Newswise — Orlando, FL (May 1, 2012) – Larry the Cable Guy, whose real name is Dan Whitney, was on hand at Orlando Health to open the Wyatt Whitney Hip & Orthopedic Institute.
The Wyatt Whitney Institute, which is named after the comedian’s five-year-old son, houses a number of specialists and resources dedicated to the treatment of hip and orthopedic conditions. It will emphasize collaboration between physicians and their teams to provide patients seamless, comprehensive orthopedic care from infancy through adulthood. Patients at the institute will have access to advanced pediatric and adult orthopedic services, sports medicine, physical rehabilitation services, and state-of-the-art imaging, along with research and educational resources to enhance their experience.
Development of the Wyatt Whitney Institute is possible because of the generosity of Larry the Cable Guy. Nearly two years ago, he and his family donated $5 million through the Git-R-Done Foundation to help fund development of the institute.
“We’re very appreciative of the generosity and optimism the Whitneys have shown in turning their son’s experience with hip dysplasia into an opportunity to help others,” states John Bozard, president of Arnold Palmer Medical Center and the Orlando Health Foundation. “Their gift will go a long way towards ensuring that we have the capability to help others do things like walk or run without pain or discomfort.”
Wyatt Whitney was born with hip dysplasia, meaning that the bones of the hip joint are not aligned correctly. It’s a condition that affects thousands of children and adults each year, and when it was first discovered in Wyatt, very little information about hip dysplasia was available anywhere.
That’s when the Whitneys began their search for answers and found Charles Price, MD, of the department of pediatric orthopedics at Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and one of the world’s leading experts in hip dysplasia.
With help from Dr. Price, Wyatt successfully completed treatment for his hip dysplasia. The gift from the Whitneys allowed Price to work with other hip dysplasia experts around the world to develop the International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) as a source of information and guidance to families affected by the condition. IHDI also serves as a resource for medical professionals worldwide. It includes leading orthopedists working to develop better methods of detection, prevention and treatment of hip dysplasia.
In addition to housing IHDI, the Wyatt Whitney Institute is home to Level One Orthopedics, Orlando's premier academic orthopedic center, where world-class orthopedic surgeons will continue their tradition of exemplary patient care, research, and education of the next generation of orthopedic surgeons.
“When we learned Wyatt had hip dysplasia as a baby, it was very difficult to find any good sources of information on his condition and it frustrated us that so little was being done to help kids like him,” stated Larry. “We were fortunate to find Dr. Price and get Wyatt the treatment he needed. It also created an opportunity for my wife and me to make a real difference in the lives of other people.”
Larry and the Git-R-Done Foundation continue to support Orlando Health with the annual “Git-R-Done Celebrity Golf Classic” held in Orlando. The two-day golf event features Larry and his celebrity friends raising money for The International Hip Dysplasia Institute. This year’s event is scheduled for November 4 -5.
About the Git R Done FoundationThe Git-R-Done Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization established by Larry the Cable Guy and his wife, Cara, as a focal point for the family’s philanthropy in 2009. The foundation’s mission is to provide assistance to charitable organizations that have experienced hardships beyond their control, with an emphasis on children and veterans. The Git-R-Done Foundation has made numerous donations, including donations to the Arnold Palmer Medical Center Foundation for the treatment and cure of hip dysplasia, Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital and Operation Homefront. For information or to donate, visit www.gitrdonefoundation.org
About the International Hip Dysplasia InstituteThe International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) is a collaborative, international, not-for-profit effort to improve the health and quality of life of those affected by hip dysplasia. Arnold Palmer Medical Center is leading several academic medical centers around the world to promote prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and research for hip dysplasia. Another goal is to provide education to patients, families, and physicians as the most comprehensive and reliable resource for knowledge about hip dysplasia in its various forms. This international collaborative effort was made possible by a generous gift from Larry the Cable Guy and his family.
About Orlando HealthOrlando Health is a $1.9 billion not-for-profit health care organization and a community-based network of hospitals and care centers throughout Central Florida. The organization, which includes the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. They are: Orlando Regional Medical Center; Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children; Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies; Dr. P. Phillips Hospital; South Seminole Hospital; Health Central Hospital, South Lake Hospital (50 percent affiliation); St. Cloud Regional Medical Center (20 percent affiliation) and MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando – the first affiliate of one of the nation’s premier cancer centers, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Orlando Health’s areas of clinical excellence are heart and vascular, cancer care, neurosciences, surgery, pediatric orthopedics and sports medicine, neonatology, and obstetrics and gynecology.
Orlando Health is one of Central Florida’s largest employers with nearly 16,000 employees and more than 2,500 affiliated physicians supporting our philosophy of providing high quality care and service that revolves around patients’ needs. We prove this everyday with over 110,000 inpatient admissions and nearly 690,000 outpatient visits each year. In all, Orlando Health serves 1.6 million Central Florida residents and nearly 3,000 international patients annually. Additionally, Orlando Health provides approximately $239 million in support of community health needs. More information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.
###
RSS