M.J. Petretto Foundation Donates to Gaylord Specialty Healthcare

The Guilford-based M.J. Petretto Foundation recently presented a $10,000 donation from the proceeds of their annual Golf Classic to Gaylord Specialty Healthcare’s Wheelchair Assessment Program.

The generous contribution will benefit the program which evaluates hundreds of wheelchair users from Connecticut and beyond to ensure that their wheelchair properly fits their body and meets their unique needs.

The Petretto donation will specifically be used to purchase a pressure mapping system. The high-tech device is an important evaluation tool that displays the distribution of pressure on a user’s seat. The information it provides can correct or help prevent a number of wheelchair-related issues including discomfort and pressure wounds and confirms that the user is using the correct chair or cushion.

“A well-fitting wheelchair,” said Clinical Program Coordinator, Jillian Cacopardo, MPT, ATP/SMS, “is crucial to maximizing a user’s independence, mobility, comfort, safety and health.”

Cacopardo explained that a proper wheelchair evaluation and assessment can reduce many preventable complications that can stem from ill-fitting equipment including compromised skin integrity, chronic pain syndromes, orthopedic deformity and even depression.

The M.J. Petretto Foundation was established in 2009 as part of Retirement Planning Group’s commitment to give back time, talent and money to support Connecticut not-for-profits. The Foundation was inspired by a 2008 automobile accident that nearly claimed the life of M.J.’s nephew, Jesse who suffered a spinal cord injury. Each year, the Foundation’s Golf Classic in Clinton raises money for Gaylord Specialty Health Care’s Spinal Cord Injury Program and other non-profit organizations.

Tara Knapp, Vice President of Development and Marketing said, “We are grateful for The M.J. Petretto Foundation for continuing to choose Gaylord as a beneficiary of their golf tournament and for helping our patients ‘Think Possible.’”

About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system located in Wallingford, Connecticut, that provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in their journey from illness or injury to maximum recovery.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare includes three components. Gaylord Hospital offers medical rehabilitation for acute illnesses, accidents, or complex medical conditions. Gaylord Outpatient Services offers nearly 40 programs for a wide range of conditions. Gaylord Physical Therapy provides orthopedic rehabilitation for recovery from surgery or injury.

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