photo via Bradley University Marketing
A local resident donated the largest monetary contribution the Bradley’s Physical Therapy Clinic for Fitness and Function has ever received.
Community member Dave Driscoll made a $10,000 donation after receiving treatment in 2016 from physical therapy students who worked at the clinic.
In a press release, Driscoll said he made the donation as a gesture of appreciation after the clinic rehabilitation improved his mobility.
“It’s just a meager attempt to show my appreciation,” Driscoll said. “It’s not that big of a gift compared to what they’ve done for me and the rest of my life.”
Driscoll spent three semesters in the clinic’s program, where he said he made improvements in his physical capabilities after he fell from a tree in 2014, which resulted in a broken neck.
“They changed my life because they’ve given me freedom to do things I wanted to do,” Driscoll said. “Bradley’s program offers incalculable worth to the community it serves and the students who work with it.”
The clinic works to treat patients with neurological conditions who don’t have insurance to cover rehabilitation elsewhere.
Melissa Peterson, an associate professor of physical therapy, oversees the clinic and said the donation will go a long way in developing the program.
“This donation means so much to us,” Peterson said. “First, the thought that [the treatment] we provided made such a difference in someone’s life that he felt compelled to make this donation provides us with such encouragement and validation. Second, it allows us to make purchases that are above and beyond the budget we have for our department. “
Funding for the clinic has previously come through the Community Foundation of Peoria and Bradley’s Office of Sponsored Programs. The clinic does not often receive large donations, according to Peterson.
“[Donations like Driscoll’s] are not common,” Peterson said. “The Physical Therapy Clinic for Fitness and Function has received a few donations from clients who have benefited from the services. However, this is the first of this size.”
Peterson said the donation allows for extensive research and purchases of costly equipment.
“[The donation] will benefit undergraduate and graduate students as they learn about the mechanics of gait and how to impact it,” Peterson said. “It will provide opportunities to conduct more sophisticated research regarding gait in different patient populations or following intervention. It will also provide them with greater exposure to technology they may see in the clinical or research setting. “
The first purchase made with the donation was an expensive piece of equipment that will improve patients’ rehabilitations, according to Peterson.
“We have purchased a treadmill – Biodex Gait Trainer 3,” Peterson said. “This is a sophisticated piece of equipment that will allow us to provide real-time feedback to help our clients improve their walking ability.”
The Fitness and Function clinic provides pro-bono sessions from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays.
To receive more information on the clinic or to make a donation contact Peterson at mpetersn@fsmail.bradley.edu or (309) 677-3648.
