Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Quest gets new executive director
Nonprofit provides equine assisted therapy for special needs children
WEST CHESTER >> You might say it was young Grayson Charlton’s lucky day as she enjoyed her weekly therapy session astride her little Welsh cross pony whose name just happens to be Lucky, one of ten equines that help serve over 100 clients at Quest Therapeutic Services, Inc. in West Chester. Six-yearold Grayson, who lives with a debilitating spinal cord injury, is clearly excited about the time she spends engaged in Quest’s Equine Assisted Therapy.
At least equally excited to be taking the reins at Quest, a nonprofit pediatric therapy organization, is Lisa Newcomb, their brand new executive director. Newcomb succeeds Quest founder Sandra McCloskey, a pediatric physical therapist who started the program back in 1996 while treating six children. Then, in 2001 Quest obtained 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, and over the past 16 years has grown into an innovative organization providing important services to over 125 children with special needs per week.
Now Newcomb brings her own unique skill set to the program, having served for the last ten years in progressive leadership roles, most recently as the executive director of Melanoma International Foundation. With her extensive experience in development, fundraising, and board relations, Lisa hopes to lead Quest to even greater levels of success. “We see about 100 clients per week from ages two to twenty-one,” noted Newcomb. “The cut-off is age 21 because we are a pediatric facility.”
Quest’s current facility opened in 2005, situated on 10 acres in West Bradford, where it employs some 15 contracted occupational, speech, and physical therapists assisted by a team of about 80 volunteers each week. Utilizing the movement of horses throughout each therapy session enables therapists to address functional goals in a unique capacity, with carryover seen throughout all aspects of daily life. During sessions therapists have children perform position changes and activities such as sitting sideways to work on balance, or playing catch with a partner to work on handeye coordination. The movement of the horse also helps children who have difficulty regulating their sensory systems, allowing them to feel calm and able to focus on tasks with the therapist.
Grayson Charlton, a wheelchair user, is typical of the clients who have benefitted from Quest’s services where she, her able-bodied twin sister Isabella, and her mother Kira visit each week from their home in Springfield, Delaware County. While her daughter’s future prognosis remains uncertain, Mrs. Charlton has thus far been very pleased with the progress her daughter has made. “Grayson has been a client here since September, 2015, and she loves it” she explained. “We came here at the recommendation of her physical therapist because of tightness in her hips. Thanks to the equine therapy she has shown marked improvement in her core strength to the point where she is almost able to sit up unassisted.”
During her 45-minute sessions, Grayson, like the other Quest clients, assists in groom-
With her extensive experience in development, fundraising, and board relations, Lisa hopes to lead Quest to even greater levels of success.
ing and feeding Lucky treats. “But I like the part where I get to ride on him the best,” she affirms, beaming a wide smile.
Being one of very few facilities in the area offering Equine Assisted Therapy, Quest takes great pride in the services provided to so many families from Chester County and surrounding areas. Core staff members include Therapy Manager Cameron Patchett and Business Manager Ali Haines. The program addresses a broad range of disabilities including cerebral palsy, Downes Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and others. According to Patchett, “We have a huge demographic of clients, so much
so that it would be impossible to cite every diagnosis that we address through equine therapy.”
Executive Director Newcomb has resided in West Bradford for the past twenty years. “Aside from the core team of staff members and therapists, Quest relies heavily on our dedicated team of volunteers to ensure the program runs smoothly,” she said. “Community outreach is another area of fundamental importance as Quest relies heavily on generous donations and grants from various community groups, organizations and individuals.”
Although insurance helps to cover the cost of the therapy services, Quest must fundraise more than $250,000 each year to provide for the horses and ensure that all children have access to Quest Therapeutics’
services, regardless of their ability to pay.
“I look forward to helping Quest continue to enhance the lives of special needs children and their families all across the Delaware Valley,” added Newcomb. “It is my goal to rally our community around these exceptional children by sharing more stories like Grayson’s. Each child and family that walks through our doors is impacted by our staff, therapists, volunteers and horses as they work toward their goals. I consider it a privilege to see the progress that is made each and every day.”
Quest Therapeutic Services is located at 461 Cann Road, West Chester, PA, 19382. They can be reached at 610-692-6362 or via email at info@QuestTherapeutic.com. For more information visit their website at www. questtherapeutic.com.