Seated, Aimee Hofmann, Artist, Honoree Standing, left to right: Richard T. Celiberti, Board Chairman, Burke Rehabilitation, Montefiore Health System, Scott Edelman, MBA, CPA, CFE, Executive Director, Burke Rehabilitation, Montefiore Health System, Mooyeon Oh-Park, MD, MHCM, Senior Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Burke Rehabilitation, Montefiore Health System, Brian Harris, Co-Founder & CEO, MedRhythms, Inc., Honoree
[Rye, NY] June 21, 2024 – Burke Rehabilitation held its annual Burke Award on June 6th, at Westchester Country Club in Rye, NY. This year’s theme, “Healing Power of the Arts,” highlighted the transformative impact of the arts in rehabilitation and recovery. The distinguished honorees were local abstract artist Aimee Hofmann and MedRhythms, Inc., the innovative providers behind Burke’s Neurologic Music Therapy program.
Proceeds from the event directly support the hospital’s exceptional rehabilitative care services and the Healing Power of the Arts fund. The fund is instrumental in incorporating art into rehabilitation, providing patients with innovative therapeutic options that harness creativity and expression as pathways to healing.
“Our dedicated team is relentless in pushing the boundaries of medical excellence, infusing every interaction with innovation and compassion. Together we labor tirelessly to enrich the lives of those we proudly serve,” stated Scott Edelman, Executive Director of Burke Rehabilitation. “I commend our honorees whose collaboration help us to improve our patients’ recovery.”
The Burke Award, the highest honor bestowed by the Board of Trustees of Burke Rehabilitation Hospital, is awarded annually to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to the field of rehabilitation. These contributions may be through personal achievements, the development of research, or the establishment of programs and facilities that assist individuals with disabilities. It celebrates not only the overcoming of physical challenges but also the contributions to the understanding and treatment of physical disabilities.
Artist Aimee Hofmann’s artwork entitled “The Journey of Healing” adorns the walls of Burke Rehabilitation. In her acceptance speech she stated, “What made these pieces of art so special and so valuable was the fact that the patients were my main inspiration and I had them in my mind throughout the whole entire creative process. When I first became paralyzed, I felt broken in so many ways. It was art that ultimately saved me, and it was painting that made me realize all the amazing things that my body could still do and still can create despite its physical limitations.”
Aimee Hofmann is a Westchester-based abstract artist and disability advocate. At 30, she suffered from the neurological condition, Transverse Myelitis, an inflammation in the spinal cord that caused complete paralysis from level T10 of the spine. After learning she would never walk again, art gave her peace during the difficult stages of loss, grief, self-reflection and re-discovery. Art helped her emotionally heal, as well as find joy again. Her unique abstract art has inspired many with its vibrancy and depth, symbolizing the resilience and strength found in the journey of recovery. Aimee’s impactful artwork is part of many corporate collections including Amazon, JP Morgan Chase & Co and others. She is also a two-time hand-cyclist marathoner, avid swimmer, fundraiser, and guest speaker. As a
disabilities advocate, her goal is to continue to create awareness about inclusion and fair representation for people with disabilities.
MedRhythms, Inc. has been a pioneer in integrating music therapy into neurological rehabilitation, demonstrating the profound effects of music on the brain’s healing process. Since 2021 MedRhythms has been the sole provider of Neurologic Music Therapy at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital.
“I’m so proud of the team that we have built, who wake up every day and work hard to try and change other people’s lives. What we need in healthcare is people who talk about the mission but also take action to do something about it, and that’s exactly what Burke Rehab does,” stated MedRhythms CEO/Founder Brian Harris.
MedRhythms, Inc. has been the leading provider of Neurologic Music Therapy in the nation since 2013. It exists to restore the lives and quality of life of loved ones with neurologic impairments.
The company focuses on the intersection between music, neuroscience, and technology, providing interventions to achieve optimum outcomes in sensorimotor, speech & language, and cognitive goals in patients. Since 2021, MedRhythms has been the sole provider of Neurologic Music Therapy at Burke Rehabilitation Hospital. To date, Burke’s inpatient NMT program has treated over 600 patients, and in a survey of over 100 patients, 95% of those believed that NMT contributed to their recovery process.
