Christopher Reeve, an actor and director who was paralyzed in a 1995 riding accident, spoke at the opening ceremony, emphasizing the need to keep pushing medical knowledge forward in the treatment of spinal cord injuries.
Kessler-Adventist Rehabilitation Hospital, a new 55-bed facility located in Rockville, Maryland, United States, officially opened March 25. Christopher Reeve, an actor and director who was paralyzed in a 1995 riding accident, spoke at the opening ceremony, emphasizing the need to keep pushing medical knowledge forward in the treatment of spinal cord injuries. Reeve, who is chair of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, told the more than 500 guests present that it is vital to hold out hope for the seemingly impossible—a cure for those paralyzed because of spinal cord injury or other central nervous system disorders.
The hospital, which began admitting patients in January 2001, will provide inpatient, outpatient, and day treatment services for patients recovering from brain and spinal cord injury, stroke, orthopedic conditions, amputation, and chronic pain and illness. The hospital is jointly owned by Adventist HealthCare and Kessler Rehabilitation Corporation, a leading provider of rehabilitation services in more than 40 states.