Last fall, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital unveiled the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden, supported by theEstelle J. Kelsey Foundation, a space designed to support rehabilitation patients on their path to recovery. Made possible through the generosity of donors, this innovative garden provides therapeutic tools to help individuals regain independence and improve their quality of life.
"If a patient is recovering from a spinal cord injury, stroke, or brain injury, they might face challenges like stairs, ramps, and uneven surfaces for the first time. Without training, these obstacles can be hard to navigate. The Rehabilitation Therapy Garden gives patients and their families the chance to practice and gain the skills they need to move confidently in the community and become more independent,” said Shawn Morris, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital Director of Rehab Operations.
One of the garden’s highlights is a wheelchair course with ramps of varying difficulty, allowing patients to practice navigating different terrains. This hands-on therapy is essential for those recovering from strokes, brain injuries, orthopedic injuries, or trauma. It builds strength, mobility, and confidence by simulating real-world challenges in a safe and supportive environment. “The garden is great, it’s all set up to practice things like stairs and ramps, plus it’s nice to look at,” said a patient at Renown Rehabilitation Hospital.
Key Features of the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden:
A wheelchair course to simulate diverse terrains that patients may encounter in the community.
ADA-regulated ramp with bilateral railings, like those found in public spaces.
Outdoor seating areas for therapeutic and recreational use.
Raised garden beds for accessible gardening activities.
Lush landscaping that promotes a calming atmosphere.
Tools and stations designed for physical therapy exercises.
A calming fountain that enhances the garden’s peaceful atmosphere, providing a soothing environment.
A putting green that promotes balance and durability and is a patient favorite.
Pathways for walking, offering a safe and scenic environment for patients to practice mobility.
View photos of the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden here.
Renown Health Foundation
We build financial support through fundraising efforts that provide critical revenue for innovation, top quality care services, technology, programs and equipment, to meet the growing needs of the communities we serve.
As the region’s only CARF-accredited hospital, Renown Rehabilitation Hospital provides exceptional, patient-centered care for those recovering from strokes, trauma, or neurological disorders. With services like physical, occupational, and speech therapy, we tailor treatments to help patients return to an active, independent lifestyle. Thanks to our specialists, patient outcomes exceed national benchmarks. This means shorter hospital stays and higher levels of functionality and independence.
"The rehab garden offers patients and families a calming and healing environment with the training and confidence to be successful in the community as their journey continues,” said Shawn.
The Rehabilitation Therapy Garden reflects our commitment to innovation and the power of philanthropy. Support from generous donors like the Estelle J. Kelsey Foundation allows us to create spaces like this which directly enhance patient care. Every donation helps expand access to advanced therapies, enabling patients to regain their independence and lead active lives.
As a not-for-profit health system, Renown reinvests every dollar into patient care, staff development, and facilities like the therapy garden. This ensures we remain a vital resource for our community, offering innovative care and compassionate support. Renown Health Foundation serves as the philanthropic arm of our health system, helping to fund these transformative initiatives through the generosity of our donors.
To learn more about how donations make a difference or to support projects like the Rehabilitation Therapy Garden, visit renown.org/donate, call 775-982-5545 or email foundation@renown.org.
From the Brink of Loss to a New Beginning: The Sloan Family’s ECMO Journey
It was the Fourth of July 2024, but for the Sloan family, there were no fireworks or festivities. Instead, Megan Sloan stood by her husband Darrin’s bedside in the intensive care unit at Renown Regional Medical Center, watching machines take over while monitoring his fragile condition. Just a week earlier, Darrin, a devoted father, husband and retired sergeant with the Carson City Sherif’s Office, had been full of energy. Now, he was fighting for his life.
Tiffany Banks is one of the newest members of the Renown Health Foundation Board of Directors. She’s part of a dedicated group of 28 volunteers who lead fundraising for Renown Health, northern Nevada’s only not-for-profit academic health system.
Tiffany brings bold vision and relentless drive to make real change. She’s a founding member of Mamas for a Cause, a Reno nonprofit that raised $50,000 to support breast care services at the Conrad Breast Center at Renown South Meadows, a cause that’s deeply personal to her. She’s also an attorney and the CEO of Nevada REALTORS®, where she has shaped policies and amplified the voice of real estate professionals across the state.
Now she’s setting her sights on the title of Mrs. Nevada America, an honor celebrating women defined by service, ambition and heart.
Get to know Tiffany in her own words. Why she gives back, what motivates her to lead, and how she’s working to create lasting change.
For 16-year-old Madeleine, a patient at Renown Children’s Hospital, volleyball was more than a game; it was her passion. But during her first-year at Reno High School, she noticed a deep ache in her back. The pain worsened with each game, and soon, what once brought joy became unbearable.
“The pain was overwhelming. I was crying after every game because my back hurt so bad,” Madeleine said. “It felt like the upper half of my back was falling or compressing on the lower half. I remember thinking, I can’t do this anymore.”
Her pediatrician referred her to Dr. Michael Elliott, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at Renown Children’s Hospital who specializes in scoliosis and spinal deformities. Thanks to community generosity, families in northern Nevada have access to pediatric specialists like Dr. Elliott, without having to travel far from home.
Madeleine had a dangerous 50-degree curve in her spine. Dr. Elliott explained that surgery was urgent and offered her best path forward. “It felt like my whole world flipped upside down,” Madeleine recalls.
