Learning to cope with a spinal cord injury may be the biggest challenge ever faced by an SCI patient and his or her family. It is good to know that you are not alone in such a difficult situation. SCI support groups provide the opportunity to make friends with people undergoing similar challenges and also offer the opportunity to learn more about SCI and how to deal with it.
Different SCI groups have different focuses. For example, some groups focus on helping people recently injured cope with their altered lifestyle, while other groups focus on providing recreational activities for people with SCI. If you have the opportunity, investigate several SCI groups before deciding which you want to join. Some people may find that they benefit from belonging to more than one group.
Because support groups change or disband without notice, please call ahead to get the group’s latest information before you make a trip to their meeting place. We have endeavored to make the following list of SCI groups in Pennsylvania as complete as possible.
If you cannot find an SCI group in your area, you may want to consider establishing one. The National Spinal Cord Injury Association offers helpful information on starting your own support group, including information on starting a chapter of their organization:https://unitedspinal.org/. The Delaware Valley Spinal Injury Association can also provide information on starting your own group:
Delaware Valley Spinal Cord Injury Association
2610 Belmont Ave.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19131
Contact:
Bruce McElrath at (215) 477-4946
Allentown
Good Sheperd’s Spinal Cord Injury Support Group
If you are living with a spinal cord injury, Good Shepherd’s Spinal Cord Injury Support Group allows you to meet and socialize with others with similar conditions. The group meets the third Wednesday of every month from 2 to 3 p.m. There is no cost and no doctor prescription is required.
Meeting Place:
Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Hospital
850 S. Fifth Street
Allentown, Pennsylvania
Contact:
Mimi Lang, spinal cord resource nurse, at (610) 778-9291.
Altoona
HealthSouth Rehabilitation Hospital of Altoona
2005 Valley View Blvd.
Altoona, Pennsylvania 16602
Call for information on HealthSouth’s support groups.
Phone: (800) 873-4220
Central Pennsylvania
Central PA SCI Networking Support Group
Provides support and friendship for new and old injuries, their families and friends.
Web site: http://www.centralpasci.com/index.html
E-mail: spineywhite@comcast.net
Hershey
Hershey Medical Center SCI Support Group
Meets every month on the third Wednesday at 7 p.m. and is an informal support group for persons with SCI and their families. The activities include lively discussions, occasional speakers and vendor representatives.
Meeting Place:
Penn State-Hershey Medical Center
3 So. Dining Rm
500 University Dr.
Hershey, Pennsylvania, 17033
Contact:
Cindy Hulse, CRRN, at (717) 531-7010
Monroeville
HealthSouth Greater Pittsburgh Rehab Inpatient Support Group
Support group involves inpatients only.
Meeting Place:
Greater Pittsburgh Rehabilitation Hospital
2380 McGinley Rd.
Monroeville, Pennsylvania, 15146
Phone: (412) 856-2584
Contact:
Kristy Nauman, P.T. SCI Program Coordinator, at (800) 695-4774 orkristy.nauman@healthsouth.com
Philadelphia
Magee Rehabilitation SCI Resource and Support Group
For more information call or contact Marie Protesto by e-mail.
Meeting Place:
Magee Rehabilitation
6 Franklin Plaza, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19102
Phone: (215) 587-3174
Fax: (215) 568-3736
Web site: http://www.mageepeers.org/believe.php
Contact:
Marie Protesto at pcoordinator@mageerehab.org
Pittsburgh
HealthSouth Harmarville SCI Support Group
SCI and family support group meets every second Tuesday of the month 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in OT unit #1.
Meeting Place:
HealthSouth Harmarville
320 Guys Run Road
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15238
Phone: (412) 828-1300, Ext. 7235
Pleasant Gap
HealthSouth Nittany Valley SCI Support Group
Bi-annual events and e-mail support. Call for more information.
Meeting Place:
HealthSouth Nittany Valley Rehab Hospital
550 W. College Ave.
Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania, 16823
Contact:
Traci Curtorillo at (814) 359-3421, ext.5658
Reading
Reading SCI Support Group
The support group meets the third Saturday of every month. Call for more information.
Meeting Place:
HealthSouth Reading Rehabilitation Hospital
1623 Morgantown Road
Reading, Pennsylvania, 19607
Phone: (610) 796-6000
Contact:
Robin Goodman at (775) 610-2466
York
HealthSouth – Rehabilitation Hospital of York
No formal group meeting but please contact Tammy Derk for SCI resources in the York, PA, area.
Address:
HealthSouth – Rehabilitation Hospital of York
1850 Normandie Dr.
York, Pennsylvania
Phone: (800) 752-9675
Contact:
Tammy Derk at (717) 767-6941 or tammy.derk@healthsouth.com