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Cerebral Palsy Association of BC

We Provide Financial Assistance for Hardworking Students Living With CP

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Pacific Medical Law is looking to make a lasting difference in the lives of children with Cerebral Palsy. At Pacific Medical Law, we understand how much effort parents go through to fight for their children’s needs. Working with the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, we have been able to provide support for young people with cerebral palsy by sponsoring an educational bursary. You can read more about our involvement and philanthropy with the Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia here.

The Bursary distributes financial support to 10 different recipients every year to subsidize the costs associated with educational programs. In the past, our recipients have used it to help them pursue educational opportunities in fields such as chemical engineering, psychology, and writing. Many of the recipients hope to use their skills to support others in the disability community.

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The Power of Music and Dance

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Dance and music can be enjoyed by everybody.  Music has the power to help us relax or it can energize us. People of all abilities can engage with dance and music informally for pure enjoyment, or through formal programs that include therapeutic goals.

The simple act of listening to music can have health benefits.  For example, the 2014 documentary Alive Inside: A story of music and memory, chronicled the impact that listening to carefully selected music had on people with memory problems.  Many people found that specific music could trigger memories of past events that they had otherwise been unable to access.

A more formalized use of music is music therapy.  Music therapy is defined as the purposeful use of music within therapeutic relationships to support development, health, and well-being.  It is an evidence-based health profession in which music is used in many ways, including in physical rehabilitation programs to facilitate movement.

The Music Therapy Association of British Columbia has resources to help you find a credentialed music therapist in your area.

Opportunities for dance

Dance is not only fun, it can also help to improve movement and provide a cardiovascular workout. By participating in movement through dance, people with disabilities can experience an inclusive social activity that can potentially provide therapeutic benefit.

There are many ways people with cerebral palsy can participate in music and dance.

Children and youth with various disabilities can have fun while they participate in dance, creative movement and games through the Dance Without Limits program offered by the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC.  These adapted dance programs are currently available in Surrey, Victoria and Kelowna.  More information about these programs is available on the Association’s website.

Adults with disabilities may find movement and dance programs through their local community centre.  For example, in Vancouver, the Roundhouse Community Arts Centre and the Trout Lake Community Centre offer programs that bring together people with and without disabilities to explore movement as a means of creative expression.

What the research says

We know that dance and music can have beneficial effects, but do those effects add up to functional improvements for people with cerebral palsy? Studies have shown that dance can improve balance, posture, gait and walking in people with cerebral palsy. In addition, dance and music can support emotional expression and facilitate well-being, improve self-esteem and it may even improve social communication. Dance with music and rhythm may be integrated into rehabilitation and physical and occupational therapy to increase participating and enjoyment of therapy.  A summary of that study can be seen here.

*Image courtesy of https://fineartamerica.com/featured/dancing-girl-in-a-wheelchair-valeriy-kachaev.html

What a Ban on Plastic Straws Means for People with Disabilities

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The City of Vancouver’s “Single-Use Item Reduction Strategy” is set to come into effect in June 2019. A ban on plastic straws is part of this strategy, and is being hailed by many as a step forward in reducing our waste from single-use plastic items such as packaging, straws, and bags. The ban has already captured much public attention and many restaurants and businesses have already started phasing out plastic straws all over the province, and are opting for alternatives such as straws made from metal, paper, and bamboo.

While this may represent a step in the right direction in reducing litter and waste from single use products, many people with disabilities require plastic straws to help them eat, drink and take medication safely. Some people with cerebral palsy or stroke impairments, for example, rely heavily on straws – particularly bendable plastic straws – to allow them to drink liquids.

Straws are Important for People with Disabilities

Although many people take it for granted, getting a glass from your hand to your mouth, and then tipping the liquid in and swallowing requires a complex set of movements. A bendable plastic straw enables people with certain disabilities to accomplish this task. Unfortunately, straws made from alternative materials often present a choking hazard, are not positionable, cannot be used for hot liquids, or are costly for the consumer. For example, glass and metal straws can injure people who bite them, and those that have trouble drinking from a glass will likely have difficulty washing and carrying a reusable straw.

For people with certain disabilities, plastic straws are not frivolous. They represent an accessibility issue similar to ramps for people using mobility devices. Advocates suggest a social solution to the issue of disposable plastic straws, rather than a legal one. They embrace approaches such as moving from opt-out to ask-in policies:  while plastic straws would not be provided with everyone’s drink, when people do ask for one, one should be provided, no questions asked. This would reduce the overall number of plastic straws being used and thrown out, but people who do use them would not be vilified or discriminated against.

Recommendations to the Ban

The Cerebral Palsy Association of BC met with the City of Vancouver last month to voice the concerns of some of their members. The Association made the following requests:

  • Provisions for straws to be offered or made available on request for those who require them, with restaurant education and monitoring for compliance;
  • A public education strategy to mitigate confusion and stigmatization and increase understanding, so that individuals who benefit from plastic straws do not have to explain themselves; and
  • To include the Cerebral Palsy Association proactively in the policy consultation and to conduct increased outreach to the disability community.

While the environmental efforts of the City are commendable, the Cerebral Palsy Association believes that an outright ban of plastic straws is not the answer. While there is no doubt that the number of plastic straws used in Canada can be reduced – some estimate that 57 million plastic straws are used throughout the country daily – plastic straws should still be made available for people who need them.

The Cerebral Palsy Association invites you to read and share their article and provide your comments. If you would like to share your questions or concerns about the ban directly with the Reduce Single-Use Team, they can be reached by email at ReduceSingleUse@vancouver.ca

*Photo via Amazon.com

Scotiabank Charity Challenge – Team CPABC

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Andrea Donaldson of Pacific Medical Law participated in the Scotiabank Charity Challenge on behalf of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC at the Vancouver Half Marathon and 5k on June 24. Andrea (centre) is photographed here with CPABC Executive Director Feri Dehdar (right), and communications intern Ashley Moliere (left). Through fundraising efforts of everyone involved, Team CPABC was able to raise $10,000 for the Association. Every dollar raised goes directly to programs and services for people living with cerebral palsy and other disabilities throughout the province.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a term used to describe a group of non-progressive, but changing, disorders affecting body movement and muscle coordination. The condition affects 1 out of every 500 people in Canada. Although there is no cure of CP, there are many types of treatment, therapies, and supports that can lessen the effects of CP and help people living with CP lead independent lives.

About the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC

The Cerebral Palsy Association of BC was started in 1954 by a group of parents who wanted to help their children living with CP reach their maximum potential within society. Today, the Association is an independent charity organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors, with the mission of raising awareness of CP in the community, assisting those with CP to reach their maximum potential, and working with people living with CP to realize their place as equals in a diverse society. The Association accomplishes their mission through advocacy, encouraging networking, educating members of the public about cerebral palsy, governing relations activities, and implementing programs for individuals with cerebral palsy. The Cerebral Palsy Association’s vision is to become the recognized leader in providing information, support, and guidance to children, adults, and families living with CP in British Columbia.

Through fundraising efforts such as the Scotiabank Charity Challenge, the Cerebral Palsy Association is able to offer advocacy, counselling, and collaboration with other agencies, as well as programs to assist people living with CP and other disabilities. The Association offers pre-employment training, education bursaries, and the Campership Program, which financially assists individuals of all ages to attend a special needs camp of their choice in BC. The Association also offers recreational programs such as adapted dance, yoga, and art, as well as legal, funding, and referral resources.

The Association’s intends to remain inclusive by continuing to maintain free, high quality programs and services, with the goal of raising social awareness and helping those with cerebral palsy and other disabilities live a life without limits.

Message from the President of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC: Moving boldly forward, together

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People living with cerebral palsy are tenacious. This I know for sure. When they fall, they get back up, and try and try again, until they succeed. They do not let obstacles stand in their way, and they do not allow others to tell them what they can and cannot do. They move forward with courage and a sense of humour to soften the blows of failure along the way. It is only fair that the Board of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC try to emulate this enviable courage and determination in steering the Association forward on behalf of its members.

You can read the rest on the Cerebral Palsy Association website.

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