In order to accomplish our mission, we offer the following services:

La Rabida provides comprehensive, interdisciplinary health services to children across a continuum of care serving as a model for family-centered care. We provide training and education of health care professionals which will enable them to deal creatively with the challenges of children with chronic illness and their families.

La Rabida conducts research, and promotes advocacy related to the prevention, diagnosis and management of chilren with chronic illness. We work with public and private agencies, and other health care facilities in its shared dedication to helping children and their families.

La Rabida maintains an ongoing commitment to caring for children and families regardless of their ability to pay. La Rabida is a private, nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.

In April 2002, La Rabida christened a new 37-bed inpatient unit, the S.S. La Rabida. Situated on the shores of Lake Michigan, the S.S. La Rabida’s décor is that of a ship, with the nautical theme carried throughout the entire unit. Ship terminology and colorful flags are used for signage and wayfinding. Each room is designed as if walking into a ship’s cabin with a porthole as a window. Once in their cabins, the children have a beautiful view through a large window of either Lake Michigan or Jackson Park Harbor. As children and families travel the S.S. La Rabida deck, they will stroll under fiber optic stars.

One of the top priorities in building the S.S. La Rabida was to accommodate parent’s needs. Each cabin provides room for parent overnight stays. It is easy for parents to stay with their children as a window seat converts to a bed. In addition, a laundry facility was built within the unit to help parents in the daily care of their children. Other features in the unit are a Salon and Spa area which is a specialized section for children who require extra care. There is a specially designed bathtub to accommodate children with disabilities and a specialized sink for hair washing. A central play area, or sun deck, which is located adjacent to the nurses station, allows a gathering place for kids to interact or dine together.

The S.S. La Rabida will be the safe haven for children with chronic illness and developmental disabilities. Its nautical theme speaks to the hospital’s proud heritage. Its state-of-the-art technology serves as a bridge to bright futures for many children. Its wholistic approach embraces every aspect of a child’s life, including family, school and community.