Driven by Love

Scott Bindley knows how valuable integrative medicine is, and he’s determined to support it for the children of Arizona. A screenwriter and film industry veteran, Bindley splits his time between Los Angeles and Phoenix. “I’m in the film and television business, mostly screenplays,” he says. “My brother has a production company in LA, and we’ve been partnering on film and TV projects for 40 years.”

While storytelling is his profession, philanthropy is his passion. Through a unique fundraising initiative called Wheelz That Heal, Bindley is raising money for Phoenix Children’s Integrative Medicine program, ensuring other families have access to the kind of whole-child care he wishes had been available when his own daughters needed it.

Seeing the difference integrative medicine can make

Integrative medicine focuses on treating the whole child, not just a diagnosis. It addresses lifestyle, nutrition, sleep, activities and stressors to improve a child’s overall health and wellness.

Bindley’s appreciation for integrative medicine began when his identical twin daughters were diagnosed with an autoimmune disease at 12 years old. “We thought, ‘What if—along with managing this disease—we focused on maximizing their baseline health?’” he says.

Inspired by Scott’s wife, Polly, the Bindley family took a proactive approach. “Polly researched holistic treatments, practitioners and especially clean, healthy diets—and soon we all became passionate about it,” Bindley says.

Today, his daughters are thriving college seniors at Purdue University and the Savannah College of Art and Design. “They’re managing their own health and feel as well as they ever have,” Bindley says.

Bringing whole-child care to Phoenix Children’s

When Bindley’s daughters were diagnosed, there was no integrative medicine program for guidance and support. Now, Phoenix Children’s has an Integrative Medicine program that welcomes families looking to approach their child’s care from multiple angles. The team works with children with allergies, asthma, ADHD, chronic pain, gastrointestinal conditions, obesity, metabolic syndrome and more.

According to Sarjita Shukla, MD, the medical director of Integrative Medicine at Phoenix Children’s, the program isn’t an alternative to conventional medicine—it’s a complement.

“It’s about empowering children and families to become ambassadors for their own health,” Dr. Shukla says. “And as patients transition into adulthood, we want them to be able to speak for themselves, identify health concerns and be involved in their care plan.”

Connecting a hobby with a passion

 Bindley, who’s also a Phoenix Children’s Foundation board member, launched Wheelz That Heal—a program that restores donated or discounted vehicles and sells them to fund the Integrative Medicine program.

He initially planned to modify and auction just one car and donate the money to Phoenix Children’s, but after securing donations from mechanics and suppliers, he realized he could do so much more. “Nobody said no,” he says.

Bindley started a Facebook page to document the restoration process and thank donors. “It grew into Wheelz That Heal. We’ve done more than 20 cars,” he says. One car they’re restoring is even being designed entirely by patients in the Integrative Medicine program.

So far, Wheelz That Heal has donated more than $1.6 million to Phoenix Children’s—and Bindley aims to raise $500,000 in 2025 alone. He’s been reaching out to dealerships, suggesting they showcase cars from which proceeds benefit Phoenix Children’s. Beyond that, he’s tapping into the collector car community in the greater Phoenix area, as well as auto enthusiasts of all kinds.

“I think we’re just scratching the surface on this,” he says. “We want to make this into something that can impact more people and change the course of their health.”