Marquette University’s College of Health Sciences received a gift of $1 million from an anonymous donor to establish a Neuro Recovery Clinic in Cramer Hall, according to a university news brief.
Kim DeChant, Neuro Recovery Clinic coordinator, said the clinic will provide treatment for individuals with neurological disorders such as a spinal cord injury, stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis. It will also provide unique intensive therapy packages consisting of sessions lasting several hours a day over multiple weeks or months.
William Cullinan, dean of the College of Health Sciences, said there are only about a dozen neuro recovery clinics in the nation. The closest two to Milwaukee are in Minneapolis and Chicago.
“We are beyond delighted to receive this gift,” Cullinan said. “What is most exciting and important, of course, is that we will be in a position to help so many patients who have exhausted the therapies available to them, and allow them to gain further independence.”
Cullinan added that most of the gift will go toward specialized equipment, including weight bearing reducing harnesses, specialized treadmills and upper body extremity robotics, among other technologies necessary for the therapy provided by the clinic.
“I am excited and proud that Marquette University is leading the way in offering this innovative clinic,” DeChant said. “Building on the excellent reputation of Marquette and offering rehabilitation care is an incredible opportunity for those with neurologic diagnoses to receive the care they need at a level they may be unable to receive elsewhere.”
DeChant said therapy will be personalized for each patient.
”The clinic will also provide traditional multidisciplinary outpatient neurologic therapy services and wellness services, including guided exercise with skilled personnel and use of adaptive equipment that might not be available in the traditional gym setting,” DeChant said.
Tina Stoeckmann, clinical professor and neurological residency program director, said while Marquette’s speech pathology and audiology department has an established reputation for its Intensive Aphasia Program, a program to help neuro patients with speech, the clinic will broaden the scope of its services to physical and occupational therapy.
“People in the community can come in and use our special equipment with trained specialists who can help them get on or get set up with equipment that works for them, and address any special medical concerns that might impact their ability to stay active,” Stoeckmann said. “There currently aren’t places for people to go get this kind of care.”
DeChant said neuro patients were previously treated at the Marquette Physical Therapy Clinic on campus. The clinic could only see a limited number of patients, due to space limitations and the schedule of the therapist treating them. Depending on specialized equipment needs, other teaching lab spaces also had to be used, she said.
DeChant said neuro patients benefit more from lifelong therapeutic support rather than episodic medical care.
Stoeckmann added that expanding the clinic will allow more space and opportunity for students to work with real equipment and clients.
“Students really appreciate seeing their faculty outside of the classroom,” Stockmann said. “And it gives us a chance to demonstrate and role model the things we talk about in lectures and lab: We can walk the walk, not just talk the talk.”
Stoeckmann said many patients are excited for the new clinic. Many of them are looking for a welcoming and inclusive facility that is personable and tailored to their conditions, she said.
