WHEATON, Ill. —  For a group of pediatric patients, this morning marked more than playtime. It marked their first experience behind the wheel and for many, their first opportunity to explore independently. At GoBabyGo, children with limited mobility took their first solo rides in custom‑modified electric toy cars built just for them. The annual event is hosted by Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.

During the event, 21 children received custom‑modified, battery‑powered toy cars designed to support their individual therapeutic and mobility needs. Adapted by a team of therapists and volunteers from across Northwestern Medicine, the cars give children who are unable to walk or crawl and are too young for a motorized wheelchair the ability to move, explore and play alongside their peers.

“GoBabyGo is more than a single day. It creates a life‑changing moment for both children and their families,” said Stephanie Salentine, manager of rehabilitation services at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. “For many of these kids, this is their first experience with independent mobility. Seeing the confidence and excitement as they take that first drive is incredibly meaningful for families and care teams alike.”

GoBabyGo focuses on improving mobility, socialization and developmental skills for young children with physical and medical challenges. Each car is customized with therapeutic modifications such as specialized seating, hand controls, five‑point harnesses and head supports to meet the unique needs of every child. The cars are donated and provided to families at no cost.

For families, watching their children experience independent play and movement, often for the first time, is what makes the GoBabyGo event such a powerful and memorable experience.

“I was not expecting this. Not at all. This is eyound words. It truly is,” said Steven Kosriog, of Carol Stream, Ill., who attended the event with his son Jack. “There’s no greater feeling than seeing your son have that independence, especially the independence that he looks for and we look for in him as parents. It means the world.”

Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital has hosted GoBabyGo events since 2015 with support physical and occupational therapists across the Northwestern Medicine health system who volunteer their time to build the cars, as well as community volunteers.

This was the first time the Simmons family, of Joliet, volunteered at GoBabyGo, but they aren’t strangers to the event. Last year, their son Glenn was a recipient of a modified toy car. After experiencing the event as participants, they were eager to come back to bring other children the same joy they experienced from Glenn. Jerome Simmons gathered a group of colleagues to join their volunteer team.

“Last year, it was so much fun. Glenn enjoyed his vehicle so much. We were so happy and overjoyed just to see him get to play and enjoy himself,” said Jerome. “This year, I brought volunteers with me. I’ll be here every year to participate and help increase mobility for other kids.”

Founded in 1972, Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital delivers the most innovative rehabilitation solutions available with compassion. The hospital treats a wide range of injuries and illnesses with specialized rehabilitation programs for brain injury, neuromuscular, orthopaedic, pediatric, spinal cord and stroke. In 2024, Marianjoy achieved the prestigious Magnet® designation for nursing excellence. It is one of just a handful of freestanding rehabilitation hospitals in the U.S. to receive Magnet designation. To learn more, visit: https://www.nm.org/locations/marianjoy-rehabilitation-hospital. 

In 2025, 83 dedicated volunteers contributed more than 4,100 hours of service across 11 departments at Marianjoy. They serve in 16 types of roles, including animal therapy, greeters, patient transport, eucharistic minister and more.

“Many of our volunteers have received inpatient and/or outpatient treatment at Marianjoy, while others simply want to make an impact on the well-being of patients and families,” said Lora Cummings, volunteer coordinator at Marianjoy. “What they all share is a commitment to creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for the patients and families we serve.”

Finding fulfillment in service to others

One of those volunteers is Elsie Dieden of Villa Park, who has devoted nearly 25 years of service to Marianjoy. Her involvement began in 2000 when she was working as a special education teacher with District 200 and arranged for her students to assist in the hospital’s mailroom and other departments. After accompanying a student through his volunteer orientation and a few shifts, Elsie found herself drawn to Marianjoy’s mission and began volunteering regularly at the hospital.

Following her retirement from teaching, she deepened her volunteer commitment with the hospital’s spiritual care department. Throughout the years, Elsie has made an impact on hundreds of patients and families in a variety of ways. She is especially proud of helping launch the “Music on Call” program, which brought live and recorded music to patient’s bedsides. Today, Elsie continues to lift patients’ spirits by sharing music on YouTube and engaging in conversation.

“I’ve seen firsthand the healing power of music and its ability to help people relax and open up,” said Dieden. “When I’m visiting a patient, we talk about everything from music and health to family and sports. I’m humbled to play even a small role in someone’s healing journey and to support Marianjoy’s approach to caring for the whole patient.”

How contributing helps foster independence and belonging

Another volunteer is Jackie Peterson, 44, who has been a steady presence at Marianjoy for more than 25 years. Jackie began volunteering in the hospital’s mailroom during her senior year at Wheaton North High School, and today she gives her time and talents alongside her job coach and friend, Kathy Konzcak.

As a person who has lived with a disability, Jackie began volunteering at the encouragement of her parents, Barbara and Chris Peterson. Believing it was important for Jackie to be actively engaged in the community, they saw volunteering as a meaningful way for her to build connections and develop greater independence.

Each Tuesday, Jackie and Kathy spend two hours assembling and delivering Patient and Family Education notebooks throughout the hospital. For 14 years, the two women have worked alongside one another at several nonprofit organizations, forming a close friendship strengthened through shared responsibilities and social activities.  

“Jackie considers the staff and volunteers ‘family’” Konzcak said. “Café staff and team members in housekeeping and registration know Jackie by name, and it’s not uncommon for us to pass nurses in the hallways who stop to say hello.”

Making a difference as a Marianjoy volunteer

As Marianjoy looks ahead, the hospital is committed to expanding its volunteer program. “We’re continually enhancing the volunteer experience so that people feel fulfilled by their service, patients receive meaningful support and staff can focus on providing top quality care,” said Cummings. “Our goal is to welcome as many as a dozen new volunteers in 2026.”

As Dieden and Konzcak have experienced, the benefits of volunteering are significant; serving others enables them to meet new people, develop new skills, gain valuable perspectives and impact the lives of patients and families served at Marianjoy.

Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and commit to a two to four hour shift one day per week. Certain roles may have minimum age requirements based on assigned tasks or the population served. The onboarding process includes an interview, health screening, background check (for those 18 and older) and orientation.

For more information about volunteering at Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org/volunteer.

WHEATON, Ill. —  Smiles, cheers, and the buzz of tiny engines filled the air as pediatric patients with limited mobility experienced the thrill of independent movement at the annual GoBabyGo event at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital in Wheaton, Ill.

During the event, 18 children were gifted custom-modified, battery-powered toy cars designed to meet their individual therapeutic and mobility needs. The toy cars — adapted by a team of therapists and volunteers from across Northwestern Medicine  — provide children who are not able to walk or crawl and are too young for a motorized wheelchair, the chance to move, explore, and play like their peers.

“GoBabyGo is more than an event — it’s a moment that changes a child’s life and brings joy to these families,” said Stephanie Salentine, manager of rehabilitation services at Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. “For many of these kids, it’s their first taste of independence. Watching them light up as they ‘drive’ for the first time is a powerful and special experience for both families and care teams.”

Originally founded at the University of Delaware, GoBabyGo aims to increase mobility, socialization, and developmental skills in young children with physical and medical challenges. Each car was customized with therapeutic adaptations such as specialized seating, hand controls, five-point harnesses, and head supports to meet the needs of each child. Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital has hosted GoBabyGo events since 2015 with the help of physical and occupational therapists from across the Northwestern Medicine health system who volunteer to build the cars. 

For the families, giving their children the opportunity to play independently like their peers despite mobility limitations is what makes the GoBabyGo event special. 

“The car allows Finley to play like other kids his age. His peers are doing the exact same thing,” said Jason Edgar, father of Finley (4). “The car is customized to his condition. He doesn’t have a lot of control of his trunk, so they’re able to [cinch a harness] so he can sit up and actually drive himself. He’s most excited about the radio in the car.” 

Jerome Simmons was excited to surprise his 7-year-old son Glenn with a customized toy car like the one his sister plays with at home. 

“He loves cars. We’re excited about him having his own that he can control and have fun with,” said Simmons. “He gets to be more independent doing something he likes to do. That’s a big thing for me, just getting him to be as independent as possible.” 

Founded in 1972, Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital delivers the most innovative rehabilitation solutions available with compassion. The hospital treats a wide range of injuries and illnesses with specialized rehabilitation programs for brain injury, neuromuscular, orthopaedic, pediatric spinal cord and stroke. In 2024, Marianjoy achieved the prestigious Magnet® designation for nursing excellence. It is 1 of only 6 freestanding rehabilitation hospitals in the U.S. to receive Magnet designation. To learn more, visit: https://www.nm.org/locations/marianjoy-rehabilitation-hospital.

Fernandez tumbled down a flight of stairs in October 2022 when he leapt forward to catch his rambunctious new puppy. He landed headfirst, causing a traumatic spine injury and temporary paralysis of his arms and legs. He underwent emergency spinal decompression surgery to prevent further damage from the swelling. 

“I was conscious, but my first thought was where are my arms and legs,” said Fernandez, who lives in Lombard.

Within a week Fernandez was transferred to Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital, where therapists incorporated dance moves into his recovery plan by using the ZeroG Gait and Balance Training System. The robotic body-weight support system is on an overhead track that helped Fernandez practice dance moves without the risk of falling. 

“When Mauricio came to Marianjoy he had extreme weakness in his arms and legs. He couldn’t move his fingers and had little movement in his right ankle and foot,” said Anita Kou, MD, medical director of the Spinal Cord Injury Program at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. “Mauricio was already motivated, and by including something he loves into his therapy, we’ve seen amazing progress and expect him to continue getting stronger over the next several months.”

The rapid up-and-down motion of tap dancing, which Fernandez started doing in a wheelchair, strengthened his leg and foot muscles. Once his balance improved, Fernandez moved to the parallel bars for ballet poses to strengthen his core and arms. When he was ready for more dynamic moves, the 50-foot track of the ZeroG gave him plenty of room for jumps and leaps.

“Dance is so familiar to Mauricio that by tapping into that muscle memory, it really helped his recovery,” said Julie Zell, PT, physical therapist at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital. “It made therapy fun. Mauricio even taught the staff a dance routine that we all did together.”

Fernandez was discharged from inpatient therapy in late November 2022 and will continue outpatient therapy to work on returning to full form. Just two months after his accident, Fernandez went back to work teaching dance at a local studio in Countryside, Illinois.

“Dancing is my whole life. And while I may never get back to doing ballet lifts, the only solution is to keep putting my best foot forward every day,” said Fernandez. “I hope I can inspire my students to overcome barriers.”

To learn more about Northwestern Medicine, visit nm.org.