Nine years ago, Mike Thesing was lying in a bed on the rehabilitation floor at Immanuel Medical Center, unable to even scratch his nose after a serious spinal cord injury.

Today, as a member of the hospital's Charitable Council, Thesing is helping to raise $2.5 million toward an $11 million renovation and expansion of the hospital's inpatient rehab center. Alegent Health, which runs the hospital, has committed to funding the other $8.5 million.

Such a project at the sprawling hospital complex near 72nd Street and Sorensen Parkway might surprise some of the people who for the past few weeks have called the hospital to find out when it's going to close.

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