Monthly Archives: November 2011

Oh mercy, another Percy!

For the third consecutive year, Matheny will be receiving a Percy Award from the Healthcare Planning and Marketing Society of New Jersey for Best Small Hospital Public Relations/Media Placement. This year’s awards will be presented at HPMSNJ’s annual meeting on … Continue reading

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Matheny Muses “express themselves”

The Matheny Muses, an eclectic group of young artists and performers from Matheny’s choir, performed Lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” at the 9th annual Express Yourself New Jersey. The event, held November 13 at the Montclair Art Museum in Montclair, NJ, … Continue reading

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‘He seems to understand everything’

James, who has cerebral palsy, was admitted as a resident at Matheny in 2003, just before his 10th birthday. James can’t walk or talk, but according to his mother, Cathy, “He seems to understand everything.” He has learned to communicate … Continue reading

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A multi-therapy approach that works

When his mother, Estela, first brought Nicholas to Matheny, he could not stand up, and his body was floppy. Nicholas has Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. Since then, physical therapists have been working with him on standing and … Continue reading

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‘We can see how happy she is’

Kaila was born with spina bifida and a condition called cri du chat syndrome, a rare genetic disorder causing intellectual disability and delayed development. When she was 14 years old, her parents, Tad and Kim, decided Kaila had outgrown her special … Continue reading

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Therapists who don’t give up

At birth, Jenna seemed fine. But when she was one year old, an MRI revealed some brain malformations, and at about 18 months, an EEG uncovered Lennox-Gastaut syndrome, a severe form of epilepsy. The therapists at Matheny, says her mother, … Continue reading

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Wheels for Whitney

Whitney Weldon is not your typical Georgetown University freshman. In April 2001, then-9-year-old Whitney was diagnosed with fibrodysplasia ossifcans progressiva (FOP), a rare genetic disorder characterized by the abnormal growth of bone in soft tissue. In cases of FOP, muscles, … Continue reading

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Recreation therapy: “no labels”

“What’s really good about the recreation therapy program at Matheny,” says Leah Friedman, “is that the students and patients aren’t identified by their disabilities; they are identified by their likes and dislikes.  You don’t just look at someone and say, … Continue reading

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Nursing and art: perfect together

After caring for her son, who has type 1 diabetes, Hsiao-lin “Pearl” Chiang knew her true calling was to become a nurse (so much for her Master’s degree in computer science). Chiang, a resident of Bridgewater, N.J., started her nursing … Continue reading

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Art’s many ‘dimensions’

Full Circle 2011 Dimensions, the annual celebration of the Matheny’s Arts Access Program, highlighted the many dimensions of the program’s artists. “They may be painters,” noted Eileen Murray, the program’s director. “They may be playwrights; they may be dancers or … Continue reading

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