Scuba therapy does so many things. It eliminates surface distractions, much like sensory deprivation rooms. Also, the ambient pressure and freedom of movement underwater is comforting, much like a pressure vest or weighted blanket.
DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. (PRWEB) May 03, 2019
Diveheart, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps children veterans and others with disabilities in zero gravity through scuba therapy, is conducting a search for a land donation throughout the entire Chicago metro area including the western suburbs and even outside of Illinois to build the deepest warm water therapy pool in the world.
Established in 2001, the Downers Grove-based charity has been looking for several years to build a deep warm water research and rehabilitation facility for people not just with disabilities, but people of all abilities.
The facility will serve many purposes, but primarily, it will allow Diveheart to collaborate with more U.S.-based medical partners as well as international university medical centers and therapists who will be able to conduct cutting edge research and rehabilitation for people of all abilities in zero gravity. In fact, Diveheart and Midwestern University in Downers Grove collaborated on the world’s first research study on autism and scuba therapy.
A new facility would also create a warm deep confined water environment to replicate some of the benefits that Diveheart and university medical researchers have discovered in deep open water environments in the ocean. Some of those benefits include an additional output of serotonin in the human body at 66 feet underwater. At this depth, individuals with years of chronic pain report to be pain free during their emersion, and with repetition, they claim to be pain free for weeks. In addition, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have had 80% of their symptoms alleviated during a pilot study conducted by researchers from John Hopkins.
“We’ve had tremendous success with individuals with autism,” said Jim Elliott, Diveheart founder and president. “Scuba therapy does so many things. It eliminates surface distractions, much like sensory deprivation rooms. Also, the ambient pressure and freedom of movement underwater is comforting, much like a pressure vest or weighted blanket. Lastly, there is a ‘cool factor’ that gives people with autism bragging rights therefore helping them with their self-esteem, confidence and independence.”
Elliott believes that with six existing patents on Diveheart’s innovative pool design, the Diveheart facility will render the design and functionality of the existing deep pools in Europe obsolete, and will help revolutionize rehabilitation for those with and without disabilities.
Learn about Diveheart’s mission and vision by visiting http://www.diveheart.org If you would like to donate land or support Diveheart in other ways, contact representatives at info@diveheart.org or call 630-964-1983.
About Diveheart:
Diveheart is a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. The purpose of Diveheart is to provide and support educational scuba diving programs that are open to any child, adult or veteran with a disability, with the hope of providing both physical and psychological therapeutic value to that person. We’ve discovered the forgiving weightless wonder of the water column provides the perfect gravity-free environment for those who might otherwise struggle on land. Underwater, we’re all equal. Diveheart works with individuals who have a variety of disabilities, including physical and developmental disabilities, vision and hearing impairments, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and more. Diveheart seeks to help its participants “Imagine the Possibilities” in their lives. For information, visit http://www.diveheart.org. ###
