NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee families whose children need long-term rehabilitation after serious injuries or illnesses will have an option closer to home. Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital announced plans to construct the state’s first pediatric rehabilitation facility.
Currently, Tennessee has no pediatric rehab facilities, forcing families to travel out of state and typically to Atlanta when their children require specialized long-term care after accidents, brain injuries, spinal cord injuries or cancer treatments.
"It's been so hard over the years to have to tell families when they're in the midst of a crisis in the hospital that they're going to have to go out of state," Dr. Elizabeth Martin said.
Martin is the director of pediatric rehabilitation medicine at Monroe Carell. The gap affects children recovering from various conditions, Martin explained.
"So these are kids, it may be anything from having a major motor vehicle accident where they have had brain injuries or spinal cord injuries and are trying to recover from that. It might be that they have cancer and they're recovering from cancer treatments, but it's affected their walking or their ability to move around," Martin said.
The financial burden of relocating to cities like Atlanta takes a significant toll on families. For children whose families cannot make the move, treatment often takes longer.
Martin has spent years working to address this gap in Tennessee's healthcare system.
"So to finally be able to tell families that we've got what you need and we're going to take care of you and it's going to be okay," Martin said.
Construction on the new facility is scheduled to begin in 2026, with completion expected within a year. Vanderbilt's website shows renderings of the planned facility, including a gym area for patient rehabilitation.
While Monroe Carell has secured funding to build the facility, the medical center still needs to raise additional money to support the programs once the facility becomes operational.
Do you have a child who has needed specialized rehabilitation services? We want to hear about your family's experience navigating pediatric care in Tennessee. Share your story and help us continue covering healthcare access issues that matter to families across our state. Contact Kim Rafferty at kim.rafferty@NewsChannel5.com
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