The Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens Celebrates Its 1st Birthday!

The buzz around the hospital on May 17, 2017 was off the charts, as everyone prepared for the grand opening celebration for The Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens. After years of planning and raising funds, followed by LOTS of construction, the day we were waiting for had finally arrived. And what a day it was!

As we celebrate one year later, we look back with much appreciation for the impact that The Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens has made on our patients, their families, and our staff. Here are just some of the highlights:

• Less than an hour after the ribbon was cut, Art Therapist Julie Nolan led the first Art Therapy session in the new studio. It continues to be one of the most popular places on the 6th floor, and since it opened, now has a new name thanks to the generous support of the Katie Samson Foundation.
• Flowers, plants, and vegetables provide wonderful sights and smells for everyone to appreciate.
• Those needing a quiet space to escape to have found it in the Spirituality Center, where our Spiritual Care providers also lead services on a regular basis.
• Whether it’s your first time to the roof or you visit often, the views of the city, that everyone can now appreciate through the Windows to the City, continue to brighten up every day.
• The new car and other features on Segal Street help patients develop a comfort level that will have them better prepared to deal with real-life situations like curb cuts and car transfers.
• The multiple Healing Gardens steal the show and have a way of brightening up everyone’s days and nights!
• Finally, Music Therapy, our newest program, has created space in The Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens for patients to create music for all to enjoy.

I know I am not alone when I say that watching The Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens come to life has been a highlight of my time at Magee. There’s just something special about taking the elevator to the 6th floor, knowing that as soon as the doors open, you forget that you are in the hospital.

Thank you to all who provided the financial support to make this project happen. I promise you that the return on your investment is seen in the eyes of patients and family members whose days are much better because they get to enjoy it at Magee.

If you’d like to arrange a tour of The Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens, please call me at 215-587-3226 or email MChilutti@MageeRehab.org.

Photos: (Top) Team Magee gathered on the rooftop and (Right) President and CEO Dr. Jack Carroll cuts the ribbon to officially open The Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens on May 17, 2017. Credit: Sam DeSantis

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