Photo by Derek Redd Dr. Ellen Kitts, left, is given a plaque by Easterseals Marketing Director Betsy Bethel-McFarland honoring her 37 years as the organization’s medical director. Kitts is retiring from the position.

WHEELING — Dr. Ellen Kitts, who will retire July 18 as medical director of Easterseals Rehabilitation Center, said at her retirement luncheon Wednesday that when she started 37 years ago, only 50 pediatric physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors existed in the United States.

That medical specialty focuses on treatment and management of conditions that affect physical development and mobility. It’s not just her medical specialty that is rare, however. It’s how she practices it.

“I tend to operate on what can I do to help the family. I really pride myself on listening, hearing what’s happening and figuring out how can I make your life better,” Kitts said.

Kitts and Easterseals were a perfect match, according to longtime board member and legal counsel James Gardill.

“We could never, ever have afforded her skill set here,” Gardill said during the private luncheon. Kitts accepted the salary Easterseals could pay, and in return, she was given the opportunity to treat in a slower, more thorough and more compassionate way.

“I couldn’t have done that anywhere else,” Kitts said.

As a result, Kitts provided personalized, life-changing care to thousands of patients with disabilities, such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy.

More recently, she began seeing more children with autism and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Easterseals President and CEO Eric Filberto said Kitts always has adapted to serve the needs of her patients and the community.

“For 37 years, she’s been a trusted and compassionate provider, and a steady presence at Easterseals. Her impact will be felt for generations.”

Asked on Facebook to share their stories about her, several of Kitts’ patients and their families responded:

“Something I’ve always admired about her is that she would never stop until she found the answer or the thing that worked best for you or your child.” — Kelsi Weaver

“Dr. Kitts always has been very thorough and very patient with my son and took the time to listen.” — Susan Mahan

“Dr. Kitts went over and above for my son Joshua. She followed him to adulthood and actually came to our house to see him years after he became bedridden to check on him. That meant the world to us.” — Susie Downing

“She has encouraged so many children and adults to go out and do what they wanted to do, and it didn’t matter about their disability. You still could do it, and she would help you.” — Sally VanDyne

Pam Pumpa of Triadelphia attended the party Wednesday. She is an example of a patient Kitts saw as a child and continued to treat into adulthood, a practice Kitts began early in her time at Easterseals as her patients aged out.

Pumpa said Kitts attended her high school graduation and college graduation, and she supported her career goals in the rehabilitation services.

During the June 14 flash flood, Pumpa, who has cerebral palsy, lost her home and narrowly escaped death after being swept out of her wheelchair while trying to get to higher ground. Within two days, Kitts personally raised enough money to buy a special wheelchair part that insurance wouldn’t cover.

At the party, Pumpa thanked Kitts for “always being there.”

An Indiana native, Kitts received her undergraduate degree from Ball State University and earned a medical degree from Indiana University. She completed her pediatric residency at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis followed by her physical medicine and rehabilitation residency at Ohio State University.

In the early 1980s, while working at D.T. Watson Hospital in Sewickley, Pa., in partnership with Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital, she began traveling once a month to Easterseals in Wheeling to see patients.

When then-executive director Rosemary Front offered her a full-time position at Easterseals, Kitts said there were three reasons she felt good about the decision: 1. She respected and admired Front and how she ran the center, 2. She appreciated the high quality of care being given and 3. She was impressed by the community’s support in the form of volunteers and donations.

Kitts’ brother, David, and his wife, Bernice, drove from North Carolina to attend the retirement luncheon. David Kitts inspired laughter when he shared he was his older sister’s first medical patient when he fell off his bike and she covered him with a blanked and offered him hot water to drink.

Easterseals staff presented Kitts with a smart watch so she can keep track of her fitness goals, and the center also gave her a tablet. They also presented her a plaque that was inscribed:

“For listening

For talking it through

For being patient

For making the extra phone call

For innovating

For advocating

For adapting

For never giving up

For laughing

For caring

For loving

For creating a legacy that includes thousands of children and families whose lives have been changed for the better, not just because of what you do, but because of who you are…

Thank you.”