For Immediate Release

Contact: Zachary Noriega, zachary.noriega@cuanschutz.edu

AURORA, Colo. (September 15, 2022) – Adolescents living with cerebral palsy often have a unique set of needs as they transition into young adulthood and from pediatric- to adult-based healthcare settings. Dr. Cristina Sarmiento, assistant professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, is researching the perspectives, experiences, and values of these young people and their families to assure they continue to receive comprehensive rehabilitation care.

“Cerebral palsy is a lifespan condition. As such, we need to make sure we’re continuing to meet the needs and support the function of individuals with CP from childhood through adulthood. The generosity of the Foundation for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation will allow us to better understand patient and family experiences during a critical time period – the transition into adulthood – so that we can ensure we continue to provide comprehensive, patient- and family-centered rehabilitation care,” says Dr. Sarmiento.

With generous support from the Foundation for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Dr. Sarmiento will be able to carry out her research. Her project titled: “Growing Pains: A Mixed Methods Approach to Understanding the Transition of Care Needs of Adolescents and Young Adults with Cerebral Palsy in a Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic,” received $10,000 in funding over a one-year period. The award will be presented on Thursday, October 20, 2022, at the Donor Appreciation Reception at the Hilton Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, MD. Dr. Lisa Brenner, professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Vice Chair of Research, and Dr. Jordan Wyrwa, assistant professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, are also a part of this study team.

With this funding, Dr. Sarmiento and her team will seek to understand the priorities and values in rehabilitation-related care of young adults with cerebral palsy and their caregivers, including how their needs have changed over time, and what facilitators and barriers exist to transition to adult rehabilitation care. Additionally, they will seek to understand the complexity of their care, to ultimately develop a patient- and family-centered transition process from pediatric to adult rehabilitation care.

About the CU Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation:

The department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Colorado is at the forefront of using team science, regenerative medicine, and exercise treatments. It is uniquely situated in the state-of-the-art CU Anschutz Medical Campus, the first campus in the nation to be built from ground up to bring research, education, and patient care into one visionary collaboration. We combine the disciplines of rehabilitation medicine, physical therapy, psychology, speech/language therapy, and rehabilitation sciences into a singular department.

About the Foundation for Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation:

The Foundation for Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation’s mission is to invest in the future of physiatry through research. We strive to enhance health, function and quality of life for individuals with disability through research in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation.