Support Clinical Programs at the College of Health Professions

The Camden Scott Meyer Pediatric Fund

Established in 2002, the Camden Scott Meyer Pediatric Fund has for almost 20 years provided the occupational and physical therapy programs with support for their pediatric labs and Camp Hand to Hand initiatives. The fund began as a way to honor the memory of a baby boy and help turn his sudden death into an opportunity to help countless local children break through the limitations of disabilities.

The fund has provided training to more than 1,000 physical and occupational therapy students in the Camden Scott Meyer Laboratory. Those students have gone on to provide outreach more than 2,100 children with disabilities. It also allows more than 100 special-needs infants and toddlers to join us on campus each summer for Camp Hand to Hands, a free play-based therapy program. While putting on puppet shows and walking the plank on pirate ships, they learn to overcome movement obstacles by having fun.

We have provided transformative therapy for children with disabilities, some of whom travel hundreds of miles to MUSC. The next years should take that work even further, but our dream depends on private support. A gift to the Camden Scott Meyer Pediatric Fund would provide critical support for pediatric research, continued education and outreach for students and therapists and adaptive equipment so that children with disabilities can enjoy bicycles and toy cars.

CARES Therapy Clinic

Since 2008, the Community Aid Relief, Education and Support (CARES) Therapy Clinic has offered occupational and physical therapy services to uninsured and underinsured patients in the Charleston area. Funded by grants, individual and in-kind donations, and supervised by practicing clinicians and MUSC faculty volunteers, the CARES Therapy Clinic is recognized as one of the premier student-run free clinics in the nation. In addition to providing over $375,000 in economic impact to the community annually, it fills a gap for patients who have no insurance or those who have exhausted their benefits.

Empowering students in a clinical setting

On average, CARES Therapy Clinic serves about 800 patients a year, providing relief in the form of patient care, clinician costs, and emergency department savings. It also provides a rich environment for students in physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech-language pathology, and health administration programs to bring their curriculum to practice with hands-on experience.

Lowering patient costs + inspiring involvement across sectors

In addition to providing education opportunities for students and care to patients in need, the CARES Therapy Clinic helps bring the community together for a common cause. Through in-kind donations from local businesses, fundraising events that inspire involvement among leaders in the community, and a shared mission of providing care to patients who would otherwise not receive it, the clinic unites people across sectors

Donors

As the CARES Therapy Clinic exists solely based on grant funding and generous contributions from the community, partners are always appreciated.

NEXT Wellness Center Fund

Working closely with the MUSC Health Neurologic Rehabilitation Institute, the NEXT Wellness Center exists as a comprehensive therapy exercise and lifestyle improvement facility geared toward patients who have gone through their therapies and increased their mobility. It houses specialized fitness and exercise equipment designed for individuals who still have limitation and safety concerns in a traditional gym environment.