CHRISTUS Health’s children’s clinic to hold grand opening Aug. 23

COUSHATTA, La. (KSLA) — CHRISTUS Health’s new Kids Clinic in Coushatta will hold its blessing, dedication and grand opening at 10 a.m. Friday (Aug. 23).

The clinic at 1633 Marvel St. is funded by CHRISTUS Foundation Shreveport-Bossier with community donations made to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

“This is truly a part of our mission, especially in a rural community,” said Brandon Hillman, CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Care Center administrator. “We see our role as a health care provider in a rural community as bringing as many services to our community as possible.”

The community plays a pivotal role in helping ensure that patients and families receive the best possible health care, CHRISTUS Foundation board member Florence Bethard said. “Each dollar donated helps provide treatments and support that pediatric patients desperately need today so they can fulfill their potential for tomorrow.”

The children’s clinic will serve patients from newborn to age 21, providing physical, occupational and speech therapy two days a week initially and expanding as demand grows.

“We decided to open in Coushatta because there is a large population in those rural towns that do not have care or services for the pediatric population besides what they receive in the school system,” said Lisa Hooper, outpatient clinical supervisor of physical medicine and rehabilitation with CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health System. “We recognized the need and we wanted to support that need and support the community.”

Coushatta resident Raylie Hardy has been a major advocate for a CHRISTUS Kids Clinic in Coushatta. Her 12-year-old daughter, McKenna, has been a patient at CHRISTUS Kids Clinic—Shreveport-Bossier for several years.

“Having a clinic in Coushatta is something we have been trying to get for many, many years now,” Hardy said. “I have been the mama pushing for it, not just for me, but for all the other moms and kids in Coushatta who are going to benefit from this.”

Local donations raised as a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital benefit CHRISTUS Foundation Shreveport-Bossier, which matches those funds with projects that impact patients and families.

“We’re excited that the CHRISTUS Kids Clinic is going to have such a presence,” said Amy Heron, executive director of philanthropy for CHRISTUS Foundation Shreveport-Bossier. “This is an exciting time and there is a need for such services. We want to keep the clinic innovative and with the latest in technology, and to do that we rely on those donations.”

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