2019 Rose Allan Tucker Award: Maureen Rinehimer

During this year’s Annual Meeting of the Board of Directors, MFHS will be presenting the Rose Allan Tucker Award to Maureen Rinehimer. Earning her PhD from Seaton Hall University in Health and Medial Sciences, with a focus in Movement Sciences, Rinehimer has dedicated her time as a physical therapist to serving the children of Northeast Pennsylvania.
Working as a children’s physical therapist for over 40 years, she spends more than 300 hours per year treating children at Misericordia University’s (MU) Pro Bono Clinic, where she often utilizes her own funds to provide toys and other equipment to the children that she serves. Her help in developing the above clinic, which provides services to those who are uninsured or underinsured, is one of the many reasons in which Rinehimer is the perfect recipient for this years Rose Allan Tucker Award. She goes above and beyond the duty of Assistant Professor at Misericordia University, not only coaching her students in the correct physical therapy practices, but also dedicating so much of her time to bettering the facilities of the MU Clinic for all who have the pleasure of encountering it. Even when students are away on breaks, one can find Rinehimer working with patients at the MU Clinic.
In her practice, Rinehimer pays special attention to children with developmental disabilities, such as autism or cerebral palsy. Deemed the “whisperer,” she can get any child to happily participate in therapy sessions despite his or her immediate reluctance. This trait is greatly appreciated by all, especially by parents who have no where else to turn due to their child’s being unsuccessfully treated in other settings. Rinehimer has also aided in screening children who may need physical therapy services at a local religious school.  For the past two years, she has sent students from Misericordia’s Doctor of Physical Therapy program to screen children in order to learn the process of identifying those who may do better with the assistance of physical therapy.
Through her involvement as an Assistant Professor at Misericordia University as well as her dedication to treating children at the MU Pro Bono Clinic, one can see that Rinehimer has great passion for working with the youth of Northeast Pennsylvania. We are grateful for the opportunity to show our appreciation for Maureen Rinehimer at this years annual meeting. Thank you Maureen for all that you do to help the children of Northeast Pennsylvania!