Sister-Bear Foundation

Sister-Bear Foundation's mission is to provide hope and independence
through neuro rehab and wellness resources for adults living with a neurological injury or illness.

It Takes a Village

Through our partnership with Northwest Texas Healthcare
System, we provide specialized neurological rehabilitation right here in Amarillo!
With the generous support of many donors like YOU, Sister-Bear Foundation (SBF) we were able to bring a brand new state-of-the-art Lokomat Pro v.6 robotic gait training
device to Amarillo. Last year, we added the Bioness L300 & H200 functional
electrical stimulation (FES) systems which assists patients with foot drop
and/or knee instability and hand mobility and functionality. Our goal for this year's The Panhandle Gives campaign
is to raise $100,000 towards our program’s current program needs to continue to grow and serve the Texas panhandle! The new addition to the clinic services for this year will be FES focused equipment such as the Xcite 2 -iFES System, an electrical stimulation system that helps patients perform specific tasks and also strengthens the areas of their bodies that have decreased or lost mobility. iFES achieves this by evoking muscle contraction in the lower extremity, upper extremity, and core muscle groups through finely controlled electrical stimulation. There is also the goal to add the RT300 FES Bike that provides stimulation for both the legs and arms.

New Growth for 2026

In addition to these new equipment needs, Sister-Bear
provides approximately $30,000 each year for patient equipment and therapy needs as
well as the recent launch of our Community Impact Project. This project brings both
education and advocacy to our communities such as handicap parking knowledge, ways
to provide a barrier-free business, and a program that allows for a survey that
identifies individuals in our region that may not be able to self-evacuate in
case of a disaster or crisis. YOUR support is what makes this mission possible
and these neurological rehabilitation needs met! In 2026, Sister-Bear Foundation will begin the process to take steps towards the founding of a neuro rehab center to be built right here in Amarillo!

A little history of Sister-Bear Foundation:

An Unexpected Turn in Life

On March 10, 2018, a tragic auto accident left Kathryn
Granger paralyzed from the chest down and took the life of her best friend
Sarah. Months after the accident, Kathryn and her family were making weekly
trips to Ft. Worth from Amarillo, Texas for neurological and physical
rehabilitation. Imagine... a 10-hour round-trip journey every week to access
therapy and specialized equipment! This is when Julie Granger, Kathryn's mom,
became aware of how badly the Texas Panhandle region needed these services.
Many people in our area with mobility impairments due to injury or illness face
a similar struggle as they are discharged from inpatient rehab without a
"next step". Specialized neurological and physical therapy includes
innovative treatments such as robotic gait training, muscle/nerve stimulation,
aquatic therapy, muscle atrophy mitigation techniques, and virtual reality training
- which simply does not exist under one roof in the Amarillo area. Sister-Bear
Foundation was born to change that!

Hope for the High Plains

Kathryn's personal story of tragedy followed by hope,
progress, and independence is the catalyst that led Julie to start Sister-Bear
Foundation in 2019 with a group of her passionate and devoted friends.  Sister-Bear’s
purpose is to provide neurological hope for the High Plains. Since 2021, the
nonprofit has given away over $113,000 in financial assistance to our friends
and neighbors with these conditions to help them purchase equipment, supplies
and even pay for therapy and travel expenses as they gain new opportunities,
confidence, and quality of life! The next challenge is to start bringing
neurological rehabilitation and adaptive fitness and wellness options to the
Panhandle so even more people with ambulatory disabilities can find hope - and healing - right here at home! 

Thank you for partnering with us to meet the vision that
every mobility-impaired adult in the Amarillo area enjoys improved
functionality, a healthier body, and a fulfilling, hopeful life! 

Check out more at www.sister-bear.com