You can do anything you want to do. Life is a gift, so be thankful, be thoughtful, and make the most of it. And above all, make a difference.
TJ Shirdan, Sunshine Therapy Club Founder
Learn more about TJ Shirdan, Sunshine Therapy Club Founder
TJ Shirdan, founder and president of Sunshine Therapy Club, Inc., has dedicated her own life to making a difference. After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Physical Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University’s College of Allied Health Sciences in Philadelphia, Pa., TJ accepted a position at the Elwyn Institute, working with adults and children with developmental disabilities.
Committed to making children the focus of her career, she gradually moved into an exclusively pediatric practice, working for eight years as a physical therapist with United Cerebral Palsy of Delaware County. While there, she took on additional contract work, providing pediatric physical therapy services at the Children’s Seashore House, Delaware County Intermediate Unit, and Paidos, Inc.
In spite of the professional and financial risks involved, TJ left full-time employment to become a full-time independent contractor. Her clients included the Community Child Development Center, The Consortium, Personal Touch Home Care, Inc., and the Philadelphia Health Management Corporation’s Child Link Program.
Ten years after receiving her undergraduate Degree, while raising two children and serving her own growing clientele, TJ enrolled in a graduate program at the University of Pennsylvania. TJ subsequently received a Masters Degree in Early Childhood Education with a concentration in the area of Child Development. It was during this time that TJ conceived the idea of creating her own pediatric therapy agency.
Established in 1998, the Sunshine Therapy Club took its guiding principles from TJ’s own deeply held beliefs, including the benefits of a diverse environment, the importance of working with the “whole child,” and the need to acknowledge each child’s and family’s unique strengths.
Today, the Sunshine Therapy Club, Inc., remains a perfect reflection of all that TJ represents – it is dynamic, daring, diverse, and always moving in new directions. With a stated mission that includes empowering families so that they can empower their children, the Sunshine Therapy Club provides high-quality physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, special instruction, family training, and nursing services to more than 450 children and families across the entire Delaware Valley.
TJ has also created Sunshine Therapy Club II, Inc., another pediatric agency dedicated to providing early intervention services to children and families in Philadelphia County. In total, since inception, Sunshine Therapy Club I and II have provided services to more than 3000 children and families. TJ has begun facilitating workshops and training seminars for parents and professionals in her field.
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