Meet Our Platinum Sponsor: Kennedy Krieger Institute

Our Platinum sponsor and our BIGGEST SUPPORTER that helped make our Cuba adventure a reality is the Kennedy Krieger Institute. Located in Baltimore, Maryland, the Kennedy Krieger Institute is a world-renowned institution that is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young adults with a wide range of disabilities and disorders, through patient care, special education, research, and professional training. For decades they served only children with disabilities, but in 2005 they opened the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury (ICSCI) outpatient program to help adults as well.

Hope Through Motion

The ICSCI rehabilitation center offers a groundbreaking therapy program with a focus on Activity-Based Restorative Therapy, both above and below a person’s level of injury. The program is unlike traditional spinal cord injury therapy models in many ways. Most therapy sessions last 2-4 hours and are customized based on patient goals and the center’s aggressive rehabilitation approach. Patients receive one-on-one care from therapists focused on moving different parts of the paralyzed body with electrical stimulation, innovative robotic technologies and repetitive activity-based methods. Much of the equipment used seems futuristic in its technology. The ICSCI rehabilitation program is truly at the forefront of spinal cord injury rehabilitation and restoration.

Whether someone is stepping or wheeling into the rehabilition gym, the the center’s slogan, ”Hope Through Motion,” creates an atmosphere and energy that surrounds and energizes patients. At the conclusion of a therapy program, therapists provide patients with comprehensive home programs, as well as follow-up and ongoing communication through a special web-based and smartphone app.

To tour the center and for more information, watch this video

Beyond Rehab

All three of the Cuba sailing participants were once patients at the ICSCI and credit the center for recovery of function and improved outlook on life. Kennedy Krieger understands that rehabilitation is just one important part of the puzzle, but that life continues outside of the rehab environment. To promote active, healthy independent lifestyles the ICSCI program also supports adaptive sports and recreational activities. These programs are open to current and former patients, as well as individuals living in the community. To learn more visit www.kennedykrieger.org/community/adaptive-sports-program.

For more information, call 888-923-9222, visit www.spinalcordrecovery.org, or email info.sci@spinalcordrecovery.org.