CHRISTUS Health’s new children’s clinic to serve Coushatta, surrounding communities

CHRISTUS Health is opening a new children’s clinic at CHRISTUS Coushatta Health Care Center to serve local patients and those in surrounding communities.

A blessing, dedication and grand opening for the new CHRISTUS Kids Clinic – Coushatta is Aug. 23 at 10 a.m. at 1633 Marvel St., in Coushatta. The clinic is funded by CHRISTUS Foundation Shreveport-Bossier with community donations made to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals (CMNH).

“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.”

Florence Bethard, CHRISTUS Foundation board member, said the community plays a pivotal role in helping ensure that patients and families receive the best possible health care.

“Each dollar donated helps provide treatments and support that pediatric patients desperately need today, so they can fulfill their potential for tomorrow,” she said.

The clinic will serve patients from newborn to age 21, providing physical, occupational and speech therapy two days a week initially, 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.”

For online donations, please visit www.christusfoundationsb.org.