Great Plains Health Care Foundation announces fundraising campaign for pediatric rehab and therapy space
Contact: Mary Roberts
North Platte, Neb., June 16, 2023 – The Great Plains Health Care Foundation is pleased to share that fundraising efforts are now underway for a designated pediatric rehab and therapy space. The space will be one part of the new Great Plains Health Sports & Therapy and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Center, set to begin construction in fall 2023.
"Having an area geared to pediatrics will allow us to optimize our therapy sessions. A dedicated pediatric space will allow us to be 'more' for our patients – more creative, more adventurous and more play based," said Melissa Harmon, MS/CCC, SLP-L, Great Plains Health lead speech pathologist.
This space encourages play, creativity and participation designed around the patients it serves. Whether a child needs speech therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy or all three types of therapy, a designated area provides children with a space that is unique to their developmental journeys.
"Many of the pediatric patients in our area require two, or all three services, and being able to provide those services in a dedicated pediatric wing will allow us to collaborate and plan more efficiently to better serve our pediatric patients,” said Kristin Vyhnalek, MSPT, Great Plains Health pediatric physical therapist.
The space accommodates a broad range of pediatric health diagnoses, including broken bones, cerebral palsy, Autism, genetic disorders, general developmental delay and more.
The space features:
- More privacy and less distractions
- Separate spaces for speech and feeding therapies
- Pediatric-sized equipment
- Child friendly environment
- Sensory therapy spaces
“We recognize the outstanding work that our therapists provide for kids already, and are so excited to provide a space that allows them to offer the very best for our pediatric patients,” said Megan McGown, Great Plains Health chief development officer and Foundation director. “Our goal is to support the pediatric space with a $500,000 gift from the Foundation, and we know our generous donors will help make it possible.”
To learn more about the project or to make a gift, visit gphealth.org/give. With questions, please contact Megan McGown, Great Plains Health chief development officer and Foundation director, at 308.568.7498 or mcgownm@gphealth.org.
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About Great Plains Health
Based in North Platte, Nebraska, Great Plains Health is a fully accredited, 116-bed acute-care regional medical center serving western and central Nebraska, northern Kansas and southern South Dakota. With 90 physicians representing nearly 30 medical specialties, the Great Plains Health system offers advanced health care, including heart and vascular, cancer, and orthopedic surgery services. Great Plains Health is a Level III trauma center, and all of its emergency department physicians are residency-trained and board-certified in emergency medicine. The system employs approximately 1,200 employees and serves a geographic area spanning more than 67,000 square miles. The hospital is accredited by the Center for Improvement in Healthcare Quality (CIHQ) and is home to an American College of Surgeons-accredited cancer center and Level II bariatric surgery program. For more information, visit gphealth.org.