Shepherd Center is one of the top private, not-for-profit hospital specializing in medical treatment, research and rehabilitation for people with spinal cord injury, brain injury, multiple sclerosis, spine and chronic pain, and other neuromuscular conditions. Play It Forward Foundations has partnered with Shepherd Center to assist with the cost of the Adolescent Recreational Rehabilitation Therapy program. Although unfunded by insurance, Recreation Therapy is an essential part of Shepherd Center’s continuum of care, and is provided at no cost to patients and their families. This vital support service is made possible by donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations.
Shepherd’s team of highly specialized, experienced clinicians are dedicated to helping their patients rebuild their lives with hope, independence and dignity, advocating for their full inclusion in all aspects of community life while promoting safety and injury prevention.
Play It Forward funds recreational rehab for adolescents who have experienced life-altering brain and spinal injuries. Recreational rehab is often the first opportunity for many adolescents to leave the hospital since their injury and the first glimpse at how their public life will be different. Recreation Rehab funds specials field trips that might involve a patient getting to swim with whale sharks at the Georgia Aquarium, trips to Chick-fil-A, and visits to the mall or other retail settings. Rec Rehab also may include picnics at a lake and even water –skiing in special circumstances.
These crucial steps in the continuum of care and rehab are not covered by insurance. With your generosity, Play It Forward has made funding as many and as much of the program as possible a priority.
Here are just a few of the activities that fall under the recreational rehabilitation program for adolescents that we help fund.
- Five Health & Wellness Clinics focusing on Golf, Tennis, Archery, Cycling, and Para-triathlon instruction
- An overnight horticulture trip to Unicoi State Park and Lodge in Helen, Georgia
- Adventure Skills Workshop – a 3-day nationally recognized outdoor workshop at a wheelchair-accessible facility in Jackson’s Gap, Alabama which includes adaptive water-skiing, scuba diving, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, jet skiing, four-wheeling, swimming, target shooting, wall climbing and more
- Sponsorship of the Peachtree Road Race Wheelchair Division – One of the largest and most competitive 10K wheelchair races in the country showcasing more than 75 elite wheelchair athletes from around the world
- Discover Scuba classes & Deep Dive Scuba Trip
- Disabled Sports Tournaments – Wheelchair Basketball, Quad Rugby, and Power Soccer
- Water-ski workshop
- Community hunting trips
- Community reintegration- trips to the grocery store, restaurants, furniture shopping, etc.
