Posted on August 16, 2024
Breaking Ground to Brighter Futures for Michigan’s Children
The community came together to celebrate a monumental milestone for children and families in Michigan and beyond. Health care leaders, along with government officials – including Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss, U.S. Representative Hillary Scholten, and Governor Gretchen Whitmer – spoke at the groundbreaking event for Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital.
The venture is shared by Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation and Corewell Health Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. The state-of-the-art facility will be Michigan’s first children’s rehabilitation hospital and will connect via skybridge to the existing Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital in Grand Rapids
The hospital name was announced in October 2023, honoring the legacy of one of our community’s most devoted philanthropists, Joan Secchia. The Secchia family’s dedication to improving the lives of others, especially children, has left an enduring mark on West Michigan.
“I am honored to support this vital project that will transform health care for children and teens,” said Joan Secchia, co-chair of the hospital’s capital campaign. “Together, we have the opportunity to provide kids a springboard to a brighter future, ensuring every child receives the best care possible.”
This world-class hospital will be designed for, and exclusively dedicated to, the rehabilitation of infants, children and teens. The 67,000 square foot hospital will include three floors of sophisticated technology and dedicated pediatric therapy spaces.
The first and second floors of the hospital will host specialized outpatient therapy gyms, Orthotics & Prosthetics + Bionics, a pediatric medical clinic, and the Intensive Feeding Program. The third level will serve inpatient rehabilitation. The unit will be home to 24 private inpatient rooms all with ventilator capability, inpatient therapy gyms, a family resource center, and an academic classroom with a dedicated teacher, so children can keep up with their studies during extended recovery periods.
“Our partnership with Mary Free Bed has helped so many children in our community receive compassionate and exceptional care,” said Tina Freese Decker, president and CEO, Corewell Health. “The Joan Secchia Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital will reach thousands more kids and families across the state and beyond, helping them get back to being kids again.”
Mary Free Bed is a statewide resource for pediatric inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, welcoming kids with conditions from minor aches and pains to the most serious and complex diagnoses. From 2016 through 2023, Mary Free Bed treated over 40,000 pediatric patients, including 1,313 from out of state. Approximately 60% of Michigan children who need inpatient rehabilitation are treated at Mary Free Bed in Grand Rapids. The new hospital will combine teams of two leading hospitals under one roof – bringing the most advanced rehabilitative care in the nation to even more patients.
“Today we’re laying the foundation for hope and healing in our community,” said Kent Riddle, president and CEO, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation. “We’re not just building a hospital, it’s a promise that every child will have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, no matter the challenges they face.”
The groundbreaking marks the kickoff of Leaps & Boundless – A Campaign for Michigan’s First Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital. To date, $67M of the $70M campaign has been raised. Leaders from both hospitals hope to raise the remaining $3M in the public phase of this campaign, and they’re inviting the public to help create a better future for every child in our community and beyond.
Following the groundbreaking, construction crews will begin bringing in equipment to start the building project. Construction is expected to take two years, with completion in 2026.
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About Mary Free Bed
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation is a not-for-profit, internationally accredited, and nationally recognized leader in rehabilitation. What started with a single bed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1891 has grown to a rehabilitation system with over 2,300 staff at over 60 locations in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, and Virginia. Last year, Mary Free Bed restored hope and freedom through rehabilitation for nearly 100,000 children and adults. With more than 110 specialized medical and sports rehabilitation programs and an exclusive focus on rehabilitation, our specialized teams help patients achieve extraordinary clinical results. U.S. News & World Report Mary Free Bed as the ninth Best Rehabilitation Hospital in the nation for 2024-25. For more information, visit maryfreebed.com.
About Corewell Health
People are at the heart of everything we do, and the inspiration for our legacy of outstanding outcomes, innovation, strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Corewell Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides health care and coverage with an exceptional team of 65,000+ dedicated people—including more than 12,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and more than 15,500 nurses providing care and services in 21 hospitals, 300+ outpatient locations and several post-acute facilities—and Priority Health, a provider-sponsored health plan serving more than 1.3 million members. Through experience and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness. For more information, visit corewellhealth.org.
