GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – As the opening of Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital draws closer, Mary Free Bed is inviting the community to help fill its therapy spaces with something essential to a child’s recovery: the power of play.
Now through November 30, the Play it Forward: Toys for Therapy campaign, presented by Berger Chevrolet, will raise funds for therapeutic toys, games, sensory tools and adaptive equipment that support children receiving inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services through Mary Free Bed Kids.
In pediatric rehabilitation, toys are tools for healing, growth and recovery.
“A toy can be much more than a toy,” said Anna Cook, child life specialist at Mary Free Bed Kids. “When a child is focused on catching a ball, completing a game or reaching for a favorite toy, they’re often developing strength, improving coordination, building confidence and working toward important therapy goals. Play helps children stay engaged during the hard work of rehabilitation.” The campaign arrives at an exciting moment as Mary Free Bed prepares to open Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, a partnership with Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Community support and donations will help equip the hospital’s therapy gyms, treatment spaces and family areas with new toys and equipment, making a meaningful difference from day one.
From sensory equipment to adaptive toys and games, these new therapeutic tools will help encourage movement, communication, motor development and independence.
Examples of items supported through the campaign include:
- A Toniebox for stories, music and imaginative play
- Instant cameras that help children celebrate milestones and therapy achievements
- Platform swings that support sensory exploration and movement
- Adaptive tricycles that help build coordination, strength and confidence
“For therapists, these items are tools that help children reach important milestones,” said Emily Ambs, director of philanthropy at the Mary Free Bed Foundation. “For kids, they’re opportunities to play, explore and discover what they’re capable of. That’s what makes them so impactful.”
The campaign serves as a communitywide opportunity to help prepare the new children’s rehabilitation hospital for opening day while directly supporting the patients and families who will receive care there. Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital, opening in December, will be the first children’s rehabilitation hospital in Michigan and one of only nine in the nation dedicated solely to pediatric rehabilitation. The three-story facility will include 24 inpatient rooms along with outpatient clinics and therapy environments created specifically for children. Gifts to the Play it Forward campaign will help Mary Free Bed Kids transform those new spaces from empty rooms into places where children can build strength, gain confidence and celebrate milestones through play-based therapy from the moment the hospital opens its doors.
To learn more or make a gift, visit maryfreebed.com/foundation.
About Mary Free Bed Foundation
The Mary Free Bed Foundation advances the mission of Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation by connecting donors, volunteers and community partners with opportunities to transform lives through rehabilitation. Since 2012, generous supporters have contributed more than $139 million to expand access to care, support innovative rehabilitation programs, provide charitable care and create opportunities through adaptive sports. Most recently, donor support is helping to bring Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital to life, creating a dedicated space where children can access world-class rehabilitation care from Mary Free Bed Kids designed just for them.
Together, the Foundation’s supporters are helping advance the future of pediatric and adult rehabilitation while restoring hope and freedom for thousands of individuals and families each year. Visit maryfreebed.com/foundation to learn more about upcoming events and opportunities to give back.
