When Michael Bender fell and injured his right wrist, he never dreamed it would change his life. But it did.

In fact, Bender spent two years unemployed because of the decisions he made after having wrist surgery and nine months of follow-up therapy.

He wasn't fired. He quit.

Until injuring his wrist, Bender was working in the auto business. He had an MBA from Saint Louis University and all was going along well — until he slipped and fell. Those long months in therapy opened Bender's eyes to the possibilities of a new career. He had majored in business because it was what he thought he should do. Occupational therapy, he realized, was something he wanted to do.

"I began by looking into the requirements for admission to the Occupational Therapy school at Washington University in St. Louis," Bender said. "But my prior business academic background did not lend itself well to the prerequisites I needed. So, I started looking at who offered the courses I needed at times when I could take them."

The winner of his search was St. Louis Community College at Forest Park. It wasn't the first time Bender had turned to the STLCC system for solutions.

"Back in 1982 I graduated high school and went off to University of Missouri-Columbia. That lasted one year. I moved back here and transferred to St. Louis Community College at Meramec. I finished with an Associates of Arts degree in general transfer studies. My associate's degree allowed me to successfully transfer to Saint Louis University as a junior in the School of Business. I finished on the Dean's list and continued the next year to earn my MBA," Bender said.

When Bender began at STLCC-Forest Park, his first course was biology.

"I thought I'd take it and see how it went. I had no idea about the quality of classes Forest park offered. Turns out they were very good. In fact, when I applied to Washington University, there was never a question that my prerequisites would be accepted, which I think speaks volumes about the quality of the Allied Health courses at St. Louis Community College," Bender said.

Today, Michael Bender, MS OTR/L, ATP, CDRS, Cfts is the president of Therapeutic Specialties, Inc. The company specializes in assistive technology, driving rehabilitation, and seating and mobility (rehab wheelchairs). In recent years, the company's focus has moved increasingly to seating and mobility as a full service rehab power wheelchair, durable medical equipment company.

"We do a lot of work with the Missouri Division of Vocational Rehabilitation developing very creative work place adaptations for individuals with disabilities. Our emphasis is on the wheelchair (or adaptation) as an intervention for the individual, allowing them to regain functional independence," Bender said.

But enough about success. Back to those two years of no income, a wife, two kids and a mortgage.

"It was becoming difficult to work my course load around my job," Bender said. "So I quit work. It was a challenge, but we managed. (In pursuing a health career), the sacrifices you may have to make up front are so worth it in the long run."

Health care may have its ups and downs, but there will always be opportunity Bender stressed. "People are always going to need well-trained, licensed health care providers."

To learn about how you can train for a health career, or to put your training to work, check out the STLCC Allied Health Career Fair on Sunday, Nov. 15.