Sunshine Physical Therapy’s ‘Sensorium’ event had special feel

People’s senses, all eight of them, were on high alert at A Night at the Sensorium, a festive evening at the Pointe West Clubhouse to benefit the Sunshine Physical Therapy Clinic. The only nonprofit outpatient therapy clinic on the Treasure Coast, Sunshine offers physical, occupational and speech therapy services to children and adults, regardless of their ability to pay.

Guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres while perusing an assortment of silent- and live-auction items, and listening to music inside by pianist Ryan Kasten, and on the veranda by the Indian River Charter High School Jazz Band.

To illustrate how therapists help patients with conditions such as autism, developmental delays, spatial disorientation and ADHD to regulate their senses through acoustic, visual, olfactory and tactile stimuli, they brought along their Traveling Sensorium.

“It’s a small representation of our Sadlek Sensorium at Sunshine. The purpose behind the sensorium is to help us with sensory regulation, and many of our children require that in order to benefit most from their therapies,” explained Ginny Blossom, executive director, after thanking gala chair Sherry Brewer and the event’s numerous sponsors.

“But it is equally important for a variety of other disciplines as we get into older ages. It is one of only a handful in the state of Florida,” she added.

Decorations were scattered about the tables representing our auditory, gustatory, interoceptive, olfactory, proprioceptive, visual, tactile and vestibular senses, and guests had fun with a Sensory Knowledge Quiz, matching them to sensory clues.

“It was the Sadlek Sensorium that started all of this. Steve and Rose [Sadlek] recognized an opportunity for Sunshine, and it was the children who really touched their heart,” said Blossom.

She introduced 14-year-old Lilly, one of their two 2024 pediatric ambassadors, who charmed the crowd as she walked to the front in her frilly pink princess dress.

“Our ambassadors are emphatic of our mission and they are why we’re here. They represent hundreds of children that come through Sunshine every single year for our care,” said Blossom.

She read a quote that referred to providers who accept large numbers of Medicaid patients and make it work for their practice as unicorns, only rumored to have been seen.

Sunshine, she said, is that unicorn.

“Our mission is to provide therapy services for anyone, regardless of their ability to pay, regardless of their insurance, and I have to say, all of you here are supporting that mission,” said Blossom.

Calling Sunshine a failing business model, she said each session they provide therapy to a Medicaid patient, they lose $65. It is the reason for-profit organizations don’t provide therapies to large numbers of Medicaid patients.

To illustrate how vital support from donors and the Indian River County Hospital District is, she said 80 percent of their clientele are on Medicaid.

Guests were also introduced to Tanya Breaud, a published author, mother of two, and a woman of extraordinary strength. Her life was upended after suffering a ruptured brain aneurysm followed by a stroke, causing her to lose the ability to live a normal life.

Through hard work, determination and many, many months of therapy, Breaud can now walk, dress herself, eat, shop, go to school with her children and has even returned to writing. Her book, “Words of Expression,” is available at Barnes & Noble and Kindle.

“I encourage you all to look up Tanya Breaud and her book, and to recognize that this is just one of those stories that really touches the heart,” said Blossom.

For more information, visit SunshinePTC.org.

Photos by Joshua Kodis