Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Athletes Medal in Torino Paralympic Games
March 27, 2006
CHICAGO - The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) announces that four of its athletes have won Bronze medals in this year's Paralympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy.
In the women's downhill slalom standing event, Sandy Dukat was awarded Bronze for her time 1:33.66. Sandy has been a part of the RIC sports program since 1996.
The United States sledge hockey team, including RIC athletes, Steve Cash (since 2005), Dave Conklin (since 2000) and Andy Yohe (since 2003), also won a Bronze medal against the competitive German team, winning 4-3.
Overall, the U.S. team won 12 medals (seven Gold, two Silver and three Bronze medals) at this year's games. The next Paralympics Winter Games will be held in Vancouver in 2010. 'We are tremendously proud of these athletes. Their accomplishments on the field of play proved, yet again, what a valuable role RIC plays in preparing athletes for Paralympic and elite level competition,' said Linda Mastandrea, U.S. Paralympian in 1992 and 1996 and the Director of the U.S. Paralympic Midwest Training Center at RIC. 'And it's our continued goal to support and encourage athletes with disabilities to pursue this level of competition so that RIC and the U.S. are represented time and time again in the future.'
In January, RIC received a grant from U.S. Paralympics to be designated as the U.S. Paralympic Midwest Training Center - an effort to drive participation in sports for kids with disabilities and fuel the future of the U.S. Paralympic team.
The $36,000 grant is used to recruit and encourage kids with disabilities from the Midwest to get involved and participate in sports, providing the training and direction to one day reach the U.S. Paralympic Games.
About the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC) is dedicated to helping people with all levels and types of physical disabilities regain or improve their physical functions and empowering them to participate more fully in family, social, vocational and leisure time pursuits. The Institute has been ranked the 'Best Rehabilitation Hospital in America' by U.S. News & World Report, every year since 1991 and is the first independent rehabilitation hospital in the country to receive the Magnet award for excellence in nursing services by the American Nurses Credentialing Center. RIC operates a flagship hospital in Chicago as well as a network of DayRehabCenters and outpatient centers located throughout Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Additionally, RIC maintains strategic alliances with other high quality health care providers throughout the state of Illinois, including Advocate Illinois Masonic, Alexian Brothers Hospital Network, Blessing Hospital, RML Specialty Hospital and Southern Illinois Healthcare. For more information, please visit our Web site at www.ric.org.
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