The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation awarded nearly $20,000 to the Hospital for Special Care’s Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp held at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford.

Pictured (L-R): Jonathan Slifka, Governor’s liaison to the disability community; Lynn Ricci, FACHE, president & CEO, Hospital for Special Care; William Reeve, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation; Janeace Slifka, founder of Hospital for Special Care’s Ivan Lendl adaptive sports camp; Michelle Milczanowski, grant writer, Hospital for Special Care; Janet Connolly, sports and community programs manager, Hospital for Special Care and 2016 campers. Submitted photo

Submitted

The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation has generously supported the Hospital for Special Care (HSC)  adaptive sports program over the past 15 years, providing financial support in excess of $53,000. Most recently the foundation awarded a Quality of Life grant of $19,991. Christopher and Dana Reeve’s Son, William Reeve visited the camp on Aug. 2 to present HSC with the check.

As HSC continues to add new program participants, as well as new programming, all of its sports wheelchairs are being utilized by more people, more frequently. Due to normal wear and tear parts must be replaced that wear out (tires, tubes, spokes and straps.)

“We are grateful for these funds and fully appreciate the magnitude of this commitment from the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation,” said Lynn Ricci, president and CEO, Hospital for Special Care. “This grant allowed HSC to purchase three all court wheelchairs and establish a supply of replacement parts, tools and storage to ensure that our full inventory of sports wheelchairs remain in use as much as possible.”

From Monday, Aug. 1 through Friday, Aug. 5, campers, coaches and instructors from Connecticut and beyond came together at Hospital for Special Care Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp, a weeklong, free day camp for youth ages six to 19 living with physical disabilities.

“HSC’s camp is the only one of its kind in New England and one of the most popular and well-attended events in our Adaptive Sports Program,” said Janet Connolly, sports and community programs manager, Hospital for Special Care. “The program allows children and teens living with physical disabilities the opportunity to build self-esteem, life-long friendships and the pursuit of athletic achievement.”

Coaching and instruction in sports such as tennis, swimming, basketball, soccer and track & field is provided by experienced program specialists, mentors, volunteers and adult athletes living with physical disabilities.

For more information on HSC’s Ivan Lendl Adaptive Sports Camp, please call 860.832.6220, or visit www.hfsc.org.

About Hospital for Special Care

Hospital for Special Care (HSC) is one of the four largest, free-standing long-term acute care hospitals in the United States and the nation’s only long-term acute-care hospital serving adults and children. HSC is recognized for advanced care and rehabilitation in pulmonary care, acquired brain injury, medically-complex pediatrics, neuromuscular disorders (including ALS research), spinal cord injury, comprehensive heart failure as well as diagnostic, assessment and consulting services for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

Located in New Britain and Hartford, CT, HSC operates inpatient and outpatient facilities serving Southern New England and the Tri-State area on a not-for-profit basis. For the latest news and information, please visit www.hfsc.org, and follow us on Twitter @HospSpecialCare.

Like what you see here? Click here to subscribe to We-Ha’s newsletter so you’ll always be in the know about what’s happening in West Hartford!