Local Father Helps Hospital That Helped Son
By Jeff Malachowski/Staff Writer
Tue Jun 17, 2008, 06:53 PM EDT
SHREWSBURY -
What began as a tragedy for the Prefontaine family has turned into a blessing for many children at Franciscan Children’s Hospital, as the Prefontaine Foundation has raised and donated over $300,000 to the hospital.
One of the organization’s founders, Chris Prefontaine, was recently honored for his efforts with the foundation and Franciscan Children’s Hospital and was inspired to create the foundation after his son Nick received treatment at the hospital.
On Feb. 5, 2003, Prefontaine received a call that Nick had been in a skiing accident on Mt. Wachusett and was knocked unconscious, suffered multiple brain injuries and was in a coma.
Nick was taken to UMass Memorial Medical Center and doctors to put a tube down his throat for oxygen to flow. Doctors told the Prefontaines it was likely Nick would never be able to walk, talk, eat or take care of himself.
After about a month at UMass Memorial Medical Center, Nick’s condition slowly improved and he was transferred to Franciscan Children’s Hospital, New England’s largest pediatric rehabilitation facility, to begin his rehabilitation process.
While at Franciscan Children’s Hospital in Boston, Nick spent 12 hours each day doing physical, occupational and speech therapy and was able to re-learn how to sit up on his own, how to get dressed and how to take a shower on his own.
After a two-month stay, Nick walked out of Franciscan Children’s Hospital and back to his Shrewsbury home and would spend his summer being tutored so he could enter high school in the fall. He graduated from St. John’s High School last May.
Because of Nick’s stay and success at Franciscan Children’s Hospital, the Prefontaine family created the foundation in the spring of 2005. Since its inception, the foundation has raised nearly $300,000 to help children at the hospital.
“It got started as a result of Nick’s visit to Franciscan,” said Chris Prefontaine. “While he was there we watched them piece together parts for wheelchairs to accommodate kids. We saw a big gap and thought we could do something to help.”
During the foundation’s three years, the outpatient waiting and service areas have been renovated, a therapeutic pool, allowing some patients the ability to walk for the first time since their injury and a solarium, allowing children dependent on respirators and other life-sustaining equipment to enjoy fresh air and sunshine.
“It’s really awesome to see the progress made at Franciscan,” said Chris Prefontaine. “It’s hard to explain the feeling that is gained by helping children and families.”
In addition to working on various projects, such as the therapeutic pool, the foundation also helps with the hospital’s other needs, such as replacing old boilers.
“The not so glamorous thing about the hospital is it’s an old building,” Chris Prefontaine said. “We try to address as many of their needs as possible.”
Prefontaine was honored with the Community Leadership Award by the Franciscan Hospital at the annual Community Leadership dinner in late May.
“The award is definitely not about me,” Chris Prefontaine said. “I could not have done it without the incredible support of the foundation and those at Franciscan Hospital. I wish I could have had all 15-20 members of the foundation up there receiving the award with me.”
For more information or to donate to the Prefontaine Foundation, visit http://prefontainefoundation.org.
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