FORT WORTH, Texas, Feb. 9, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- A group of 14
teenage amputee patients from Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for
Children (TSRHC) heads for the slopes of Colorado this morning for an all-expense paid
ski adventure at Winter Park's
National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD), one of the world's
largest outdoor therapeutic recreational facilities. The group will
fly on American Airlines for the 34th annual Amputee Ski Trip,
which is also supported by the hospital's generous donors.
American Airlines is an official sponsor of the trip and this is
the tenth year that it is providing air travel for the teens, TSRHC
medical staff and chaperones. A member of American's Abilities
Employee Business Resource Group (EBRG), which supports employees
with disabilities, will also accompany the teens. The group will
depart today from Dallas/Fort
Worth International Airport (DFW) for Denver International Airport (DEN), and will
return to DFW on Saturday, Feb. 14.
You can follow the teens' journey throughout the week with
@AmericanAir on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag
#TSRHSkiTrip.
"A primary focus for American Airlines is supporting
organizations that matter to our employees and make a difference in
our communities, such as Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for
Children," said Cynthia Barnes,
American's director – Community Relations. "Through our Kids in
Need program, we're proud to provide air transportation for these
inspiring young people to experience the excitement of
independence, as well as the fun and camaraderie of forming new
friendships."
Founded in 1989, the American Airlines Miles for Kids in Need
program offers members of the American Airlines
AAdvantage® loyalty program the opportunity to donate
their unused AAdvantage miles to help provide air travel for
children and their families through partnerships with some of the
world's foremost entities dedicated to caring for children. The
American Airlines Kids in Need program supports numerous
organizations, including Dana Farber Cancer Institute, the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, the
Something mAAgic Foundation® and Snowball Express.
Dallas-based Texas Scottish
Rite Hospital for Children, one of the nation's leading pediatric
centers for the treatment of orthopedic conditions, encourages its
patients to challenge themselves during this special ski
experience.
"The annual ski trip for adolescents with amputations or missing
limbs is an extraordinary experience which is transformational for
both the staff and the kids. Many of the patients have not known
another person with a missing limb and have been very shy about
their difference," said Dr. Tony
Herring, TSRHC chief of staff emeritus. "During the trip,
being together for six days, hopping to the hot tub, skiing on one
ski, dancing and performing in the condo give them a new feeling of
freedom and acceptance, which they can carry with them for the rest
of their lives. We as staff learn what the real-life challenges are
for these individuals, and we come home with a host of new ideas
for making their daily lives better."
During their visit to the NSCD, the teenagers will be paired
with a volunteer instructor for a week to learn to ski, engaging in
such challenges as learning to carry their skis in the snow while
wearing their prostheses. The trip allows the teens the opportunity
to have fun while fostering a sense of self-confidence,
independence and discovery – attributes that can remain with these
young adults throughout their lives.
"Skiing is almost incidental to the bigger lessons they learn as
they share stories of the day's wipe-outs and triumphs with their
fellow skiers, learn that it's okay to take your prosthetic leg off
to get into the outdoor Jacuzzi, or simply revel in the fact that
they're away from Texas for a week
in the snowy Rocky Mountains," said Don
Cummings, TSRHC's director of Prosthetics. "The ski trip has
the potential to be a life-changing event during which these kids
realize they're not alone with their challenges, that they can
achieve goals they never thought were possible, and that a missing
limb or two is not enough to keep them from doing anything they set
their minds to."
American Airlines employees, including the Abilities EBRG, are
hosting a special send-off party for the teenagers and their
families in Terminal D at DFW
Airport. Festivities will include refreshments provided by
the Admirals Club® and brief welcoming remarks from
representatives of American Airlines and Texas Scottish Rite
Hospital for Children.
To learn more about American's Community Programs, or to donate
to American's Miles for Kids in Need program, please visit
www.AA.com/kids.
About American Airlines
American Airlines Group (NASDAQ: AAL) is the holding company for
American Airlines and US Airways. Together with wholly owned and
third-party regional carriers operating as American Eagle and US
Airways Express, the airlines operate an average of nearly 6,700
flights per day to 339 destinations in 54 countries from its hubs
in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Los Angeles,
Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington, D.C. The American Airlines
AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles programs allow members to
earn miles for travel, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays
and everyday purchases. Members of both programs can redeem miles
for tickets as well as upgrades to First Class and Business Class.
In addition, AAdvantage members can redeem miles for vacation
packages, car rentals, hotel stays and retail products. American is
a founding member of the oneworld alliance, whose members and
members-elect serve nearly 1,000 destinations with 14,250 daily
flights to 150 countries. Connect with American on Twitter
@AmericanAir and Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines and follow US
Airways on Twitter @USAirways.
About Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children
Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children is one of the nation's
leading pediatric centers for the treatment of orthopaedic
conditions, certain related neurological disorders and learning
disorders, such as dyslexia. Patients receive treatment regardless
of the family's ability to pay. For more information, to volunteer
or to make a donation, please call (214) 559-5000 or (800) 421-1121
or visit www.tsrhc.org.
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SOURCE American Airlines