The Resource Center has hired Dr. Holly Benson and Dr. Megan Tomassini as physical therapists in the agency's Diagnostic and Treatment Center.
Benson, a native of Conneaut, Ohio, graduated from the University of Toledo with a degree in athletic training before going on to obtain her doctorate in physical therapy from Gannon University. Her areas of interest are sports medicine and pediatrics, but she also plans to expand her knowledge in the areas of adult neurology and wheelchair management/mobility.
Tomassini is a Jamestown native who earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Daemen College, majoring in natural/health sciences with a minor in biology. She also obtained her doctorate in physical therapy from Daemen. Her main areas of interest are neuromuscular rehabilitation and orthopedic rehabilitation, with an emphasis on sports medicine.
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Dr. Holly Benson
The Resource Center provides physical therapy and a variety of other health-related services to people with developmental disabilities, but the services also are available to anyone in the community. Benson and Tomassini have relatives with developmental disabilities, and they said that this is one if the factors that led them to want to work at The Resource Center.
"Growing up in Jamestown, I was familiar with the services that The Resource Center offered," Tomassini said. "As a sister of a special young man with a rare genetic disorder, The Resource Center became a special place for not only my brother, but my family as well. I knew the mission of The Resource Center was to enhance the lives of those individuals with disabilities, and I want to continue that mission and provide optimal physical therapy services to those individuals of The Resource Center, as well as members within the community."
She added, "My brother has always been an inspiration to me and was one of the main reasons that I decided to enter the field of physical therapy. I wanted to not only be able to help him one day and enhance his quality of life, but also affect the lives of others and enhance their health and well-being."
Benson said she learned about The Resource Center's physical therapy program at her school's job fair. "Since I'm not from the area, I found out by talking with the staff about TRC what they are all about. Since I have a relative with a developmental disability, TRC really interested me, and their goals to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities were very inspirational. I really wanted to have a family-oriented and loving environment to work in, and after observing the staff and meeting some of the clients, I really felt TRC was for me."
Both women come into their jobs with goals of improving the quality of life of people with disabilities who are supported by The Resource Center, as well as making the general public aware that TRC's physical therapy services can be accessed by anyone in the community.
"I would like to enhance the quality of life, health and well-being for the individuals that we serve here at The Resource Center," said Tomassini. "I would like to educate other department staff within the agency on the services that physical therapists are able to provide and what our services mean to the people we serve. I would like to expand the physical rehabilitation program to members within the local community providing orthopedic rehabilitation services, sports PT and neuromuscular rehabilitation services."
Said Benson: "I hope to continue with TRC's goals to improve the quality of life for our consumers by providing the best physical therapy to our clients. Also, I hope to expand our physical therapy program to outpatient clients outside of The Resource Center to reach out to the public by providing services to the Dunkirk and Jamestown area at The Resource Center facilities."
Both women lead busy lives outside of work. Benson's interests include sports, horseback riding, crocheting and playing musical instruments, while Dr. Tomassini cited her interests as sports, exercising, outdoor activities, volunteering and scrapbooking.
"We are very excited to have Megan and Holly on our highly skilled team of physical therapists. Not only will they allow The Resource Center's physical therapy department to continue service expansion; with their advanced education, they come equipped with the latest knowledge of effective therapies and technologies related to the field so we can better serve our patients," said Steve Riczker, TRC's director of health and health-related services.
Tomassini practices in The Resource Center's facility at 75 Jones & Gifford Ave. in Jamestown, while Benson is located in TRC's facility at 186 Lake Shore Drive West in Dunkirk.
The Resource Center's physical therapy offices are open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and later by appointment. Most insurances are accepted. For more information or to schedule an appointment, phone 661-1541 for the Jamestown office or 366-6125 for the Dunkirk office.
More information about The Resource Center's health-related services may be found by visiting www.resourcecenter.org.