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By Admin
We encourage you to attend the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC’s Annual fundraising Gala and celebrate the successes of educational bursary recipients and help raise funds to support future students. The Cerebral Palsy Association of BC is shining a spotlight on Mohini Tahker, an inspirational young woman with a love of film and creative writing. To read more about Mohini’s journey, click here:
https://www.bccerebralpalsy.com/2018/01/learn-without-limits-mohini-tahkar/
By Admin
In anticipation of the upcoming “Learn Without Limits” Gala, which is focused on supporting young people with CP in achieving their goals for post-secondary education, the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC is featuring Nathan Bragg’s Academic Journey. To learn more about Nathan’s successful university experience, and the opportunities his advanced education has created for him, click here: https://www.bccerebralpalsy.com/2018/02/learn-without-limits-nathan-bragg/
By Admin
On a rainy spring day in 2013, I was sitting in my office, contemplating a particularly moving conversation I had just had with a parent of a child living with cerebral palsy. As a parent of young children myself, this conversation left me feeling both humbled and inspired by the resilience and determination of this parent who was navigating a difficult road for her child. Every day she rose and fought for what she knew her child needed and deserved. What struck me most was that she fought this battle primarily alone, with little support and few who understood her world or the unique challenges faced by her child. This story was by no means unique – 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.
That afternoon, I knocked on the door of the office of the Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia and I asked, “How can I help?” Thus began my volunteer work with the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC.
Over the past few years I have served on the board of directors of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, alongside a dedicated group of volunteers. Together we have brainstormed, strategized, planned and imagined all the ways in which our organization could make a meaningful difference in the lives of people living with cerebral palsy. We have often paused to ask ourselves, “Do we really know what our members need?” In response to this very important question, we created an Advisory Committee of parents, medical professionals, and people living with cerebral palsy to guide and inform us of what is most needed, so that we could focus our limited resources in a way to make the greatest difference. We have learned a great deal from the volunteers on our Advisory Committee, but recognize we must remain in touch with and informed by our membership.
My goal during my term as president is to improve understanding, to build a community of support and resources, and to reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness that are all too common among individuals living with cerebral palsy, and their families.
In the simplest terms, the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC exists to improve the lives of people living with cerebral palsy. As I proudly assume the role of President of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, I ask, “How can I help?”
By Admin
Every day presents us with opportunities to give back; to do our small part to improve the lives of others. To support and strengthen the communities in which we live, work and raise our children. As President of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC, I would like to invite you to join us in providing opportunities for young people living with cerebral palsy to achieve their educational aspirations.
The focus of the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC’s fourth annual Gala is Learn Without Limits. Our goal is to support and empower young people living with cerebral palsy to achieve their goals through advanced education.
As a lawyer, education has provided me with a great opportunity to practice law and the privilege to represent children living with cerebral palsy, and their families. The people I have come to know with cerebral palsy are tremendously driven and resilient, and will do extraordinary things when given the opportunities which help break down barriers created by their disability.
Often, the financial costs and medical demands caused by their disability create barriers to funding post – secondary education. I have personally met with several recipients of education bursaries granted by the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC and their stories of what they have been able to achieve are truly remarkable. For this reason, my firm, Pacific Medical Law, has been supporting the education bursary program at the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC for several years now and will continue to do so, with the firm belief that education opens doors and creates opportunities.
Imagine for a moment how your financial support of the Learn Without Limits fundraising Gala can change the life path of a hardworking, determined young person living with cerebral palsy with a dream of furthering their education. Imagine the pride that person will feel upon graduation, and the employment opportunities that their education will provide.
I am hopeful you share our view of the importance of supporting young people living with cerebral palsy with their educational goals. I encourage you to become a sponsor and join us at the fourth annual Gala on March 15, 2018, to celebrate the accomplishments of past education bursary recipients, and to support future young people in pursuing their educational aspirations. Please click here for more information: https://www.bccerebralpalsy.com/events/life-without-limits-gala/
By Admin
Guest Contributor: Dan Chalcraft
This September the Cerebral Palsy Association of British Columbia will be hosting September for the third straight year- an annual health and wellness fundraising challenge to raise funds to improve the lives of people living with cerebral palsy.
The challenge is for a team of one to four people to register for September, complete 10,000 steps a day for 28 days in September, and collect pledges to raise money for cerebral palsy. Walking isn’t the only activity that participants can do to achieve better health; swimming, yoga, running, strength training classes, dog walks, wheelchair basketball, and rugby have been activities that participants can do to help make a positive impact and difference in the lives of people living with cerebral palsy (CP). There are more than 40 activities you can convert to steps including activities suitable for people with a disability.
Each team will have seven virtual summits to climb during their fundraising journey. The number of steps it takes to reach the top of each summit is directly related to the height of the summit. Each participant will reach all seven summits and the top of their virtual mountain by the end of September if they reach their target steps per day.
Susanne Raab, Chair of the September Committee, who participated in the challenge for the first time last year along with three of her colleagues, commented that they were surprised through doing the activities how much fun they had and how motivated they became to complete their 10,000 steps every day. “We had to be creative and stretch our comfort zones,” she said. “Last year our team raised over $8,000 and we were thrilled to be recognized as the top fundraising organization in Canada. This year we look forward to working even harder to beat that record.”
CP is a physical disability that affects movement and posture. It refers to a group of disorders affecting a person’s ability to move. The neurological condition normally occurs before, during, or after birth for a number of reasons usually it is a lack of blood supply, which means oxygen doesn’t flow to the brain causing brain damage or causing the brain to not fully develop. The damage leads to, among other things, problems with muscle development, control and movement.
Every 11 hours a Canadian child is born with CP and every hour 30 infants are born with CP globally. Cerebral Palsy is the most common disability in childhood and every step you take in September will go towards supporting cerebral palsy associations across Canada.
Raab said, “reflecting back on the last fundraising challenge, I would have to say that one of the most rewarding aspects of participating in September is the conversations it started with family, friends and even strangers, who, once they understand more about what cerebral palsy is and how it affects people, were so generous and willing to contribute.”
Raab, who also practices as a lawyer at Pacific Medical Law, said, “we are all very connected to the lives and challenges of people living with cerebral palsy as many of our clients are children living with cerebral palsy. We see their daily struggles, but more importantly we see their strength and resilience in the face of these challenges. We also see the worry and concern in the faces of their parents, which is only overshadowed by their deep love for their child.”
She believes that it’s so rewarding to contribute to this fundraising effort. “We know that raising these funds is necessary to enable the Cerebral Palsy Association of BC to continue to support and provide services for people living with cerebral palsy, and we can see it makes a difference in the lives of people living with cerebral palsy.
Taewon Kook, a 28 year-old Port Moody resident, participated in the September challenge last year and was introduced to wheelchair rugby and basketball indicating that these are his favourite activities to participate in. “September has taught participants about perseverance by doing fundraising activities such as meeting potential donors and persuading them to contribute to the cause,” he said.
He decided to join the campaign due to the fact that he has CP and wants to make a difference. The Simon Fraser Sociology graduate plans to participate this year in the September challenge and would like to reach out to people to ask for offline donations.
People who would like to get involved or support the cause can find out more information online at http://September.ca/ or e-mail [email protected].
*image via cerebralpalsyguide.com