Innovative programs <strong>and</strong> services restore <strong>abilities</strong> <strong>and</strong> help patients return home Gifts to the Sister Kenny Foundation have enhanced the quality <strong>and</strong> scope of Sister Kenny Rehabilitation Institute (SKRI) programs <strong>and</strong> services. Care given by SKRI extends from critical care to the community. Patients benefit from care in the intensive care unit, through their hospitalization <strong>and</strong> on an outpatient basis upon their discharge. Expansion of outpatient services, offering more services at multiple locations throughout the Twin Cities <strong>and</strong> greater Minnesota, brings rehabilitation excellence to areas in which patients live <strong>and</strong> work. SKRI’s programs <strong>and</strong> services continue to grow <strong>and</strong> develop in response to community need. One such program is Cancer Rehabilitation that addresses the array of rehabilitative needs of increasing numbers of people living with <strong>and</strong> surviving cancer. “Cancer survivorship is on the rise <strong>and</strong> the dem<strong>and</strong> for a range of rehabilitative services for survivors is growing,” added Nancy Hutchison, MD, PT, LANA, medical director of the Cancer Rehabilitation <strong>and</strong> Lymphedema Program. “People survive cancer, but the quality of their daily <strong>lives</strong> may suffer. The program can have a profound impact on their quality of life.” “For many individuals, cancer is a long-term disease,” explained Physician-in-chief Karl S<strong>and</strong>in, MD, MPH. “Improving fitness, strength, performance <strong>and</strong> function are each important for cancer survivors. Our goal is to limit impairment or activity restriction through education, training <strong>and</strong> exercise. We help patients do more than survive — we help them thrive,” he added. Thanks to a strong commitment by SKRI leaders <strong>and</strong> clinicians, as well as Foundation support, the Sister Kenny Cancer Rehabilitation <strong>and</strong> Lymphedema Program has gained international recognition for innovation <strong>and</strong> quality. Many patients helped by SKRI are dealing with existing conditions or injuries. Yet, more so today, SKRI is focused on injury prevention. In our communities, there is greater familiarity with injury risk to young athletes. In the U.S. today, concussions are one of the most commonly reported injuries in children <strong>and</strong> adolescents who participate in sports or recreational activities. Concussions are serious medical problems with potentially permanent consequences. Sister Kenny Sports <strong>and</strong> Physical Therapy Center has partnered with area high schools to bring the ImPACT Concussion Assessment to athletes, helping them, their parents, coaches <strong>and</strong> doctors make better <strong>and</strong> safer decisions about the optimal time to return to play. Through the support of the Foundation, SKRI exp<strong>and</strong>ed the Prevent Injury <strong>and</strong> Enhance Performance Program, an evidence-based program designed to prevent tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament in teenage female athletes. Making treatment <strong>and</strong> prevention programs accessible <strong>and</strong> convenient helps patients preserve or more quickly <strong>and</strong> successfully restore <strong>abilities</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>independence</strong>. “Sister Kenny Foundation is supportive <strong>and</strong> connected to nearly everything the Institute does,” added Institute Director Pat Tarnowski, PT, MBA, SCS. “The Foundation gives us a bridge to greater resources to help enhance prevention <strong>and</strong> treatment options — through new equipment or protocols. The Foundation is instrumental in helping us achieve our mission of making <strong>lives</strong> work.” 6
7 Through the support of the Foundation, SKRI programs <strong>and</strong> services have been enhanced, including the expansion of outpatient services, bringing rehabiliation excellence to areas in which patients live <strong>and</strong> work.
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