For more than 2.5 years, 96-year-old Winifred “Winnie” Washington lived in constant pain.
Even after a successful revascularization procedure restored circulation, a venous stasis ulcer on Mrs. Washington’s leg lingered. The painful wound that refused to heal measured in at 132 square centimeters.
Each week, for years, Mrs. Winnie, as she goes by, made trips to a local wound clinic, often leaving in tears due to painful debridements. The clinic ultimately told her her wound would never heal.
“I stopped believing it would ever get better,” she said. “The pain was constant.”
Everything changed when her care team at Chesapeake Regional Home and Supportive Care referred her to Rebirth Advanced Healing.
Under the care of Nurse Practitioner Holly Maddox, Mrs. Winnie began a new course of treatment using advanced biologics designed to help the body rebuild from within.
Over the course of 10 weeks of treatment, the wound that haunted Mrs. Winnie for years began to shrink. In October 2025, it was gone. Completely healed.
“It doesn’t feel real,” she said. “It feels like a dream and I’m no longer in pain.”
Holly and her Rebirth team brought flowers to Mrs. Winnie to celebrate the moment. Smiling ear to ear, this active 96-year-old was grateful, proud and finally free from her pain.
“When we first met, Mrs. Winnie was exhausted — physically and emotionally,” said Holly Maddox, NP. “She had been told her wound would never close. But she never stopped showing up, and her strength carried her through. Seeing her pain-free and smiling again reminded me why we do what we do, because healing is possible, even when hope feels out of reach.”
Mrs. Winnie is not alone in her story. Rebirth’s dedicated clinical team has been able to help heal hundreds of patients over the years. In the third quarter of 2025, we reported a 98.8% wound improvement rate (the national average is 60%); and an astonishing 1.3% rehospitalization rate for wound-related incidents.
If you or a loved one is fighting a chronic wound, reach out to our team to discuss your treatment options.
