With new financial support from the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a Midtown children's clinic will be able to treat more children suffering from neuromuscular disorders, clinic doctors say.
The new MDA clinic is set up within the Children's Clinic for Rehabilitative Services at 2600 N. Wyatt Drive. It joins the nationwide network of 235 hospital-linked MDA clinics in the United States, including two others in Tucson.
MDA's national headquarters are in Tucson, too.
"This is a call to the community — to anyone who is caring for anyone with a childhood neuromuscular disease. We would love to care for them here," said Dr. Timothy Miller, director of the newest MDA clinic.
With a pledge of some $27,000 for this year, MDA has taken over support of clinic services to youngsters with this category of disorders, which includes muscular dystrophy. Neuromuscular services have been provided at the Children's Clinic for years, but were restricted to those who qualified for state funding or were covered by private insurance.
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The MDA takeover means all children — regardless of financial or insurance status — can seek treatment there now, Miller said.
"From a neuromuscular standpoint, no child should ever be without a specialist's care, and MDA is assuring that now," he said.
The new clinic expects to serve some 300 children a year, with a team of specialists including professionals in child life, education, genetics, neurology, nutrition, occupational therapy, physical therapy, psychology and social work.
The MDA Mucio F. Delgado Clinic for Neuromuscular Disorders and the MDA/ALS Center — both based at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center — treat nearly 800 adult and child patients a year.
"Access to specialized care for people with neuromuscular diseases . . . will become increasingly important as we move into the treatment era for many formerly untreatable disorders," said Dr. Valerie Cwik, MDA medical director.
The Children's Clinics for Rehabilitative Services is a state-funded outpatient treatment center that provides primary and specialty care for some 5,000 seriously ill and handicapped children from birth until they turn 21. It houses 25 medical, surgical and dental clinics, including the new MDA clinic.
● For more information about MDA's clinics in Southern Arizona or to schedule an appointment, call MDA's Tucson office at 795-3434. A doctor's referral may be required for an appointment.
