Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation Announces Inaugural Winners of its Innovation Visionaries and Innovation Heroes Awards
Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI), a not-for-profit organization that works at the nexus of science, technology and public health, announces the recipients of its 2021 awards recognizing individuals and organizations that have displayed significant achievements in healthcare innovation:
Innovation Visionaries Award: honoring a company or organization making a difference for all stakeholders in the ecosystem, including clinicians, therapists and researchers, was bestowed to The Autism Community in Action (TACA) for providing education, support and hope to families living with autism.
Innovation Heroes Award: honoring individuals who exemplify the spirit of innovation in healthcare, was bestowed to limb loss survivor Ariel Rigney, MPA, a self-proclaimed nonprofit “nerd,” athlete, world traveler and adventure-seeker.
Reed Hartley, executive director, TLI, explains, “These awards demonstrate and illustrate the power of individuals and organizations to significantly impact lives. We are proud to recognize their achievements and applaud their efforts to improve the patient experience and outcomes. They also provide shining examples of how to effectively support clinicians, therapists and researchers who serve patient populations that need better access to quality care.”
Honorees were chosen based upon an individual’s efforts on behalf of patients or an organization’s demonstrated expertise for developing novel and practical applications of an innovative new approach, service, human-centered design or transformation process.
Hartley underscores the achievements and advocacy programs of TACA, saying, “TACA implements so many outstanding services, conferences, mentorships and resources to support the autism community. This organization demonstrates its ongoing commitment to promoting early intervention and improving treatment and outcomes for autism patients and their families. We congratulate the leadership and entire TACA team on celebrating its 20th anniversary of working to change the lives of individuals living with autism.”
At the outset of the COVID-19 outbreak, TACA immediately transitioned to virtual meetings, increased online resources and enhanced parent support activities. They conducted 594 virtual meetings, with attendance of 18,000+ people, and expanded reach by 132%. Hope & Help, TACA’s private Facebook support group grew to over 12,000 members--a 21% increase over 2019. They also responded via phone and online to 36,892 requests for support and awarded $195,588 in scholarships to families for medical and resource needs, representing 14% of the TACA budget. As one mother stated, because of TACA’s support during the pandemic her previously non-verbal son walked into his first day of school, greeted the teacher with “good morning” and put on his mask. He had also been potty-trained and had learned all of his letters and sounds.
Recognized as an Innovation Hero, Rigney is passionate about advocating for amputee rights and access to care. Hartley notes, “Ariel has demonstrated a transformative influence as she continues to inspire by her tireless efforts to raise amputee care awareness.”
Her efforts have ranged from volunteering as a counselor at summer camps for kids with limb loss to working as a patient model to help train new physical and occupational therapists. By working with amputee patients, testing new prosthetic feet and technologies in the lab, and providing peer support to new limb loss patients, Ariel is a true hero. Rigney is honored to be a “loud and proud” advocate for her amputee community.
She is currently partnering with Range of Motion Project (ROMP) to raise money for amputees who lack access to prosthetic devices and care. She is also in training to attempt to summit Cotopaxi, a 19,347-foot volcano in Ecuador, in fall 2022. As she works to push her mind, body and prosthetic leg to the limit for this enormous feat, her focus is clear: show people that with proper access to prosthetics and care, amputees like her can achieve almost impossible goals.
For more information about becoming a TLI partner or to be considered for an award, contact the foundation.
About TLI
The Thought Leadership and Innovation Foundation (TLI) is a not-for-profit organization that works at the nexus of science, technology and public health, innovating for superior prevention, treatment and outcomes for those facing life-altering medical diagnoses.TLI helps patients across the country and around the world find better healthcare outcomes. Visit www.thoughtfoundation.org and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.