Starting Strong: U’s new MIDB Aims to Put Kids on Course for Life

“I can crack an egg with one hand,” boasts l3-year-old Hadley Lucca with a smile as wide as her face. For most of her life, Hadley has done a lot of things with just one hand. She suffered a stroke when she was a baby that significantly weakened the right side of her body. Since her mother enrolled her in a research study with University of Minnesota rehabilitation neuroscientist Bernadette Gillick, PhD, MSPT, PT, six years ago, Hadley has started using her right hand more frequently. That makes it a lot easier to ride her favorite horse, hone her hockey skills, and be less self-conscious about participating in all kinds of activities.