To mark the launch of the second phase of construction of the Laetitia Hatem Rehabilitation Center, the Happy Childhood Foundation of Lebanon (HCF) and the Hôtel-Dieu de France (HDF) held a joint press conference at the LHRC on Thursday, September 17, 2015 at 11 AM. It was attended by media representatives, members of the Board of HDF and HCF, doctors from HDF, and friends of both institutions.
In his welcome address, HDF Chairman of the Board, Father Joseph Nassar, said how proud HDF was to participate in this project, which is an integral part of the hospital’s development strategy.
Miss Laetitia Hatem, a member of the Board of HCF, delivered a speech filled with emotion and hope, evoking the various stages that led to the Centre’s inception. After she was almost paralyzed following her riding accident in 2010, she asked a poignant question that ultimately led to the construction of LHRC: “What happens to children who have similar accidents and do not have the means to receive appropriate care?”
Thanks to the joint efforts of HCF, HDF, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago [RIC, the number one rehabilitation hospital in the United States for over 25 years], the LHRC was inaugurated in November 2011. It currently extends over 400m2 and offers the following services: physical therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and psychomotricity. Fully integrated within the HDF, the center is fitted out with advanced equipment, and some of its specialized therapists have received training at the RIC in Chicago. HCF bears the expenses for all children who meet its social and medical qualifying criteria.
“We are here today to launch the second LHRC development phase. With the addition of approximately 600m2, the total area of the center will be approximately 1000m2. This additional space will allow us to have a hydrotherapy pool and extra spaces to provide rehabilitation care for more patients, including those covered by HCF”, said Dr. Mansour Dib, Medical Director of the LHRC and member of the HCF Board of Directors.
In order to ensure a holistic healing process, a relaxation and serenity garden will also be set up next to the center. Designed by internationally renowned landscape architect and member of the Board of Directors of HCF, Vladimir Djurovic, the garden will be part of the overall therapy offered by the center. According to the architect, who just completed the gardens of the Aga Khan Museum in Toronto, “Anyone who is a victim of physical and emotional trauma caused by a major accident will find serenity and peace of mind there”.
Vladimir Djurovic also reminded the audience that this project relies heavily on the support of people who believe in it. “The next fundraising event will be held on Monday, October 5, 2015 at the Music Hall Waterfront; funds raised during this event will help fund the many projects of HCF in Lebanon, including the second phase of the LHRC project”.
The press conference was followed by a tour of the center and a cocktail party.