Caring for Our Community
Meet Yami: How Your Support Helped Her Take Big Steps Forward
In FY25, the hospital provided $20 million in unreimbursed care to 1,650 pediatric and 3,827 adult patients. Your generous support helps low-income residents live better and healthier lives. For our most vulnerable patients, you ensure that their health and future is not determined by their family’s financial circumstances.
$20M provided 5,477 patients benefited Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is dedicated to providing the highest quality patient care, regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Patients in need receive access to the full range of inpatient, outpatient and day rehabilitation services, as well as the creation and fitting of prosthetic limbs and orthotic braces; participation in recreational therapy; and use of assistive technology.
Like many 10-year-olds, Yami enjoys playing outside, riding her scooter, swimming and listening to music. But, unlike most kids, she faces chronic health challenges that can make it hard to keep up with her peers — physically and socially. Born with a chromosomal abnormality that left her with underdeveloped lungs, low muscle tone and a curved spine, Yami started coming to Shirley Ryan AbilityLab for physical and occupational therapy at age 3. Over time, she’s made great progress: she walks more steadily, climbs stairs on her own and no longer needs a tracheostomy tube to breathe. This past summer, Yami’s care team saw an opportunity for her to build on the success she’d had in individual therapy by practicing those skills alongside other children in our Stride Through Summer Mini Movers Gait Camp. Though the camp would provide clear physical and social benefits, Yami’s insurance didn’t cover her participation. Fortunately, your support of our charity care fund covered the cost, and Yami was able to attend the camp. She thrived in the group atmosphere, pushed herself to work hard and even made a new friend. After four weeks, she had improved her walking speed, endurance and independence. When she returned to school this fall, she could participate in activities with less difficulty by drawing on skills she learned in camp. Yami’s experience at camp didn’t just improve her physical abilities — it boosted her confidence in ways that reached beyond
Your generosity gives patients like Yami access to the care and specialty programs that help them thrive — regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay. Thank you!
therapy. When she joined our adaptive swim program this fall, she walked in smiling — not shy or unsure, but excited to see two familiar faces from camp. Because of you, she felt ready, comfortable and eager to dive in.
22 Quality-of-life Programs
Quality-of-life Programs 23
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