, the Fulton County Commissioners, Fulton County Humane Society, Fulton County Sharp Shooters & Showman, Johnston Fruit Farms, Lange Bakery, Living Word Galena, Lugbill Supply Center, Marigold Market, New Hope Community Church, Pathfinders, Penny Crest, Pettisville Missionary Church, Redemption Church, RAW, True North Church, and Wyse Guys.

NHA and its Career Center also work with numerous community partners to provide vocational skills training and community work study placements. Among these work study partners are: Ace Hardware, Chief Supermarkets, the Fulton County Airport, Goodwill Industries, Home Restaurant, and Triangular Processing with additional community work sites coming on weekly.

If you, your business, or organization are interested in partnering with Sara’s Garden, New Horizons Academy, Special Grounds Coffee, or its new Career Center, please call or email Sara’s Garden’s Community Outreach Coordinator Tara Dumas at 419-335-7272 or tarad@sarasgarden.org.

Again, “it takes a village to raise a child” and community partnerships to support children and adults with disabilities and their families. Sara’s Garden wants to thank and recognize all of its many community partners and partnerships. If we have missed anyone, please know that we are grateful and appreciate everything that you have helped Sara’s Garden and its clients with. Only through these very valuable community partnerships is Sara’s Garden able to support and lift up so many children and clients with disabilities and their families with the power of hope, help, and healing!