Get ready for an inspiring new episode of The FOX Five. This week, Danielle Cicala, MS, OTR/L, CDP, is sharing “Five Things I Learned in My First Year with FOX Rehabilitation.” From her first social media video to representing FOX at AOTA, Danielle’s journey is filled with passion, growth, and purpose. Discover how she found unexpected collaboration in the house call setting, learned to connect deeply with each patient’s unique “why,” and embraced stepping outside her comfort zone to grow as both a clinician and a person. Danielle also dives into the powerful role of advocacy—how FOX empowered her to make real community connections that change lives. Whether you’re a new clinician, a FOX colleague, or just love stories of professional transformation, this episode will motivate you to find your own “why” and celebrate the growth that comes with saying yes to new opportunities.

Jim: Welcome to The FOX Five, the show that explores FOX Rehabilitation through an original list created by a FOX colleague. That FOX colleague today is FOX Rehabilitation occupational therapist, Danielle Cicala. Danielle, welcome to The FOX Five.

Danielle: Thank you for having me.

Jim: Do you know you've done everything in the world of FOX but The FOX Five?

Danielle: Well, time to get my feet a little bit wetter than usual.

Jim: So, Danielle, what is your FOX Five today?

Danielle: My FOX Five is five things that I learned in my first year with FOX.

Jim: When you celebrated your first year with FOX, didn't you post something on social media?

Danielle: Yes.

Jim: Our CEO, Dr. Anthony Buccafurni, saw that and said, "Yeah, we need to tell this story." And I said, "Anthony, we have The FOX Five series. I'll just get Danielle to tell her story on this show,” which you're doing right now.

Danielle: Beautiful. I mean, I swear that list was not even five. It was way more.

Jim: Today, you have to condense it to down to five. So, Danielle, what is Number One on your FOX Five?

Danielle: Number One on my FOX Five is the ultimate amount of growth that you can do in such a short period of time with FOX. I got my feet wet and hit the ground running with one social media video. Everything that started falling into place after joining the FOX Media Team, like learning different parts of marketing, then having presentation opportunities, then going to AOTA, and then doing different positions within my region. I'm just like, “Whoa!”.

Jim: Danielle, that brings us to Number Two on your FOX Five.

Danielle: My Number Two is learning that every patient's “why” is so different. And especially being in a house call setting or an SLC setting, the “whys” are so diverse and you really get to learn the basis of a why when you're in someone's environment. Seeing memories on their walls, you get to know so many versions of this person and that just elevates the treatments and progress that you can make.

Jim: Yeah. No patient is the same. And that brings us to Number Three on your FOX Five.

Danielle: So, Number Three on my FOX Five would be interdisciplinary collaboration. It is so important and so prevalent in this setting. And you wouldn’t assume that because you think you're going to be in no man's land and might say to yourself, “Well, I guess I'm never going to see or talk to anyone, but in reality, oh my gosh, you talk to more people than ever. You talk to people within your region on different levels than I would in a normal outpatient setting. And I don't even see them every day. It's crazy how beautiful the interdisciplinary communication and collaboration can be within a practice like this.

There is the clinical aspect of interdisciplinary collaboration, and then the camaraderie that comes along with it, where you get to create and maintain friendships within FOX, you know?

Jim: Danielle, that brings us to Number Four on your FOX Five.

Danielle: Number Four might sound a little bit like Number One but in a different sense. The growth that you make here will be outside of your comfort zone. You're not going to be in this same box as you would be in a traditional setting or acute care outpatient. This growth, you might feel a little scared or weird because there are times where you're going to be physically out in the community and, yes, you can lean on mentors for communication and support, but your growth to become a really good clinician, you have to do it on your own. Of course, you have the right amount of support, but you must grow outside your comfort zone and learn how to really truly think on your feet.

Jim: So far, so good. This has been a solid FOX Five. Danielle, that brings us to Number Five on your FOX Five.

Danielle: Number Five would definitely be the power of advocacy. I feel like I have never advocated more in my OT career until I came to FOX because I have been able to advocate for more services beyond just making a PT referral or a speech referral. I have been able to make these community connections with organizations for patients. I meet and talk with social workers and different home health nurses that may come in to play sometimes depending on the case. With FOX Rehabilitation, advocacy just shines, and you learn how to become the right advocate for your patient.

Jim: Excellent. Excellent. FOX Five, I would hope that our CEO, Dr. Anthony Buccafutni would approve. With FOX Rehabilitation, we don't give out rookies of the year like sports leagues do, but if we did, Danielle, I think you'd be nominated for rookie of the year.

Danielle: Really? Wow.

Jim: You celebrated your one-year anniversary in early 2025?

Danielle: I celebrated my one year in July of 2025. I did a lot.

Jim: Yes, you did. Yes, you did. And you have completed the FOX media gauntlet. finished the gauntlet. You've done it all.

Danielle: We have to create more now. Come up with new ones.