FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE MICKELSON THERAPY POOL

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The $4 million Mickelson Center was financed entirely by community donations, including $1.5 million from the late philanthropist Mack E. Mickelson. We also know – because they are cemented into the south wall of the therapy pool facility – that more than 200 private donations were given in exchange for names imprinted into these tiles. (The $4 million donated in 1996 translates into $7,160,000 in today's money.)

We believe that the Mickelson annex (opened in May 1996) to the original Mills Hospital building was constructed during ownership by Mills Health Center; however, the dates of acquisition by Sutter Health of the entire Mills-Peninsula Health Center system were so close in time that we have not yet determined those facts for certain. 

In March 2020, the Mickelson therapy pool was closed as a result of the San Mateo COVID-19 shelter-in-place county directive. Unlike other therapy pools in San Francisco and San Jose that successfully reopened after their local public health orders were rescinded, the Mickelson therapy pool remained closed.

Sutter initially announced that the closure would be temporary. In June 2021, Sutter announced the  pool's permanent closure with a letter to former Mickelson therapy pool users claiming that the closure was due to “the continued uncertainty presented by COVID-19, [their] focus on providing quality acute care services and [their] ongoing efforts to be good stewards of [their] resources.”  

It took a village of dedicated volunteers, elected officials, and thousands of community members contributing time, money, and effort to restore this precious resource.

After creating a petition that quickly gathered thousands of signatures, attorney Joe Cotchett generously invited us to meet with him and quickly became a trusted advisor. He encouraged us to start a non-profit organization, so we banded together to create Warm Water Wellness Inc.

Over the next three years, Warm Water Wellness board members and other passionate supporters spoke at hundreds of city council, Board of Supervisors, and healthcare district meetings. We submitted over 30 op-eds and letters to the editor in local newspapers. We held a rally with over 100 supporters. Our cause was featured in dozens of articles, TV and radio segments. It took a long time, but one by one we garnered the support of every city council in San Mateo County. We became allies with the Board of Supervisors, the local health care districts, and elected leaders at all levels of government. We are eternally grateful to those who heard our pleas and championed our cause.

In late November 2022, Warner Thomas was appointed CEO of Sutter Health, and he brought a welcome change of perspective on community health. Darian Harris began his role as CEO of Mills Peninsula Medical Center in July 2023. He heard the pleas of the community, initiated much needed renovations to the Mickelson Therapy Pool, and pledged Sutter Health's support for aquatic therapy. After over $1 million spent on the renovations, the Mickelson Therapy Pool was reopened on August 20, 2024 with a celebration and ribbon cutting attended by pool users, medical professionals, local and state legislators, and many members of the community.

The facility is an invaluable resource for chronic pain management and rehabilitation for seniors, disabled individuals, patients recovering from surgeries, and pregnant women. This facility is the only pool on the Peninsula specifically designed for therapeutic use, and patrons drive from all over – Half Moon Bay, San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose.

The Mickelson pool is a fully accessible ADA-compliant rehabilitation pool with a ramp that descends into the water, a chair lift, and a Hoyer lift for quadriplegics. There are no other facilities on the Peninsula that offer the same amenities.  The pool offers:

1. Physical therapy: Physical therapists with aquatic therapy training work with insurance-backed patients several times a week.
2. Independent community “open access”: The independent exercise program is well-attended by San Mateo County residents, as well as Bay Area citizens. The facility is open to the community six days a week (excluding Sundays).
3. Fitness program:  Group exercise programs with various class formats. [Planned for January 2025]