Integrating these functions will enhance research collaboration, improve patient care and increase treatment capacity by 50%, allowing up to 24 children per day to receive life-changing therapies.

The expansion is also made possible thanks to federal support and philanthropic generosity. Congressman Morgan McGarvey and Honorable former Congressman John Yarmuth championed a Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) grant that provided $2 million toward the project. Their leadership helped secure critical funding to support this vital expansion in pediatric care. In addition, the university recognizes with deep gratitude a bequest realized from the estate of Jane Burian in memory of Dr. Frank J. Burian and Henrietta S. Burian, whose legacy will have a lasting impact on the lives of children and families served by the center.

For over a decade, UofL’s pediatric neurorecovery program, led by Dr. Andrea Behrman, has transformed the lives of children recovering from spinal cord injuries, growing from serving one child per day to 16, with more than 21 daily visits for occupational and physical therapy. However, the program has long outgrown its existing facilities, which are scattered across multiple floors and repurposed spaces within Frazier Rehab Institute.

“Our mission is to not only provide the best care for children affected by spinal cord injuries but to push the boundaries of what is possible for their recovery,” said Behrman, director of the center and professor in the UofL Department of Neurological Surgery. “Thanks to the unwavering support of Kosair for Kids, we will now have a facility designed specifically for this groundbreaking work, enabling us to reach more children and provide even better outcomes.”

Additionally, the center will serve as a hub for training the next generation of therapists, researchers and physicians specializing in restorative pediatric neurorecovery.

“Kosair for Kids has proudly supported this center since its inception,” said Barry Dunn, president and CEO of Kosair for Kids. “We have witnessed Kosair Kids regain movement and hope, ability and joy. This expanded partnership with UofL delivers on the Kosair for Kids promise to help every child live life to the fullest. This is what it means to bring hope and healing to our community.”

The center’s research is part of the work of the , funded by the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Trust. Jim Shaughnessy, director of the Kentucky Spinal Cord and Head Injury Research Board, emphasized the impact of the new space on the center’s broader mission:

“This expansion is a critical step forward in our mission to drive innovative, research-based care for children with spinal cord injuries,” said Shaughnessy. “By bringing research and therapy together under one roof, we are accelerating the path from discovery to recovery and creating a model that can be replicated worldwide.”

Highlights of the center’s new location:

• Integrated therapy and research spaces to ensure seamless collaboration between clinicians and scientists.
• Dedicated teen therapy areas and specialized equipment to accommodate all pediatric age groups.
• Private consultation rooms for families to meet with health care professionals.
• A family-friendly common space for caregivers to rest, network with other families, or work remotely during therapy sessions.
• Advanced rehabilitation technology tailored to pediatric neurorecovery needs.

Gifts to the assist families whose insurance does not fully cover the cost of therapy, allowing more children with spinal cord injuries have full access to activity-based therapies to make their lives better.  

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The A. Keith Inman Pediatric NeuroRecovery Community Service Awards were presented to Kosair for Kids and Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana for their ongoing service to children with spinal cord injury. Chris Williams, senior vice president of communications, accepted the award on behalf of Kosair for Kids. Hal Hedley, CEO, accepted on behalf of Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The Susan J. Harkema, PhD Pediatric NeuroRecovery Research Award went to the Todd Crawford Foundation to Cure Paralysis for their commitment to pediatric research.

The awards, first given in 2022, were named for A. Keith Inman, former president of Kosair for Kids, and UofL spinal cord injury researcher Susan J. Harkema for their vision and support of the Kosair for Kids Center for Pediatric NeuroRecovery.

This year’s awards were presented in May during the 2024 Pediatric NeuroRecovery Summit, a biennial forum for health care professionals, researchers, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and parents to advance recovery for children with spinal cord injuries. The summit is held every two years in conjunction with the .