Memorial Rehabilitation Institute Hosts 5th Annual Adaptive Sports and Recreation Expo Showcasing Sports for All on March 30 in Sunrise, FL

MIRAMAR, Fla., March 24, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- There are no limits to the availability of sports and recreational activities available for all interests and abilities especially in South Florida. For individuals with a disability, finding the right one to stay interested, motivated and active can be a challenge. That's where the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program, which is part of the Memorial Rehabilitation Institute at Memorial Regional Hospital South in Hollywood, comes in.

For those who have suffered strokes, lost the use of limbs, or are coping with traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, the 5th Annual Adaptive Sports and Recreation Expo is designed to unleash the super powers that encourage going beyond perceived limitations and finding new adaptive sports and activities that provide an enhanced quality of life and new opportunities to stay active.

The event will take place on Saturday, March 30, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Markham Park, 16001 W. State Rd. 84, Sunrise, FL 33326 Sunrise, FL. The program encourages former patients from the rehabilitation program and all members of the community with physical disabilities to participate in a wide variety of free adaptive sports and activities. Some of the participants have even achieved athletic success. There are two adult wheelchair basketball teams, and a newly organized children's pediatric wheelchair basketball team. One of the teams have gone on to play in nationally ranked tournaments.

Those attending the Expo will have a chance to try and watch wheelchair basketball, adaptive hand cycling, fishing, adaptive sailing, scuba diving, water skiing, remote control airplanes and much more. While all events are free and open to all ages, advanced registration is required for adaptive scuba diving, water skiing and remote control airplanes. Register online at http://www.mhs.net/RehabExpo. For more information call Ray Shipman at 954-518-5573.

"Our past four Expo events have had more than 800 participants," said Ray Shipman, Director of Business Development and Manager of the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Program which is offered through Memorial Rehabilitation Institute at Memorial Regional Hospital South in Hollywood. "Our goal is to make sports and recreational activities available to all because there are no limitations to what our physically challenged community can accomplish."

The program connects physically disabled individuals with a wide range of adaptive sports and adaptive recreational activities, which have been modified or redesigned to fit patients' unique needs and requirements. There are a series of fitness classes that the program provides on a continuous basis and the annual Expo is another way to provide activities and new opportunities.
"Adaptive sports provide numerous long-term therapeutic benefits in addition to enhancing quality of life and improving over health," added Shipman. "These activities are not just fun but very important for people with disabilities to know that they can do anything they put their mind to."

For Ignacio Arce, known to the Memorial Rehabilitation Institute team as Nacho, the event is a way for him and his family to return to the lifestyle they once enjoyed. Arce is a former trauma and rehabilitation patient. He was ambulanced into Memorial Regional Hospital's Trauma Center two years ago after being in a life threatening motorcycle accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury and leg amputation.

"I was in really bad shape and I knew our lives would be forever changed," said Arce. "Adaptive sports have given us the opportunity to start enjoying ways to go out and be active again. We are very excited about the possibilities of what we can experience at the Expo."

"We use to hike, kayak and be outdoors all of the time so this was a life-changing event for us, but this year we were able to take part in a 5K with Narcho as a family for the first time during the Tour de Broward in February because he hand cycled while we experience the 5K with him," said his wife Evelyn.

For Sunny Isles Beach resident Kat Magnoli, who suffers from spina bifida, the event is not just a day at the park, but a day of discovery in a great social setting. "I am very excited about this year's expo because every year it is a chance for me to see old friends and make new one's while enjoying and learning about all the different activities and new adaptive sports offered.
In addition to enhancing quality of life and improving overall health, adaptive sports programs can help disabled participants become more independent, foster new skills, foster new friendships and enhance social, promote fewer secondary medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.

The sports program can be very competitive or it can be completely non-competitive.

"This is about encouraging people with disabilities to stay fit and stay active with people. Sometimes people with disabilities will go into their room and become depressed and feel hopeless. We want to prevent that," said Shipman. He is an experienced athlete who played football at the University of Central Florida and in the National Football League.

WHAT:    5th Annual Adaptive Sports and Recreation Expo hosted by Memorial Rehabilitation Institute and Memorial Regional Hospital South
WHEN:    Saturday, March 30, 2019; 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
WHERE:    Event Location: Markham Park, 16001 W. State Road 84, Sunrise, FL
Events:     Free adaptive activities include: adaptive soccer, wheelchair basketball, hand cycling, disc golf, adaptive water skiing, sailing, remote control planes, adaptive scuba diving and more.
Advanced registration required for free adaptive scuba diving, adaptive water skiing, and remote control airplanes. Register online at http://www.mhs.net/RehabExpo. For more information, contact Ray Shipman at 954-518-5573 or [email protected].

SOURCE Memorial Healthcare System

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