To honor the courage and perseverance of those recovering from traumatic
injury and illness, Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare will
host its Tribute to Courage Gala Saturday, March 7, 2020, at the Sheraton
Fairplex Hotel and Conference Center in Pomona, California. Casa Colina’s
largest fundraiser, this annual black-tie event attracts prominent figures
from healthcare, entertainment, business, and local government.
This year’s gala, titled “From Survival to Service,”
honors David Kiley, the 13-time Paralympic medal recipient who led the
Casa Colina Condors wheelchair basketball team to eight national championships
throughout the 80s and 90s. In the decades since sustaining his spinal
cord injury, Kiley dedicated himself to playing, coaching, and promoting
adaptive and wheelchair sports, inspiring thousands of young para-athletes
in the process and helping to pave the way for Casa Colina's Outdoor
Adventures program, now a hallmark of its continuum of care.
“Through his participation in adaptive sports like wheelchair basketball
and adaptive skiing, David has been committed to helping others with disabilities
grow and live life to the fullest,” said Felice L. Loverso, PhD,
Casa Colina CEO and President. “I can’t think of an honoree
who so embodies Casa Colina’s hope for its patients, which is full
participation and enjoyment of life. David discovered that for himself
and chose to share it with others, as a visionary, a player, and a coach.”
This year’s event will also recognize other individuals who have
undertaken a lifetime of service to those with traumatic injury. Guests
of honor will include:
- Hal Hargrave, Jr., a former Casa Colina patient who founded the Be Perfect
Foundation to help others with spinal cord injury push their limits and
maximize their recoveries
- Col. (Ret.) Rocco Armonda, MD, FAANS, whose neurosurgery fieldwork in Iraq
and Afghanistan advanced care techniques for the most severe battlefield
head injuries
- Sergeant First Class Cory Remsburg, a former patient of Dr. Armonda and
Casa Colina who was combat-injured in Afghanistan and now shares his miraculous
recovery story nationwide to inspire others with traumatic brain injury
Actor, writer, and director Bonnie Hunt returns this year to host the event.
To purchase tickets and sponsorship for this year’s Tribute to Courage
Gala, please email
foundation@casacolina.org, call 909/596-7733, ext. 2260, or visit casacolina.org/tribute.
About Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare
Casa Colina Hospital and Centers for Healthcare is a nonprofit provider
of specialized medical and rehabilitative care for people of all ages
with disabling conditions resulting from accidents, disease, or illness.
Its continuum includes 219 beds consisting of medical-surgical and intensive
care, acute rehabilitation, residential rehabilitation, and long-term
residential care. Outpatient services include rehabilitation, physician
specialty clinics, diagnostic imaging, children’s services, and
more. In addition, the Casa Colina Research Institute conducts clinical
studies to improve patient care and discover new findings about disabilities.
Casa Colina is located in Pomona, California, with more than 80 years
serving the surrounding community and beyond. Visit
www.casacolina.org to learn more.