Healing through Play and Adaptive Sports at Ranken Jordan | By Dr. Nick Holekamp

Play: the word itself is light, fun and joyful. But, it’s much more than that. 

Through play, kids can bond, process their emotions, boost coordination and strength, reduce anxiety and stress, develop cooperative and problem-solving skills and regain a sense of normalcy amidst unfamiliar environments. 

We incorporate play in all aspects of our care here at Ranken Jordan: from the infrastructure in our building, to our therapies, through our OZ program – even hiring Patient Play Associates, whose job it is to play!

 Then, when we layer in the excitement and camaraderie that sports and group activities bring, we start seeing some incredible outcomes.

Sports give kids a sense of normalcy, help them meet their social-emotional needs and offer them a much-needed sense of community. Through sports, kids are motivated to progress by – and alongside – their peers. 

Take the child whose friends cheer for her when she reaches the top of our in-house adaptive rock climbing wall. Or, the crowds going wild for the kiddo who runs the bases in a wheelchair after hitting a home run.

That encouragement is life-giving.

When a child is within our care, we ask: “What would this child choose to do, if they could?” 

Whether that’s golf, baseball, rock climbing, soccer, tennis or any activity in between, we strive to make it happen.

Where some may see limitations, we see opportunities to help children play, and we take a “yes” philosophy to our care. YES, you can play and socialize while you’re on a ventilator. YES, you can go play outside. YES, you can learn golf from your hospital bed.

Saturdays in the fall are for Challenger Baseball: an adaptive league for children with disabilities from the community and from within the hospital, giving them the opportunity to play baseball in an inclusive environment.

Teams play on our field and are supported by coaches and by a buddy system: friends who also assist players if they need it, whether pushing their wheelchair around the bases after a hit, or retrieving a ball in the outfield. Above all, they’re a friend to our player.

And on Wednesdays since 2011, Kevin Corn, a PGA professional, leads golf activities at Ranken Jordan. With the support of the U.S. Kids Golf and PGA Reach, Corn’s efforts give children the opportunity to experience joy and make incredible progress, such as hitting golf balls while on ventilators or learning to walk again.

With teen-aged kids, we look at what sports they were involved in before hospitalization to build a motivating recovery plan for them.

One of our patients – Kiland, a talented high school tennis player – was paralyzed from the chest down after a diving accident. 

Initially struggling with depression, his passion for tennis was reignited when a Ranken Jordan volunteer duct-taped a tennis racket into his hand, encouraging him to take steps to play again. 

Kiland went on to compete in wheelchair tennis at the U.S. Open and is training for the Paralympics. Now, Kiland volunteers at Ranken Jordan, inspiring other patients with his resilience and “never-give-up” attitude.

Our priority is to hasten recovery and discharge readiness. 

Almost universally, the more a child participates in play opportunities, the quicker recovery will be; the more endurance and flexibility they’ll develop; and the more capable they’ll be at the end of their hospitalization.

Every child and every reason for hospitalization is different, and that’s why we’re committed to meet kids where they are with interests that suit them, so we can bring them lightness, fun, and build confidence and camaraderie. 

It helps give children and their families their lives back, which is our ultimate goal.