Leaning Into Recovery

“When I arrived at Craig Hospital at the end of 2024, I was looking for a community and a way to get back to my life,” explains 35-year-old Theo Schapp.

“Being at Craig was like drinking from a fire hose—there was so much to learn and take in during my three-month stay,” he recalls. “I focused on being open to trying new things, and I leaned into my time at Craig. Today, I feel incredibly grateful for everything I learned in Colorado.”

Injured Far From Home

In June 2024, Theo was working as an outdoor guide in Idaho when he was involved in an off-road motorcycle accident.

“I sustained a burst fracture of my T8, as well as several broken ribs and vertebrae, and a fractured skull and scapula,” he says. “I was rushed into surgery and spent time in the ICU before flying home to Santa Cruz, California, to recover in a hospital close to home.”

Shortly after, Theo learned he needed another spinal surgery to repair a collapsed vertebra: “It was my surgeon who strongly urged me to go to Craig for rehab. He told me there was no better hospital.”

Hungry for Activity

When Theo arrived at Craig for spinal cord injury (SCI) neurorehabilitation, he immediately established a strong, supportive community. “I found many people my age who I could relate to,” he recalls. “And my care team urged me to establish independence because I had so much of my life left to live.”

An avid athlete, Theo felt starved for action after healing in a hospital bed for several months. He quickly began working with the donor-supported Recreational Therapy team to test out numerous adaptive bikes.

“I remember my therapists asking me which bikes I wanted to try,” he says. “I told them I wanted to try out all of them!”

He adds, “After figuring out which bikes worked best for me, my family convinced me to set up a GoFundMe fundraiser. While I was originally uncomfortable asking for money, lots of family and friends insisted they were eager to help. Thanks to the generosity of so many, I ended up being able to purchase an adaptive downhill mountain bike, as well as a hand cycle, which I ride as much as I can. I love getting back onto the trails, soaking in the sunshine and the Redwoods.”

Fertility and Sexuality

At the time of Theo’s injury, he and his wife, Jessica, were planning to start a family. “After my accident, I wasn’t sure if this was still possible for us, since I was paralyzed from the waist down,” he says. “I was also unsure how to be intimate with my wife. But thanks to Pam Lauer [a nurse practitioner in Craig’s fertility clinic], we didn’t need to worry.”

Pam established Craig’s donor-supported* fertility clinic in 2016 after attending a class on managing infertility in men with SCI via The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis.

“The clinic is very important for our patients because some men with SCI face challenges with sexual health and fertility,” explains Mike Spaulding, a nurse practitioner in the clinic. “Challenges with obtaining and sustaining erections, difficulties with ejaculation, and maintaining intimacy in relationships often change post injury. In addition to having a difficult time sustaining an erection, sperm quality and motility can decline, which creates further challenges when it comes to fathering children.”  

Mike adds, “So many couples are told that IVF is their only option, but this can be very expensive, especially for many navigating the costs from managing a spinal cord injury. However, using penile vibratory stimulation and electro-ejaculation, we are able to help many men achieve a high success rate at a more reasonable cost, while also sparing their partner from hormones and procedures often required for IVF.”

Theo says he and his wife were extremely grateful to have support from the fertility clinic. “We learned that it is possible to have a child after SCI outside of IVF,” he says. “Fertility and sexuality don’t need to end with a spinal cord injury.”

Getting Back to Life

Today, Theo and Jessica live in a recently purchased single family home in Santa Cruz.

“I am in the process of figuring out my next steps,” he says. “My background is in mechanical design, so currently, I’m working as a pro bono consultant for Bowhead Bikes.”

Theo is also focused on giving back. In fact, he’s a volunteer mentor at a local hospital, helping newly injured individuals adjust to life in a wheelchair. “I talk to patients and answer their questions about having an SCI,” he explains. “I try to offer people the support and assistance that I received at Craig. I know the hospital is a very unique place, and I was fortunate to do my rehab there. Not everybody can go to Craig, so I want to give others what I was lucky enough to have found in Colorado.”

* Several donors have generously supported the fertility clinic over the past few years.

To learn more or donate to help Craig patients like Theo, please visit craighospital.org/foundation/donate.