Daemen University Physical Therapy Research Symposium
Saturday, December 7, 2024
Spring/Summer 2024 Edition
Jeremy Voorhees, PT, CCS, CCRP
Daemen Class of 2000
I am a proud 2000 Daemen graduate with a degree in physical therapy. Reflecting on the journey since my graduation, I’ve traversed the landscapes of Boston, Chicago, and San Diego, and settled back in Buffalo with my wife Marie, who is also a Daemen grad, in 2009. This is where my professional journey truly took root.
My experience at Daemen provided me not only with academic knowledge but also with a profound sense of purpose. The exposure to different cities broadened my horizons, but it was in Buffalo that I found my passion for cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. Daemen laid the foundation, equipping me with the tools to forge a unique model to treat these individuals.
In 2011, I initiated my career in cardiac and pulmonary rehab by spearheading a program in Orchard Park. In 2021, I was able to build a physical therapy practice to improve the distribution of services for patients dealing with cardiac or pulmonary disease. Today, Cardio Physical Therapy PLLC, is at the forefront of Cardiac and Pulmonary rehabilitative care, setting a new standard.
The success of any individual is rarely self-proclaimed and requires resources from colleagues, friends and family, and institutions within the community. My family and colleagues have been there from the inception. I have had the honor of learning how to run a successful business with practices such as Natural Physical Therapy of East Amherst and Ken Kurtz Physical Therapy and Associate.
I am grateful for the unwavering support Daemen has offered in my mission to enhance healthcare. The institution's commitment to excellence has propelled it to the forefront of collegiate education. Today, I proudly witness Daemen University standing tall as one of the premier physical therapy schools in the country.
However, my gratitude extends beyond the academic realm. The relationships fostered as a student and now as a professional clinician are invaluable. Daemen’s community has been a source of inspiration, collaboration, and lifelong friendships. Dr. Bartlo, Dr. Seilis, Dr. Ross, Dr. Ford, Dr. Favaro, Dr. Matthews, and Dr. Brogan, to name a few, have been especially incremental for the support of not just my endeavor but also for the field of physical therapy at a collegiate and national level.
I am forever grateful for Daemen University and for the people that have helped me to see my vision through.
Nancy (Gruver) Winiecki
Daemen PT Class of 1980
As an 18-year-old freshman entering Daemen College*, Nancy (Gruver) Winiecki never could have imagined the path her physical therapy career would take. Daemen’s Physical Therapy Program was in its infancy; it didn’t even have accreditation, since it hadn’t had its first graduating class. Nancy would be part of the fourth class of Physical Therapy graduates from Daemen, graduating Magna Cum Laude in 1980. Although a new program, Winiecki said Daemen provided a solid base for the development of her Physical Therapy skills.
“Even after practicing for over 40 years, I still use the knowledge base of kinesiology and physiology I learned from Dr. Rick Johnson,” Winiecki added.
The knowledge and skills Winiecki gained at Daemen have taken her across the United States as well as into other countries. She always has had a love of travel and exploring new places. Daemen fed this love by placing her in a variety of clinical sites, ranging from Long Island to Indiana.
Following graduation, Winiecki settled in Northwest Indiana, about an hour outside of Chicago. After working in a general acute hospital for several years, she specialized in pediatrics. Eventually, she helped to develop and direct a mult-disciplinary pediatric rehabilitation program for a hospital system.
Giving back has always been a large part of her life. Winiecki was eventually able to combine this love with physical therapy and traveling. In 2002, she began volunteering with Hearts In Motion, an organization that provides short term mission opportunities for youth and adults and a variety of services to people in Central and South America. She began providing therapy on a volunteer basis in Guatemala, helping to establish the first physical and occupational therapy clinic in the city of Zacapa.
What was originally a volunteer role grew into a full-time position with Hearts In Motion. In 2011, Winiecki and her husband Jim left their careers in the U.S. to spend nine months out of the year in Guatemala. Since then, she has established three physical and occupational outpatient clinics in Guatemala and mission and service learning opportunities for students from over 20 universities. Many of these programs return annually, treating those that otherwise would not have the opportunity to receive services and providing educational opportunities for Guatemalan therapists at no cost. U.S. students learn about Guatemalan culture and how to provide services without some of the equipment that they take for granted in the United States.
Winiecki’s wanderlust has continued, taking her and Jim to Ecuador with Hearts In Motion this fall on a exploratory trip for future collaboration with physical therapists in the city of Salinas. There, a small but mighty team of PTs saw over 500 patients a week. New relationships were established with local physical therapists, leading to the potential development of new programs, benefitting therapists in both countries.
“After over 40 years of practicing physical therapy, I still enjoy working with patients and learning from volunteers,” Winiecki said. “I hope that our program will continue to grow and serve even more people in Guatemala, Ecuador, and possibly other countries.”
For further information on Hearts in Motion and its programs, visit www.HeartsInMotion.org or contact Winiecki at NancyW@heartsinmotion.org.
* Daemen College become Daemen University in March 2022 after a successful petition to the New York State Education Department Board of Regents
Greg Lowe PT, DPT, Cert. MDT, CSCS
Daemen DPT Class of 2018
Since graduating from the Daemen Doctorate of Physical Therapy (DPT) program in 2018, I have had the opportunity to gain a great deal of experience working in the orthopedic out-patient, sub-acute rehab, and long-term care settings. After living in South Carolina for the past few years, my wife Mackenzie and I returned home to Buffalo this summer to open AWAKEN Performance Rehab (awakenperformancerehab.com), a modern-concept, high-tech, and professional physical therapy and performance clinic. I returned to Western New York with the goal of opening a one-of-a-kind, cutting edge clinic that always puts the patients' best interests first and combines the highest level medical care with an individualized, upbeat, and welcoming environment.
I have spent countless hours developing an expertise and gaining advanced knowledge of numerous elite rehab and performance training methods. One of the most unique specialties that I have pursued was becoming a three-dimensional running gait analysis specialist, and we are the first clinic in the WNY region to be able to provide this specific service to the community. During my time living in South Carolina, I also had the honor of working with numerous professional athletes including those who have competed in the 2022 World Track & Field Championships, 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and 2020 USA Olympic Trials, allowing me to gain experience providing services to the highest level athletes.
Higher education continues to be a passion of mine, as I am currently pursuing a sports and orthopedic manual physical therapy fellowship through the Institute for Athlete Regeneration. I also have been honored to be back on Daemen’s campus, serving as an adjunct faculty and assisting with the musculoskeletal coursework in the DPT program!
When considering all of the various experiences that the Daemen DPT program exposed me to, both in the classroom and in many different clinical situations, along with my experience as a student athlete, I am very confident that Daemen directly prepared me well for both my overall life and my physical therapy career. I was initially drawn to the Daemen DPT program because of the family-like atmosphere that was very apparent on the campus. All of the faculty seemed to really have the students’ best interest in mind and were dedicated to creating a unique environment that was very welcoming. The faculty at Daemen were also instrumental in providing the encouragement and inspiration to further my career and strive for many of the advanced certifications that I hold today, and I could not be more grateful for that!