Patient Stories

• Greene was left paralyzed and wheelchair bound after experiencing gun and domestic violence
• Through the UC Adaptive Sports program, she met UC Health physician Victoria Heasley, MD, president of The Bridge Adaptive Sports & Recreation
• Now, Greene is a UC student athlete, marathon runner and aspiring olympian

As Mikiahya Greene approached the finish line of her first Flying Pig Half Marathon, Victoria Heasley, MD, physical medicine and rehabilitation physician, was there to cheer her on.

Dr. Heasley is part of UC Health's Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation team, which helps people regain independence and return to the activities they love after injury or illness. For Greene, that meant finding her way back to sports.

Greene had spent months training to complete the race using a handcycle through The Bridge Adaptive Sports and Recreation, a local nonprofit led by Dr. Heasley. On race day, Dr. Heasley saw her at the start, then waited to make sure she crossed the finish line.

"My only goal was to finish," Greene says. "When I crossed the finish line and saw the clock, I realized I'd beaten my goal. It was very exhilarating, very rewarding because I was seeing all of my hard work pay off. Actually crossing that finish line—that's exactly what I'd been training for."

But the moment meant a lot more than beating a number on the clock.

Three years earlier, Greene experienced a spinal cord injury after surviving gun and domestic violence. The injury left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair. As someone who grew up running track, Greene had to reimagine what life and sports would look like next. 

Finding confidence through adaptive sports

Athletics had always been part of Greene's identity.

"I've always been super athletic," she says. "I ran track in high school."

But after her injury, returning to sports felt intimidating. She didn’t just have to learn new sports, she had to learn an entirely new way of moving through the world.

"It was a whole new ball game trying to relearn not only the sport, but my body itself while trying to do it."

Fortunately, she knew Jake, head coach of the University of Cincinnati's Adaptive Athletics program. A few months after her injury, he encouraged her to attend a wheelchair basketball practice.

She wasn't immediately convinced.

"I thought, ‘I don't know if this is for me.’"

But that first experience sparked something. Through UC Adaptive Athletics, Greene met Dr. Heasley, the program's team physician. Dr. Heasley then introduced Greene to The Bridge program.

Through The Bridge, she tried adaptive snow skiing, water skiing, tennis, pickleball and handcycling. Dr. Heasley has watched and cheered Greene on through it all.

After discovering adaptive sports, Greene completed the Flying Pig 10K and found herself saying yes to nearly every opportunity that came her way.

"If you ask, I'm always going to say yes. I'll figure it out," she says.

Support from UC Health on and off the track

As team physician, Dr. Heasley supports Greene's health and performance throughout the season and sees her hard work up close at practices and competitions.

For Greene, that support goes beyond appointments. Dr. Heasley shows up, checks in and makes herself available when needed.

"She always checks in on us, which I appreciate."

That support, along with Greene's coaches, teammates and family, has helped her keep chasing big goals while adapting to life after injury.

Challenging misconceptions

Greene hopes her story helps people see adaptive athletes differently.

"We're just like everybody else," she says. "We're competing at the same level. We're still collegiate athletes. Things just look a little different."

She thinks misconceptions stem from focusing on disability rather than ability.

"We're doing the exact same thing. It just looks different. I wish more people understood that we're normal people just like everybody else."

Eyes on the paralympics

Greene's schedule is packed. She trains on the track four to five days a week, strength trains three to four days and balances it all while pursuing a communications degree at the University of Cincinnati.

She works so hard because she knows what she wants.

"I want to go to the Paralympics and compete in track and field," she says. "I'm not there yet, but I'm taking the steps to get there."

This summer, Greene competed at Hartford Nationals, placing first overall in two events. This gave her confidence that she's moving in the right direction.

"It was a really good stepping stone."

Just say yes

Today, Greene is a student at the University of Cincinnati, a competitive adaptive athlete, a half marathon finisher and an aspiring Paralympian. Throughout her journey, Dr. Heasley, UC Health, and the adaptive sports community have remained by her side.

Looking back, Greene says the biggest lesson she's learned isn't about sports. It's about believing in herself.

"I've realized I'm a lot stronger than I think I am. There hasn't been a single thing I've faced that I haven't been able to accomplish or overcome."

For others facing life after a spinal cord injury—or anyone afraid to try something new—her advice is simple.

"Just say yes. One day you'll have enough courage to do it," Greene says. "And it'll change your mind."

Why UC Health Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

UC Health's Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation team helps patients regain independence, return to meaningful activities and pursue goals that may have once felt out of reach.

• Personalized care:  Physicians, therapists, nurses and psychologists work together to create a treatment plan built around each patient's goals.
• Complex rehabilitation expertise: We help patients recover from spinal cord injuries, brain injuries, stroke, sports injuries and more.
• Strong community partnerships: Through partnerships with local adaptive athletics and recreation programs, patients can find new opportunities to stay active, build confidence and rediscover what's possible.

Call 513-418-2707 to schedule an appointment.