UofL Health trauma survivors share their recovery stories

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - UofL Health switched things up this year to honor trauma survivors during National Trauma Awareness Month.

Typically, medical teams and trauma survivors would gather in person to celebrate, but it was canceled due to COVID-19. Instead, two trauma survivors and a physical therapist who works with trauma survivors shared their stories on Tuesday.

Joe Perkins, who was a former UofL Health trauma patient shared his story after he was in a motorcycle crash in 2018. The accident caused him to have his left arm amputated.

Joe Perkins had to have his left arm amputated after a motorcycle crash in 2018.(UofL Health/Joe Perkins)

He was treated at UofL Hospital’s Trauma Center and has also completed the hospitals Peer Support Training Program.

“I told myself I was not going to leave rehab until I could walk out,” Perkins said. “I had to learn to basically talk again, eat again and be able to walk. Today, I am able to run up and down the stairs, I drive my car. I don’t do anything any different."

Gary Beach received a severe burn to his left arm. He was at UofL Hospital from December 2019 to February 2020.

In 2019, UofL Health’s trauma center provided care for more than 3,600 patients who needed the highly-specialized services of their multi-disciplinary Trauma Program.