Gillette Children's received a $1 million gift from SuperAmerica as part of the 30th anniversary celebration of the James R. Gage Center for Gait and Motion Analysis.

Patients, donors and staff gathered on February 6, exactly 30 years after the official opening of the center that is today one of the world’s busiest and most respected clinical gait and motion analysis facilities.

The center uses innovative computer technology and motion analysis to analyze how muscles, joints and nerves work together to make movement possible.  The data collected at the center helps Gillette providers accurately identify issues and create an individualize treatment plan for each child, teen or adult.

The recent anniversary celebration included comments from gait analysis pioneer James R. Gage, MD, who spoke about the center's history.  Gillette medical director Steven Koop, MD, highlighted the role the center has played in the mission of Gillette and its commitment to providing care for patients who have complex medical conditions.

The center’s current director, Tom Novacheck, MD, shared news about its scientific approach to care. “Families come here because they recognize very early on that we use the data to drive decisions,” Novacheck says.

Tommy Collison, a Gillette patient who traveled from Ireland to receive treatment for cerebral palsy when he was a boy, shared how his experience at Gillette helped him physically and mentally.  Collison, a 22-year-old student at New York University, recently spent four months traveling in Israel. He’s not afraid to take on challenges and credits Gillette for his confidence.

“The decision to say, ‘Yes, I’m going to travel halfway around the world and see what I can see’ does not come naturally to people who have physical disabilities,” Collison says.

The $1 million gift from SuperAmerica was announced during the celebration and is the largest single donation to the James R. Gage Center for Gait and Motion Analysis in its 30-year history.

“We’re thrilled and honored to receive SuperAmerica’s generous gift,” says Libby Utter, manager of the Gillette Children’s Foundation. “The funds will make it possible to advance our world-renowned gait and motion analysis research and equip our facility with the very latest technologies.”

Gillette CEO Barbara Joers praised SuperAmerica for its financial commitment. “Thank you for trusting Gillette with this investment. The gift will take the James R. Gage Center for Gait and Motion Analysis well into the next 10, 20, 30 years,” Joers says.

Photo: Steven Koop, MD, James R. Gage, MD, and Tom Novacheck, MD all spoke at the 30th anniversary celebration for the James R. Gage Center for Gait and Motion Analysis.

Photo: Tommy Collison, a Gillette patient, traveled from Ireland to Gillette during his childhood to receive medical treatment.