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Cerebral Palsy Association of BC

Susanne Raab featured in the Verdict

Tuesday, August 21, 2018 By Admin

 

Susanne Raab serves on a number of boards and committees including the Board of Governors of the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, which is committed to improving access to justice for all British Columbians. As a result of her involvement with the Trial Lawyers Association of British Columbia, she has recently been featured in the Summer 2018 issue of the Verdict. In it, she talks about how she chose medical negligence, how she stays motivated, and provides advice for other young lawyers.

How did you choose medical negligence as your practice area?

The idea of “loving your work” or “finding your true calling” is an elusive idea that I never put much stock into, until it happened me – largely as a result of a series of fortunate events in my life. I went through the first half of law school relatively disinterested in most of what I was studying. Largely to combat the general malaise that was beginning to set in, I decided to go on an exchange to the University of South Australia. During my exchange term, I took a course in medical law and ethics taught by a particularly inspirational instructor. I was hooked. When I returned to British Columbia, I immediately set out to persuade the law firm of Harper Grey Easton (as it then was) to hire me, as this firm did the majority of the defence work for physicians in British Columbia, and had an excellent reputation. I was fortunate enough to be hired and to spend the next several years of my career working alongside and learning from some of the very best medical malpractice lawyers in the country.

After having children, I decided to shift my practice from representing physicians to representing injured patients and their families. In 2011, I was given the opportunity to join Paul McGivern at Pacific Medical Law where I now practice, together with a team of talented and dedicated lawyers. This firm is unique in that it is the only firm in the province that focuses solely on plaintiff side medical negligence work. Our bookshelves have more medical texts than legal ones, and we spend more time at medical conferences than legal conferences. It is a perfect fit. Being able to focus solely on medical negligence is a huge advantage, and I feel very fortunate that I am able to do so.

How do you stay motivated to do the type of work you do?

Most of my clients are infants who suffered brain injuries around the time of birth as a result of medical negligence, and are diagnosed with cerebral palsy as a result. I also spend a great deal of my time with children who have cerebral palsy and their families in my volunteer position as President of the Board and Chair of the Advisory Committee of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC. I have sat in the living rooms of countless families of children living with cerebral palsy and heard their accounts of tireless uphill battles with no or little support from the community. As a parent of young children myself, these conversations leave me feeling both humbled and inspired by the resilience and determination of these parents who are navigating a difficult road for their child. To make a difference in the lives of these families, to provide the resources necessary to keep these children safe and to give them a chance to reach their full potential, is what motivates me.

I am also motivated to do what I can to improve patient safety in our communities. Part of my practice involves providing pro bono legal services to parents who have lost a child around the time of birth. These parents arrive at the hospital full of anticipation and promise, and leave with empty car seats and unanswered questions. Losing a child is truly one of the most devastating tragedies that can befall anyone. I assist these families with navigating the process to obtain some real answers. Without this, they cannot move on. While these answers and apologies will not bring their child back, these parents always tell me they need to go through the process to do what they can to ensure the same tragedy does not occur to another baby. Through this process, we have been able to institute improved obstetrical training among physicians and nurses, and have helped shed light and recognition on where safety in obstetrical care can be improved. This motivates me.

It is also helpful that medical malpractice litigation is never dull. The medicine is complex and constantly evolving, counsel retained by physicians and hospitals in British Columbia are highly specialized and skilled and have virtually limitless resources to defend their clients, the stakes are high, and the statistics in terms of success are most certainly not in the plaintiff’s favour. This creates an environment which is intensely challenging and offers plenty of opportunities to go to court. There is truly never a dull moment in medical malpractice litigation.

What advice would you give a young lawyer just starting out?

I teach the medical negligence course at the law school at UBC and have been a visiting instructor at the medical school at UBC. Honestly, these students seem so much smarter and wiser than I ever was in University. In my view, the most important message to these students is that by the time they have graduated, they have demonstrated that they are smart enough to do whatever they choose. The key to a successful career as a lawyer is finding an area of law that you are truly passionate about. I would add that one should measure success by one’s own values and standards – for some it will be measured by monetary reward, for others the intrinsic satisfaction of making a difference or achieving a desired lifestyle, and for most, some unique combination of these factors.

Why is being a member of the TLABC important to you?

TLABC has gone through tremendous growth and evolution over the past few decades. I joined the Board of Governors a few years ago and continue to be impressed by the high level of vigorous debate around the table at board meetings. The board is full of incredibly dedicated and committed lawyers who spend countless (and thankless) hours working behind the scenes toward improving access to justice. The publications, list serves and continuing legal education conferences not only provide useful information for trial lawyers, but serve an even more important function, and that is to provide a community for sharing knowledge, experiences and resources. It is a mistake to keep your head down and work in a silo. In order to practice competently, and enjoy your work, you must connect with your peers. The TLABC provides a forum to facilitate this connectedness.

This piece was originally posted in the Verdict. You can read the PDF here.

Filed Under: Firm News Tagged With: Birth Injury, Birth Trauma, British Columbia, Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Hospital Errors, Living with a Disability, Medical Malpractice

Scotiabank Charity Challenge – Team CPABC

Tuesday, July 10, 2018 By Andrea Donaldson

 

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.

Filed Under: Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Community Involvement, People with Disabilities Tagged With: Birth Injury, Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Living with a Disability, Pacific Medical Law, People Living with Cerebral Palsy, People with Disabilities

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

Thursday, June 21, 2018 By Susanne Raab

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.

Filed Under: Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Cerebral Palsy, Community Involvement, Firm News, People with Disabilities Tagged With: Birth Injury, Birth Trauma, Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Living with a Disability, People with Disabilities

Pacific Medical Law – Making a Difference in the Lives of People Living with Cerebral Palsy

Monday, April 9, 2018 By Admin

From: Cerebral Palsy Association of BC Newsletter, May 25, 2016

(Photo: Susanne Raab and Paul McGivern with CPABC’s Executive Director Feri Dehdar and President Andy Yu at the Life Without Limits Gala 2016.) 

Ms. Raab and Mr. McGivern made a commitment to do their part to improve the lives of all people living with cerebral palsy in British Columbia. They reached out to the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC and asked them how they could help, and have responded to the various needs identified.

Passion with purpose

Susanne Raab is a lawyer at Pacific Medical Law who also serves as the Vice-President of the Board of the Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia, as well as Chair of the Advisory and Fundraising Committees. She explains that while most of her law practice involves helping children who live with cerebral palsy, she wanted to do even more to help children living with CP outside her practice. Her work gives her some understanding of the many difficulties facing families who have a child with cerebral palsy, as it impacts every member of the family. Parents spend a disproportionate amount of time and energy having to advocate at every corner for the most basic services. This not only takes time away from other family members, it often makes it difficult (at best) for the families to remain together. “The public system simply doesn’t provide enough support and funding, and important things which are integral in the life of a child like recreation, activities and camps are considered extras by the public system and accordingly not funded adequately, or at all, but they are important to a child’s life,” she states.

Paul McGivern , Ms. Raab’s partner at Pacific Medical Law and also a member of the Advisory Committee of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, echoes these sentiments. “Many parents tell us how hard it is to get what they need for their child and it is an ongoing battle. What we have tried to focus on doing in the course of our practice obviously is to maximize the resources available to the families, and outside the scope of our practice we try to contribute what we can to make life easier.”

Collaborating with CPABC

Ms. Raab and Mr. McGivern made a commitment to do their part to improve the lives of all people living with cerebral palsy in British Columbia. They reached out to the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC and asked them how they could help, and have responded to the various needs identified.

Over the years, Pacific Medical Law has supported the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC by contributing their time, ideas and resources to the organization. For example, Pacific Medical Law has committed to providing $10,000 annually for the post-secondary school bursary program provided by the Cerebral Palsy Association to young adults living with cerebral palsy, to help subsidize the costs associated with educational programs. In addition to their involvement on the Board and with the Advisory Committee, Pacific Medical Law also provides support for the Cerebral Palsy Association’s grant applications, supervises various programs which require legal oversight, and enthusiastically participates in their fundraising activities, including September, for which they were awarded the top fundraising organization in Canada in the past.

Pacific Medical Law also created a bursary program called the Janna Epp Bursary for Children Living with Cerebral Palsy in British Columbia in honour of a little girl named Janna who unfortunately passed away at a very young age. The bursary provides $5,000 annually to a family with a child living with cerebral palsy to assist with that child’s care, therapy, equipment and/or recreational needs. Every year Janna’s mother selects the recipient of the bursary. In past years, the bursary has been awarded to a little girl named Leila to help her family try Feldenkrais therapy and the Squiggles postural support system to keep Leila safe and comfortable when she is exploring her surroundings, and to a little boy named Owen who wanted to have an adapted bicycle so he could go riding with his brother. These are two examples of how a little help can go a long way in helping to create a Life Without Limits for children living with cerebral palsy.

Ms. Raab feels that the Association is an essential component in helping improve the lives of people living with cerebral palsy and other disabilities through providing programs such as dance, yoga and art and focusing on social awareness too. “What the Association does with the limited funds that they have is remarkable, the people who work there are unbelievable,” she said. “What they are able to achieve and the amount of programs that they are currently running that have been developed and implemented in the last few years is so positive and the families who participate in those programs have nothing but really positive things to say about them.” The Association offers a wide range of programs to people living with cerebral palsy, from Pre-Employment training to a campership subsidy with the goal of helping integrate people with disabilities into society and to enjoy a Life Without Limits, and also hosts awareness and fundraising events throughout the year.

What Needs To Be Done

Cerebral palsy affects each person differently. It ranges from the very mild to the very severe and as a result, publicly and privately available resources are allocated appropriately, depending on the level of disability. Mr. McGivern believes a major issue to be addressed is the focus on societal awareness and, in particular, recognition of barriers so people who face them can have them removed. An example would be adjusting the curbs on the sidewalks to make them wheelchair accessible. That took a long time coming and way longer than it should have taken – in Vancouver, curb ramps have been gradually installed since the 1960’s, and are still not complete. Another example provided by Mr. McGivern involved a case that the law firm handled a number of years ago. They acted for a family who originated from Romania. The evidence showed that anyone from Romania who had a disability had to be hidden from the public and couldn’t be seen at all, and it really stood out in his mind that this type of behaviour is still happening. “Our society has moved way beyond that but there is still a long way to go in terms of the recognition in society as a whole that these barriers exist and what is required to break them down”, says Mr. McGivern.

“There are physical barriers that need to be looked at and there are educational barriers. There are emotional barriers. This requires awareness, acceptance and the recognition of the fact that people with cerebral palsy are just like everybody else – we are all citizens of this country and we all deserve the same opportunities.”

In short, there has been a lot done in terms of advancement, but society needs to advance more. The problem is, at least in part, a lack of understanding. Ms. Raab used a personal example of getting a motivational speaker living with cerebral palsy from Nanaimo, BC to come speak to her children and other students at their school since there were no students there with a visible disability. She stated that integration within the school system is critical in developing an understanding of the various needs and abilities of people living with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. She feels that school integration has come a long way in helping with that.

“I think that society has become quite accepting of various individuals with special needs but where we have a long way to go is to make our communities accessible, reduce barriers and provide greater opportunities for people living with cerebral palsy to participate in our communities in a meaningful way” says Ms. Raab.

Cerebral palsy affects over 10,000 people in BC and is considered the most common childhood physical disability. It is estimated that one in every 500 babies and up to one in three low birth weight babies are affected to some extent. Cerebral palsy affects body movement and muscle coordination. It may impact mobility, speech, or motor skills, but each person is affected differently. Through their insight and support, Pacific Medical Law is helping to make a Life Without Limits for people living with cerebral palsy in British Columbia. The Cerebral Palsy Association of BC is grateful for their philanthropy, community service, kindness and understanding. We wish them the best for their continued success.

Filed Under: Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Community Involvement, Firm News, People with Disabilities Tagged With: Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Janna Epp Bursary, People Living with Cerebral Palsy, Steptember

Meet Cindy Frostad

Tuesday, February 27, 2018 By Admin

Cindy Frostad, a passionate advocate for children living with disabilities and recent graduate of the Harvard Graduate School of Education will be sharing her unique perspective on why education matters. Beautifully said: “How we provide for, how much we support, and how we embrace individual differences in education is integral to the advancement of our society. Each one of us has an opportunity and a choice to ensure this happens.”  Read her full story at:

https://www.bccerebralpalsy.com/2018/02/learn-without-limits-cindy-frostad/

Filed Under: Cerebral Palsy, Accessibility, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, People with Disabilities Tagged With: Cerebral Palsy, Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, Living with a Disability, People Living with Cerebral Palsy, People with Disabilities

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