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the new lenox patriot | January 9, 2020 | 5
Westside Children’s Therapy opens new location in Orland Park
Vice President
Dave Lapsker a
New Lenox native
Alyssa Groh
Freelance Reporter
After nearly 20 years
of providing therapy for
children with developmental
delays and disabilities
from birth to 18
years old, Westside Children’s
Therapy is opening
its fifth location in Orland
Park.
Opening a new location
in Orland Park was
the “obvious next step,”
said Mark Cassidy, CEO
of Westside Children’s
Therapy.
The clinic’s Frankfort
location was becoming
outgrown, so Westside
needed another location
nearby to continue serving
its patients. When looking
for a new location,
Cassidy said Orland Park
was an easy choice because
many of their
Frankfort patients and
employees travel from
Orland Park.
Westside Children’s
Therapy, which first
opened in Frankfort, is the
brainchild of Shari Cassidy,
a pediatric physical
therapist. After working
in Chicago while living in
the south suburbs for 15
years, Shari Cassidy realized
many of her patients
were traveling to Chicago
for therapy.
Realizing the demand
for children’s therapy in
the southwest suburbs,
Shari Cassidy opened a
private practice to offer
physical therapy for children.
Since its opening, Westside
Children’s Therapy
has not only expanded to
five locations, but offers
child and family counseling,
physical therapy,
behavior therapy, occupational
therapy, speech
therapy, feeding therapy,
and VitalStim — a noninvasive,
external stimulation
therapy to treat swallowing
disorders.
Mark Cassidy, the son
of Shari Cassidy, credits
the clinic’s growth to his
mother’s talent, passion
and dedication.
“My mom is a miracleworker;
that is really the
best way I can describe
her,” said Mark Cassidy,
of Mokena. “People say
she gets results that many
people say aren’t possible.
A lot of the growth we
have made has been centered
around being able to
expand what my mom is
all about.”
The new Orland Park
location, 14711 S. Ravinia
Ave., was set to open Dec.
9, and is to look and function
the same as the other
locations.
“We utilize a collaborative,
multidisciplinary
approach in our clinic’s,”
said vice president Dave
Lapsker, who grew up in
New Lenox and now lives
in Mokena. “Everything
we do is play-based, and
our facilities are warm
and welcoming — it is
obvious this is a place for
children.”
While simultaneously
offering a variety of
therapy services for children’s
needs, Westside
Children’s Therapy gives
children the opportunity
to develop new skills
through play. All locations
have jumping ledges, rock
walls, slides, swings, ball
pits, crash pads and more
to help children learn and
play.
Mark Cassidy has
watched Westside Children’s
Therapy grow over
the years, and credits
much of its success to being
family-owned.
“When you are familyowned,
your horizon is
long-term; you want to
be here 100 years from
now,” Mark Cassidy said.
“It is also personal for us,
which forces you to be ingrained
in the community.
“At the end of the day,
when people go to a pediatric
facility, they want
to go somewhere that is
ingrained in the community.
That is the heart of
our business. You have
kids and families going
through some really tough
times, and we want to be
here to assist them with
that.”
For Lapsker, working
within the communities
where he was raised and
now lives makes his job
more meaningful.
“The work that we do,
the families and kids we
work with is the definition
of giving back to the
community and having a
really meaningful impact
in the towns we serve,”
Lapsker said. “Watching
kids take their first step
at age 5 who have never
walked before is really
meaningful. It is was drew
me here.”
Lapsker also says being
family-owned gives Westside
Children’s Therapy a
bigger drive to deliver the
quality services.
Please see therapy, 12
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