Newswise — A hospital sponsoring a surfing trip to Long Island for young people with disabilities gives new meaning to the term “patient care.” The Adaptive Sports Academy at Hospital for Special Surgery’s Lerner Children’s Pavilion is sponsoring the trip.
On August 15, about 15 patients, ages 6 to 22, will ride the waves with world-class surfers Will and Cliff Skudin in Long Beach, on Long Island. Well-known and admired among surfing enthusiasts, they will provide the lessons, along with their specially trained staff at Skudin Surf.
The Academy enables young patients with cerebral palsy or another physical challenge to participate in athletic activities they never dreamed possible. Academy trips and recreational experiences help build patients’ self-confidence, encourage independence, and increase physical activity and mobility. The trips are offered without cost, thanks to the generosity of donors.
Adaptive sports are competitive or recreational sports for people with disabilities. Sometimes rules or equipment is modified to meet the needs of participants. Some of the kids are not sure at first how well they’ll do, but they almost always exceed their own expectations. Parents sometimes cry when they see what their child can achieve.
A number of the patients anxious to “hang ten” have cerebral palsy. One has spina bifida. Some have had multiple surgeries and use crutches or a walker to get around. Some will need a wheelchair to get to the water, but that won’t stop them from getting on the surf board.
Previous outings have proven to be life-changing for many children and teenagers, enabling them to participate in a sport for the very first time.
About HSS | Hospital for Special Surgery
HSS is the world’s leading academic medical center focused on musculoskeletal health. At its core is Hospital for Special Surgery, nationally ranked No. 1 in orthopedics (for the eighth consecutive year) and No. 3 in rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report (2017-2018). Founded in 1863, the Hospital has one of the lowest infection rates in the country and was the first in New York State to receive Magnet Recognition for Excellence in Nursing Service from the American Nurses Credentialing Center four consecutive times. The global standard total knee replacement was developed at HSS in 1969. An affiliate of Weill Cornell Medical College, HSS has a main campus in New York City and facilities in New Jersey, Connecticut and in the Long Island and Westchester County regions of New York State. In 2017 HSS provided care to 135,000 patients and performed more than 32,000 surgical procedures. People from all 50 U.S. states and 80 countries travelled to receive care at HSS. In addition to patient care, HSS leads the field in research, innovation and education. The HSS Research Institute comprises 20 laboratories and 300 staff members focused on leading the advancement of musculoskeletal health through prevention of degeneration, tissue repair and tissue regeneration. The HSS Global Innovation Institute was formed in 2016 to realize the potential of new drugs, therapeutics and devices. The culture of innovation is accelerating at HSS as 130 new idea submissions were made to the Global Innovation Institute in 2017 (almost 3x the submissions in 2015). The HSS Education Institute is the world’s leading provider of education on the topic on musculoskeletal health, with its online learning platform offering more than 600 courses to more than 21,000 medical professional members worldwide. Through HSS Global Ventures, the institution is collaborating with medical centers and other organizations to advance the quality and value of musculoskeletal care and to make world-class HSS care more widely accessible nationally and internationally.
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