Robison remembered for passion, dedication
Virginia L. “Jenny” Robison, physical therapist III, died March 29. Robison was a 36-year employee of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, most recently at Pediatric Rehabilitation at Vanderbilt Health at One Hundred Oaks.
“Jenny had an incredible passion for the physical therapy profession and for Vanderbilt,” said Erik Hamnes, director of Rehabilitation Services for the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt. “She was frequently recognized for putting the patient first and for being a resource we all could count on.”
Virginia L. “Jenny” Robison
In 2003, Mrs. Robison, together with a group of wheelchair users, manufacturers and suppliers, successfully orchestrated Tennessee's adoption of one of the nation's first consumer protection law for wheelchair users. The Consumer Protection Act for Wheeled Mobility requires suppliers to meet standards in order to deliver appropriate seating and mobility devices for consumers.
Mrs. Robison earned her degree in physical therapy from Washington University in St. Louis. She worked in a variety of physical therapy capacities during her service at Vanderbilt. She was the first therapist at Vanderbilt to earn her ATP certification identifying her specialization in mobility, seating and assistive technology.
She provided services to the Muscular Dystrophy Clinic under the direction of the Department of Neurology and supported patients and their families with inherited neuromuscular diseases for 25 years.
She also participated in the multidisciplinary ALS clinic at Vanderbilt. She was named “Volunteer of the Year” in 2008 by the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Middle Tennessee Chapter.
Mrs. Robison is survived by her husband, Alexander, and her two children, Alexander (Lloyd) and Elizabeth (Libby).
Memorial contributions may be made to the Muscular Dystrophy Association, 3354 Perimeter Hill Drive, Nashville, TN; ALS Association, Tennessee Chapter, 522 E. Iris Drive, Nashville, TN; or the Myeloma Institute for Research & Therapy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham St., Little Rock, AR 72205-7199.