Watch CBS News

Good Samaritan Hospital Receives New Car To Help Patients In Rehab

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Baltimore's MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital welcomed a new addition to their state of the art facility on Tuesday, one that promises to help bring patients to their full recovery.

A 2007 Lincoln is MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital's new tool to treat patients. The car was brought up by crane through a window opening on Tuesday morning.

Francine Clayton is a therapist at the hospital's rehabilitation center.

"This car is very important," Clayton said. "This is a major thing for patients to be able to navigate and accomplish before they go home."

The car will help patients who are suffering loss of their mobility due to an amputation or illness.

"Now patients will have the opportunity to get in and out of a real car," Clayton said. "They can practice their transfer skills."

The car is meant to help patients like Curtis Taylor who is suffering from cellulitis and unable to use his right leg.

"When I came here I really couldn't even stand up or walk," Taylor said. "They have helped me tremendously. Now I'm able to walk, and almost able to run."

Clayton said this will benefit families, too.

"Even family members really get nervous about it," she said. "How am I going to get my family member into the car? So this way we can do family training."

Clayton also said the goal is to get patients independent.

That's when Curtis said he will feel fully recovered.

"Start trying to be mobile and independent again," Taylor said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.