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March 1, 2019

Grant allows Wallingford health group to expand sports offerings for disabled

PHOTO | Contributed Jillian Harpin regularly rock climbs with the Gaylord Sports Association.
By Michelle Tuccitto Sullo

A debilitating injury shouldn’t prevent someone from enjoying activities like rock climbing and cycling.

Thanks to a recent grant, more people with severe injuries will be able to participate in these activities, and others.

Gaylord Hospital’s Sports Association, a program of the non-profit Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, recently received a $15,000 grant. The money comes courtesy of Disabled Sports USA through the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, according to a Thursday announcement from Joy Savulak, a publicist for the Wallingford-based Gaylord.

The money will be used for adaptive sports programming and equipment for people who have suffered spinal-cord injuries.

Katie Joly, association program manager, said she is “incredibly grateful” for the grant money.

It means the association can improve its adaptive equipment options for individuals with spinal-cord injuries, according to Joly. The association also plans to use the funding to offer introductory adaptive sports clinics to show people what is possible through participation, she said.

“We see people at Gaylord with pretty significant injuries, and a lot of times people think they can’t participate in sports they used to enjoy,” Joly said.

Instead, people find out they can still enjoy sports, and sometimes patients end up trying and enjoying new ones, according to Joly.

Gaylord Sports Association provides adaptive sports and recreation programs to adults with permanent physical disabilities and visual impairments.

“People find they gain confidence to do new things because of their participation in these sports,” Joly said. “They get physically stronger, so there are health benefits. They also come to realize that your disability doesn’t define you, and you can still do things you did before. You can still lead a happy and healthy life.”

The $15,000 will be used to buy adaptive equipment for wheelchair rugby, and equipment for adaptive cycling and kayaking. It will also fund adaptive clinics for rock climbing and cycling.

This year’s grant is the largest the association has received to date from the Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, which supports programs and scientific research to improve the quality of life for those affected by and living with spinal cord injuries.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare provides inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation care. It is known for its work helping patients with spinal cord, brain and sports-related injuries, and amputations, and patients who have suffered from stroke and pulmonary or cardiac problems.

Contact Michelle Tuccitto Sullo at msullo@newhavenbiz.com

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