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Get to Know our Staff: Madelyn White, Therapy Services

Get to Know our Staff: Madelyn White, Therapy Services

by | Jan 13, 2023 | Therapy Services

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?  
I’m a sports physical therapist at our Frisco campus.
 
What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
I work with youth athletes with various injuries to get them back to their sports safely. My job consists of examining and assessing athletes and coming up with a plan to get them back to their sports. I spend most of the day in our sports therapy gym, leading patients through exercises tailored to their injury and their sport. 
 
What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
Prior to becoming a physical therapist, I worked at an ice rink teaching young kids how to skate and play hockey. 
 
My first job as a physical therapist was here! I was a student physical therapist at Scottish Rite for Children for my final clinical rotation, and I started working as a full-time physical therapist about a year later in March 2021. 
 
My family lives in this area, and I remember seeing the Frisco facility being built. I thought it was really unique to have such a specialized clinic for youth sports, and I knew I wanted to be a part of it. After having my clinical rotation here, I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else. I feel very lucky to get to work in such a great facility.
 
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
The people! Whether it’s my patients or my colleagues, it’s always fun to be here. We have such a great staff in the Therapy Services department and beyond, and my patients always brighten my day!
 
Tell us something about your job that others might not already know?
I think most people don’t know how hard physical therapy (PT) sessions are for patients. A lot of people think PT is just massages and stretching, but most patients spend the majority of sessions lifting weights, running and jumping. There is a lot more strength and conditioning involved than people expect.
 
Where is the most interesting place you’ve been?
I went to Europe for the first time last summer and loved it. Paris was the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen. 
 
What is your favorite game or sport to watch and play?
Ice hockey! I grew up in a hockey family, and I played and/or coached ice hockey until I went to college. I’m a big Dallas Stars fan and go to (almost) all the home games.
 
I also had a brief stint as a gymnast/cheerleader, and I ran track throughout high school. 
 
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Any kind of sushi.
 
What’s one fun fact about yourself?
I am currently on a daily running streak and have run at least one mile a day for more than 450 days in a row. I haven’t missed a day!
Get to Know our Staff: Lindsey Ham, Therapy Services

Get to Know our Staff: Lindsey Ham, Therapy Services

by | Dec 13, 2021 | Therapy Services

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?  
I am an occupational therapist and certified hand therapist working primarily at the Frisco campus. 

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work? 
My primary role is an outpatient occupational therapist, specializing in pediatric hand conditions. While this sounds like a small subset, I assess and treat a wide range of diagnoses, including upper limb and hand differences, traumatic injuries and sport-related injuries involving hand, wrist, elbow and/or shoulder. In addition, I also see patients with cerebral palsy, arthrogryposis, arthritis and brachial plexus injuries. My job is to figure out what deficits are limiting their participation and independence with daily activities, such as dressing, bathing, toileting, school participation, sports and leisure participation and play. I then address these deficits through meaningful activities to get them back to doing what they love. Since we see all ages from newborn and up, every hour of my day looks different, ranging from playing a game of Connect 4 or Mancala to bear walks, push-ups and weight machines. We also fabricate custom orthoses (splints) for children who have fractures or surgeries that require immobilization.

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
My first job was as a certified nursing assistant at a hospital while I was in college. I always knew that I wanted to be in the medical field. My high school had an amazing health careers program where we were able to shadow many different jobs across the medical field. It was then that I was able to shadow an OT and fell in love with the career! I have been an OT for 13 years and at Scottish Rite for almost three years. I moved from Nashville to Dallas just to work at Scottish Rite, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made! 

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I love the atmosphere and team here! It is such a positive place to work. I love the collaborative approach to treat every patient. There is an open line of communication between therapists and physicians and that creates great outcomes for our patients. I love that everyone here has the same mission — to give kids back their childhood. 

Tell us something about your job that others might not already know. 
Your hand strength is important! This is something that I preach daily. People know to go to the gym and workout, but no one really focuses on hand strengthening. So, grab a stress ball and keep your hands strong! 

What was the best vacation you ever took and why?
I love traveling, so it is hard to pick just one. I would have to say my favorite was the cruise I took to the Bahamas last month because I got engaged!!  

Do you collect anything? How did you start?
Shoes and sunglasses — I guess not a true collection, but I have a lot of both! 

Do you play any sports or instruments?
I was a competitive cheerleader in high school and then coached through college. My sister owns a cheer and tumbling gym, so I am still surrounded by it. I also belong to a kickboxing gym and love it. 

Get to Know our Staff: Rushi Patel, Therapy Services

Get to Know our Staff: Rushi Patel, Therapy Services

by | Nov 15, 2021 | Therapy Services

What is your job title/your role at Scottish Rite for Children?  
I am a sports physical therapist. 

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
As a sports physical therapist, I help rehabilitate patients following a wide variety of sports injuries — everything from overuse injuries of the shoulder, spine and knee to post-operative care. 

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite? How long have you worked here?
Following physical therapy school, my first job was an orthopedic physical therapist. Once I developed my passion of specializing in sports rehab, I completed a sports physical therapy residency at Baylor Scott & White at The Star, where I was able to sharpen my skills. As soon as I heard about a job opening at Scottish Rite and saw the facility, I immediately knew that this is what I wanted. I have been here for about one year. 

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I enjoy the collaborative approach to care. Being able to have a close relationship with a patient’s health care team plus the open lines of communication are key when providing quality care that best suits the complexities and needs of each individual child. 

Tell us something about your job that others might not already know. 
I would want others to know how important recovery and lifestyle are for good physical therapy outcomes. I always provide education on the importance of sleep and good nutrition to each family. It is always humbling to accept the fact that exercises will only go so far. Proper sleep and diet are important to optimize recovery between physical therapy sessions. 

What was the last thing you read?
The Science and Practice of Strength Training. It’s always good to reinforce the science behind what we do on a daily basis. 

What was the best vacation you ever took and why?
Tulum, Mexico. Long story short: I went scuba diving with stingrays.  

Do you collect anything? How did you start?
Starbucks traveler mugs. I started randomly one day at the Seattle airport, and I have been collecting them when I travel to a different city ever since. 

Do you play any sports or instruments?
I try my best to practice what I preach in the sports rehab setting. I love staying active by working out in the weight room so that I can still enjoy playing recreational flag football and basketball as an adult.  

Get to Know our Staff: Michelle Gurrusqueta, Therapy Services

Get to Know our Staff: Michelle Gurrusqueta, Therapy Services

by | Sep 7, 2021 | Therapy Services

What is your job title / your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I’m a therapy technician, and I assist the physical and occupational therapists with patient care and equipment needs. 

What do you do on a daily basis or what sort of duties do you have at work?
My daily activities consist of being readily available for any therapist’s patient needs, such as ordering equipment, restocking materials and cleaning up after each patient. I also help with medical translating. 

What was your first job? What path did you take to get here or what led you to Scottish Rite for Children? How long have you worked here?
My very first job was as a cashier at Braum’s Ice Cream & Dairy Store, during my sophomore year of high school. Coincidentally, my high school AVID class toured Scottish Rite that same year, and I was able to see different departments. While I was earning my bachelor’s degree, I always had in my mind that it would be really cool to come back and work at Scottish Rite. This October will be my one year anniversary.

What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I love that I have the opportunity to continue growing and pursuing my education. Being around different therapists gives me the opportunity to not only see a wide range of diagnosis, but I also see how therapists can adapt to different diagnoses.

What energizes you outside of work?
I like staying active by being outside on different trails, walking my dog, playing soccer and playing sand volleyball.

What’s your favorite memory?
My favorite memory would have to be when I got my first puppy. His name was Snoopy, and he was the best!

What three words would your friends use to describe you?
Friendly, caring, charming

What kind of music do you like? What’s the best concert you’ve been to?
I listen to a variety of music genres such as bachata, rock, rumba, pop, cumbia, rap, etc. The best concert I’ve been to would be the Aventura concert back in February of 2020.

What’s the top destination on your must-visit list?
My top destination to visit is Japan.

Get to Know our Staff: Karina Zapata, Therapy Services

Get to Know our Staff: Karina Zapata, Therapy Services

by | Oct 5, 2020 | Therapy Services

What is your role at Scottish Rite for Children?
I am a physical therapist/research therapist in the Therapy Services department. I spend half of my time seeing patients as a physical therapist and the other half working on research or quality improvement projects. I enjoy being able to support effective implementation of evidence-based practice.
 
What do you enjoy most about Scottish Rite?
I love the mission – that we can do what is best for the child, regardless of families’ ability to pay.
I love being able to collaborate with so many disciplines to provide holistic care.
I love that we have a strong research team to have an impact on a wider scale. I initially thought that I was going to move back to sub-Saharan Africa to “make a difference,” but I realized that I can also make a difference right here at Scottish Rite. The unique opportunities that this organization provides, allows me to utilize my skills and talents on a daily basis.
What path did you take to get here? How long have you worked here?
I grew up in Kenya and Papua New Guinea. I initially thought that I wanted to use my privilege of studying in the US to return overseas, but once I learned about Scottish Rite for Children, my plans changed. My physical therapy professor in Los Angeles told me about Scottish Rite. She knew that Scottish Rite had a physical therapy method for treating clubfoot, which is a hot topic overseas. After graduating from PT school 13 years ago, I started working here.

What’s the coolest or most interesting thing you’re working on right now?
When I began working here, I noticed that we saw a lot of kids with scoliosis, but physical therapy did not play a large role in their treatment. In Germany, my other nationality, scoliosis-specific exercises are commonly performed. I ended up getting my Ph.D. while working here to evaluate whether scoliosis-specific exercises prevent curve progression and determining if it should be part of our standard of care.
 
What are you currently watching on Netflix/Hulu/TV/etc.?
Between work and staying active with my three kids, I fall asleep before I’m able to watch anything.
 
What would be the most amazing adventure to go on?
Traveling around the world for a year with my family.
 
What is special about the place you grew up?
Papua New Guinea has the most linguistic diversity in the world, with over 800 languages.
 
What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not working? 
Without kids, kitesurfing. My department director actually got me hooked. With kids, exploring a nearby state park.
Golf Community Comes to Frisco to Talk About Inclusion

Golf Community Comes to Frisco to Talk About Inclusion

by | Nov 1, 2019 | Therapy Services

Korban and Jordan are golfers thanks to programs designed to introduce and teach children with different abilities. Director of Therapeutic Recreation Dana Dempsey, M.S., CTRS, has organized Learn to Golf for our patients for more than twenty years. Through this program, patients like Jordan and Korban are given the tools and encouragement that allow them to play golf with their abilities, not in spite of their disabilities. More importantly, through golf, they both express they have learned some priceless life lessons.

Korban, 16 of Southlake, TX, was first introduced to golf by his dad, an avid golfer. “I started going to the driving range with my dad,” he said. After Learn to Golf, Korban was motivated to continue the sport. His dad, Roger described, “Because of golf, he started getting the confidence to try other sports.” Korban now plays corner on the football team and runs the 100 meter for the track team at Southlake Carroll High School. “Golf taught me work ethic and responsibility. Work hard, if you love doing it, keep doing it and try to be at a higher level.” Korban wowed the attendees with his swing and says he can hit the ball more than 200 yards using his custom, extended club.

Jordan, 15 of Henderson, TX, laughed a little as she tried to remember the first time she played. She said golf has given her the opportunity to enjoy time with other kids and make new friends. She said, “It helps me figure out more things that I can do that maybe I thought I couldn’t do.” Her mom, Lisa, shared how the environment has been unlike school, where Jordan feels included and she is picked to be on a team because of her abilities. Turns out, everyone wants Jordan on their team because she has some solid putting skills!

Johnny Knight, PGA Professional, and owner of Kingdom Golf, was present when Jordan first attended a Learn to Golf clinic in 2016. He noticed how much her personality has blossomed. He shared how using a ParaGolfer chair gave her an opportunity to evolve her swing from a two-handed to a single-handed swing. The attendees talked about changing the model for teaching golf to children with different abilities. 

This initiative of the National Alliance for Accessible Golf brought together a passionate group of individuals to evaluate the current model of youth golf programs and discuss the future of an inclusive golf community. Gianna Rojas, founder of Adaptive Golfers and known as the “One Handed Lady Golfer,” contributed her personal experience as a world ranked golfer with a disability. PGA executives in attendance expressed how this project aligns perfectly with current initiatives in their organization and how excited they were to participate and contribute.

The team committed to these next steps:

  • Incorporate kids with disabilities in PGA Jr League future content.
  • Identify NTPGA and PGA Jr. League captains who will welcome kids with disabilities.
  • Coach Jr. Golf League team for players with different abilities
  • Discuss making the 10-hole short course at PGA Frisco ADA accessible.
  • Develop a video project that includes instructions, promotion and success stories to increase visibility of children with disabilities playing golf.
  • PGA Jr. League will start to measure children with disabilities being served.
  • Increase advocacy and visibility for children with disabilities to play golf.
  • Provide more instructor training sessions geared to increasing their knowledge and skills for working with differently abled children to play golf.

We look forward to watching their progress and sharing it with you. Learn more about the programs mentioned above at these links: