Approximately, five years ago Barry suffered a stroke that he is still recovering from. In that time, he experienced first-hand the care that patients receive both in an in-patient rehabilitation center and then as an outpatient. He was fortunate to live rather close to the rehabilitation center and to be ambulatory, otherwise my outpatient therapy would have been very difficult, since as a result of my stroke he was unable to drive.

At 38 years old, he was a relatively young stroke survivor. He knows the challenges of finding the way back to “normal” and the struggles and barriers that can make it even tougher for people to get to normal. Barry says the C3FIT research, finds better ways to provide care to stroke survivors and is critical. It could reap benefits for many caregivers and survivors.

As a stroke survivor, Barry can help identify gaps in the current system of care and how to best address them. He is familiar with the kind of emotional and adjustment support needed to help patients and caregivers when they return home and he can help address issues for special populations.

Contact: Richard Y. McConnell, M.D.
Address: 409 Old Landing Road
Covington, Louisiana 70433

Dr. McConnell serves as a stroke patient partner on the Steering Committee and the Stakeholder Engagement Committee. He will also serve as a co-investigator in overseeing the study operations and participate as a patient partner in the study design, analysis and dissemination of the results. He graduated from Ohio State University Medical School in 1970 and has Board Certifications in Emergency Medicine, Family Practice and Tropical Medicine. He completed surgical training in Los Angeles, California and was a U.S. Air Force as a Flight Surgeon and Trauma Surgeon in Saigon, Vietnam. He Emergency Medicine in the Chicago, Illinois area at several hospitals and in 1980, Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana as the Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine.

Four years ago while still at Ochsner, he suffered a stroke with significant aphasia. He was unable to practice medicine at that time. He participated aggressively daily for one year with speech therapy, and obtained complete resolution.

For the past three years, he has worked at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, Louisiana as an Associate Professor on the faculty at the School of Medicine and the School of Allied Health Professions.

Contact: Ken Nieto