Reproduced with the permission of the Hawaii Medical Association. In February 1953, with the financial assistance of the Public Health Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, the Council's Rehabilitation Committee brought Dr. Howard A. Rusk from New York to speak on rehabilitation and consult with them. Dr. Rusk's inspiring visit, added to the groundwork already laid, resulted in the rapid maturing of plans for establishing a rehabilitation center. At this point Kauikeolani Children's Hospital unexpectedly entered the picture with an offer of ground space, buildings, and such ancillary services as laundry, kitchen, laboratory and x-ray facilities.
Equipment is available for occupational, physical, speech, hearing and play therapies.
Henry N. Thompson, Jr., is Assistant Director, and George E. Patterson is Placement and Public Relations Counselor. There is one psychiatric social worker, and there are 2 occupational and 4 physical therapists. The formation of the Rehabilitation Center of Hawaii has been a community wide effort, made possible by the effective cooperation of many different agencies through the Oahu Health Council. Both government and private agencies cooperated at both exploratory and planning stages. Much credit is due the National Foundation for Infantile Paralysis for their generous financial support at the outset, and to Children's Hospital for their timely offer of essential physical facilities, as well as to the thirteen physicians who have donated their professional services to the institution.