Participant Profile Feature: Kristina Croniser, U.S. Navy Veteran, Hospital Corpsman (2002-2010)
Adversity. Determination. Commitment. Strength. Resilience.
These are the defining characteristics that radiated from each of the enthusiastic and inspiring disabled and injured participants at the recent 2025 National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic held in San Diego.
Hosted by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in collaboration with Wounded Warrior Project®, the 18th annual clinic welcomed 142 U.S. Veterans for a rejuvenating week of energizing adaptive sports and activities including adaptive fitness cycling, kayaking, sailing, surfing, mediation, and yoga.
As a strong supporter of adaptive sports and activities for disabled and injured Veterans, TriWest Healthcare Alliance (TriWest) is a proud long-time sponsor of the popular clinic. The inspiring event provides a unique environment where participants can gain confidence, enjoy new experiences, and build on their long-term rehabilitation goals.
Each year TriWest is privileged to attend the event, learning and sharing the stories of certain Veterans whose Summer Sports Clinic participation showcases incredible perseverance, determination, and remarkable resilience.
Following Dedicated Service, a Devastating Diagnosis
Kristina Croniser, 42, from Cincinnati, Ohio, served in the U.S. Navy as a hospital corpsman from 2002-2010, performing her military service at duty stations in Meridian, Mississippi, and Keflavik, Iceland.
In 2010, shortly after her service, Kristina began having slight muscle control issues, noticing some challenges with her speech, coordination and balance. Not long after she received medical evaluation for her concerns, she shockingly learned her diagnosis of ataxia, a gradually debilitating and untreatable neurological disease.
In the years since her diagnosis, it has become an increasingly disabling condition that has severely impacted her speech, mobility, and muscle movement.
Then, years later, as if ataxia and its challenging symptoms aren’t difficult enough, Kristina discovered she faces another debilitating condition impacting her daily life.
In 2024 while attending her first National Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, she shockingly learned she suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), another disruptive condition she had no idea she developed.
Both life-changing conditions caught Kristina by surprise, requiring a challenging and difficult rehabilitation journey she faces each day.
From her participation in the 2025 National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic, Kristina shared about her conditions and challenges that started her difficult journey to the unique and revitalizing rehabilitative event.
Facing Debilitating and Disruptive Conditions
“I have ataxia and PTSD, and that’s why I’m here,” Kristina shares without hesitance. “I learned of it (ataxia) in 2010, but I really didn’t have any symptoms until five years ago,” she calmly explains.
“From my understanding, ataxia is a rare neurological disease that affects my walking, talking, and coordination. It is a progressive disease that affects the cerebellum,” she adds.
Kristina’s entirely unexpected and additionally challenging PTSD diagnosis came years later, well after her life-changing ataxia diagnosis and its debilitating symptoms.
“I was diagnosed with PTSD more recently, last year,” Kristina explains. “I lived with symptoms for 20-plus years thinking everything is fine – until I was in a situation inside an elevator that was triggering.”
Though Kristina had never been aware she suffered from PTSD, she described her first startling experience with the challenging condition carrying its own disruptive symptoms.
“I was paralyzed and stuck to the spot. I had tears streaming down my face at the time,” she explains. “It happened while was participating in the Winter Sports Clinic last year, so my roommate at the time had to basically drag me out,” she emphasizes.
It was a shock to discover her PTSD at the Winter Sports Clinic, especially as she had attended to gain new confidence and experiences as part of her rehabilitation for her dramatically life-changing ataxia diagnosis.
Confronting Adversity, Finding Support to Overcome
“When I was first diagnosed, it was really hard for me to wrap my head around it,” Kristina openly explains.
“Basically, my body just gave up. I went from a person that could run five miles with no problem, to a person that needed, at first, a cane, then a walker, then finally my wheelchair to get around. It was devastating,” she shares.
For many, such a life-changing condition could leave them with a difficult future of limited rehabilitation opportunities or committed support that can identify with their challenges.
Eileen Higgins, supervisor, Recreation Therapy & Creative Arts Therapy at the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, joined Kristina at the Summer Sports Clinic to provide ongoing support throughout the week.
Eileen comes from a family with a proud history of dedicated military service, finding her work especially rewarding in helping disabled Veterans like Kristina regain their determination and confidence to transform their lives.
“Kristina came to the VA for treatment for the very first time within the past five years,” Eileen explains. “Her physical therapist contacted me and said, ‘Kristina is kind of isolating herself, she doesn’t feel comfortable getting out, she lives a bit of a distance from the VA, would you have anything that would be of help to her?’”
That concerned inquiry became the spark for Kristina’s rehabilitation journey to participate in the Summer Sports Clinic to gain new skills, confidence and experiences.
“We were able to set her up with the community services in her area who will drive Veterans to the VA,” Eileen shares. “Kristina joined the Spinal Cord Adaptive Sports Program where she has three coaches who work with Veterans to identify sports of interest, provide training, and adaptations to allow success,” she explains.
“The Veterans in the program are a team who support each other not only with their participation in events but with life events. When Krisina felt comfortable with the support of her teammates and coaches, she heard about the travel and she was all onboard,” Eileen adds.
“Kristina just connected with this great group of younger Veterans and they’re all very supportive of each other, they encourage each other to come in,” Eileen proudly shares. “Right now, Kristina is coming in two times a week for strength and conditioning on Tuesday, and then on Thursday she comes back for sports training trying out different sports.”
Reaching the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic
Participating in the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic requires more than an interest in pursuing sports activities and registering to attend. Each participating Veteran is recommended for the clinic based on their rehabilitation goals – and careful assessment of their progress by their local VA recreational therapy team.
Kristina’s determination to participate and make progress on her rehabilitation goals convinced her coaches she should be recommended for the clinic.
“You don’t just sign up for these events,” Eileen explains. “Our Adaptive Sports Team has opportunities to participate in the Summer Sports Clinic, Winter Sports Clinic, Wheelchair Games, and other VA events. This is the first year we felt Kristina worked on her goals enough she could have success at the Summer Sports Clinic,” she adds.
“As Kristina’s coaches, we focus on ‘what are her rehabilitation goals? What did she want to achieve, and what local and national events might help her achieve those goals?’” Eileen explains.
Eileen recommended Kristina for the Summer Sports Clinic to allow her to experience the diverse range of activities and social engagement it offers to Veteran participants.
“The social aspect is equally important as the physical challenges at these events. Veterans supporting each other after events conclude can be a great source when coping with health and emotional challenges,” Eileen shares.
“Part of this, too, is travel, just learning how to travel in a chair is difficult. We forget about that part, but it is equally as important,” she emphasizes about the importance of new activities.
“We did kayaking yesterday,” Eileen adds, “and Kristina said, ‘Do you think that is something we can do in Cincinnati?’” Eileen shares.
“Absolutely, Team River Runner is in Cincinnati, and we’ll get in contact with them and well make a plan for that,” Eileen responded to Kristina, “to add that as part of you staying active, getting out and meeting new people.”
“Those are things that are hard,” Eileen explains, “Speaking up, meeting new people. She already on the first day was excited to get out there and be like ‘Could we do…?’”
“That’s always the best line to me – ‘Could we?’” Eileen enthusiastically shares, “Because, absolutely, there are no barriers that we can’t cross.”
Enduring Gratitude for Progress and Regained Confidence
The long-running mission of the National Veterans Summer Sports Clinic is to offer disabled Veterans improved health, rehabilitation, and healing through outdoor adaptive sports and other activities. The specialized clinics are uniquely designed to improve Veterans’ independence, health, well-being, and quality of life.
Following her participation at the 2025 Summer Sports Clinic, Kristina shares her cheerful enthusiasm and deep gratitude for what the event meant to her ongoing rehabilitation and journey.
“The only way I can describe my experience would be awesome,” Kristina emphasizes. “Being able to go to from point A to point B without a wheelchair is freeing and seeing the progress that you made – it’s very satisfying with every paddle in kayak or lowering or hoisting of the sails,” she shares proudly.
“I know that everyone is not afforded this event, but I’m so glad I was granted the opportunity,” she explains in deep appreciation. “The recreational therapists of the Cincinnati VA made it possible because of their support and encouragement – and for that I’m forever grateful,” Kristina humbly expresses.