Lt. Governor attends naming celebration of the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center at Kessler Foundation
2014-10-29 15:32:17 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
WEST ORANGE, N.J.—In recognition of a combined gift of $1.25 million from the Rocco and Nancy Ortenzio Foundation and Select Medical, Kessler Foundation hosted a naming celebration of the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center—the only research-dedicated imaging center in the nation within a free-standing rehabilitation facility. Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, Mr. Ortenzio and donor Dorothy Landvater were among the honored guests.
“All of us at Kessler Foundation are deeply grateful for the generosity of the Rocco and Nancy Ortenzio Foundation and Select Medical in support of our research to improve the cognition and mobility of individuals with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, and other conditions,” said Rodger DeRose, president and chief executive officer of Kessler Foundation. “The Ortenzio Center is accelerating the pace of discovery by providing objective evidence. Now our researchers can demonstrate not only that a treatment works but why and how it works. With this evidence, we make the case for why such treatments should be covered by health insurance, so that these innovative treatments are available to people who need them.”
The Ortenzio Center is equipped with a 3 Tesla Siemens Skyra Scanner, the most powerful of its kind. Kessler Foundation researchers are studying the brain and spinal cord before, during and after treatments to assess their effects and collect objective data. Studies investigate ways to improve mobility, cognition—thinking, learning and memory—as well as the independence of individuals with traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, stroke and other disabling conditions. Through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional MRI and other imaging techniques, scientists are able to observe changes in brain connectivity, activation, muscle mass and nerve regeneration.
Lt. Governor Guadagno attended the celebration. She personally knows a man with a spinal cord injury who was an inpatient and outpatient of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. He also participated in a research study at Kessler Foundation, in which he stood and walked in a robotic device. Studies are now examining how robotic exoskeletons build muscle mass and bone density, utilizing scans taken at the Ortenzio Center.
“New Jersey has always been a leader in healthcare. People with disabilities should have every opportunity to be part of the community and join the workforce. Kessler Foundation shares this vision. But being active in the community is only possible with discoveries that improve the health, function, and independence of these individuals—which is why neuroimaging is so crucial. We are thrilled to have the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center at Kessler Foundation in our state and look forward to being at the forefront of new discoveries that change lives.”
Mr. Ortenzio is co-founder and vice chairman of Select Medical, one of the nation's largest providers of specialized acute and post-acute care and the parent company of Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. “We can all be proud of the unique partnership of Kessler Foundation, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation and Select Medical,” he said. “I have seen the implications of the Foundation’s innovative research and how it is applied to patient care at the Institute. [The Ortenzio Center] provides indisputable proof that the tested treatment is effective. This, in turn, allows our patients to lead to fulfilling and vibrant lives. Together, we can and we will continue to improve the function, independence and quality of life for millions of people living with disabilities.”
Liz Lowenstein, chairman of Kessler Foundation’s Board of Trustees, explained that she and the Board unanimously approved the build for the Center. “We see how hard our scientists work every day to improve the lives of people with disabilities,” she said. “We are committed to giving these dedicated, talented and internationally renowned researchers the resources they need explore new avenues of treatment and make new discoveries as quickly as possible. Discoveries made today will change lives and lead to new avenues of exploration for decades to come.”
The Rocco and Nancy Ortenzio Foundation pledged $1 million. Select Medical pledged a cash gift of $250,000 and also donated the space within the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation for the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center for 15 years.
Also in attendance was Dorothy Landvater, who donated $50,000 to the Center in 2012 in honor of her son who sustained a traumatic brain injury in 1972. She founded SHARING, INC. in 1977, to help individuals with disabilities find acceptance in society. She is author of a book, titled, David. Plaques honoring gifts by Ms. Landvater and Ms. Lowenstein are hanging in the Rocco Ortenzio Neuroimaging Center at Kessler Foundation.
About Kessler Foundation
Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org; Facebook.com/KesslerFoundation; Tweet us @KesslerFdn
Contacts:
Lauren Scrivo, 973.324.8384, 973.768.6583 - c, [email protected]
Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382, [email protected]
