Mitchell Dent

Columbus, Ohio

Mitchell Dent was very active, spending much of his time playing basketball and running marathons. As a registered nurse at Grant Hospital, he devoted his life to both his personal health and helping others. Over time, the cartilage in his knees were torn and he had to have double knee surgery. He continued to run, until his knees were so worn out that he was no longer able to. Then, in 2015, Mitchell had a stroke and his life was changed.

The stroke strongly affected his short term memory. As a nurse, he prided himself on memorization of the science and medical terminology that he’d spent his life learning. Because of the memory loss, he was unfortunately unable to keep his job. Mitchell knew he needed to look for new ways to get involved to help deal with his condition.

He joined a number of different groups, including Walk with a Doc and a weekly stroke support group. “With a background in food and nutrition science, I’ve been around health my whole life” Mitchell says, “and once I found out that there was a program where I can get exercise and learn from a doctor, I knew this was perfect for me.” He loves the physical benefits of walking, as well as getting out in nature and talking with others in the group.

Mitchell is always looking for ways to help his community. He now volunteers every week at the hospital where he was a stroke patient just a few years ago. He says, “I talk to patients who are sitting in their beds just like I was when I had my stroke, and I can give them helpful advice and motivate them.” He tells them about his experiences and what has been helpful for him on his journey.