A Busy Fall for ENHP's Mary Gannotti

Gannotti recently completed the “Goofy for Fitness” 5K Fun Run with her son, who experienced multiple serious medical issues last year, and recently recovered.

Mary Gannotti, associate professor of physical therapy, ENHP, spoke to an international audience at the American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine on Sept. 14 in Toronto, Canada. Her research presentation, “Level of severity indirectly related to life satisfaction of adults with cerebral palsy and spina bifida,” highlighted the role of rehabilitation services in promoting life satisfaction. Researchers and clinicians from Australia, Sweden, England, and Israel were present, and more than 500 abstracts were submitted for presentation to the conference.

On Oct. 11, Gannotti spoke to the Massachusetts Pediatric Special Interest Group at Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, Mass. Her presentation was broadcast through telemedicine technology to physical therapists in the Boston region who were at the Shriners Hospital for Children in Boston. Her presentation, “What can physical therapists do to promote health and happiness in children with cerebral palsy in adulthood,” stimulated a lively discussion about school and community-based fitness activities.

In additon, Gannotti recently attended the American Physical Therapy Association Section on Pediatrics Conference at Disneyworld in Orlando, Florida. She completed the “Goofy for Fitness” 5K Fun Run with her son, who experienced multiple serious medical issues last year, and recently recovered.

Gannotti, along with Dr. Mary Law (McMaster University), Dr. Maggie O’Neill (Drexel University), and Amy Bailes (University of Cincinnati) were awarded the American Physical Therapy Association Section on Pediatrics Planning Grant to plan a multicenter international investigation, “Dosing Rehabilitation Services for Children with Cerebral Palsy.” A planning conference is scheduled for June 2013 to complete the grant.