Author Archives: lizstjohn

Rolf Benirschke and Great Comebacks – Thirty Years of Patient Support

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Ostomy surgery can leave you feeling isolated, fearful or uncertain about the future. But it shouldn’t be that way. At Great Comebacks®, we’re here to tell everyone that life after surgery can be full – not of limitations, but of possibilities. We know that the words that often matter most come from those who have been there: Hear the words of Great Comebacks® Program founder Rolf Benirschke, who first shed light on living with an ostomy with his return to professional football after surgery, together with Great Comebacks® Recipients Michael Nash, Raysa Abreau, Charlie Grotevant, and Jude Ebbinghaus.

Rolf’s Second Chance

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Rolf returns to the field just days after his near-death illness. This emotional moment gave Rolf the courage to reach for his second chance and start the long road back to recovery. Rolf eventually went on to play another seven seasons for the San Diego Chargers, before retiring as the third-most accurate placekicker in the NFL.

He received numerous awards during his football career, including NFL Man of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year, NFL Player Association Hero of the Year, and the NFL’s most prestigious award, the Byron “Whizzer” White award. In 1997, Rolf was the 20th player inducted into the Chargers Hall of Fame.

Rolf Benirschke Keynote Speaker at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

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Rolf BenirschkeRolf Benirschke was recently a guest speaker at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center’s IBD Symposium, hosted by Dr Cory Siegel, Director of the IBD Center.  Watch Rolf’s story and excerpts from his speech here, along with Dr Siegel’s update on new medical advances in the IBD world.

Rolf is an accomplished author, television personality, and inspirational speaker. He routinely speaks for major corporations at health related events, and is the national spokesman for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America. He is also involved in many philanthropic programs including Scripps Hospital, Sharp Healthcare, the Zoological Society of San Diego, United Way, the San Diego Chargers Annual Blood Drive, and is the chairman of the Rolf Benirschke Legacy Foundation.

To request Rolf to speak at an event, please complete the following form.

Alive & Kicking…

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Alive & Kicking is a story of faith, courage, family, friends, determination, and survival. Originally written by Rolf to encourage others with inflamatory bowel disease, it is also an inspirational story for anyone who has ever faced or who is facing the vissicitudes of life. In plain yet eloquent language, Mike Yorkey and Rolf Benirschke use Rolf’s story to inspire each of us to perservere, to overcome, to succeed. And to take the lessons we learn during the process to make the most of the life with which we are gifted.