Latest news with #CerebralPalsy
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Gets Real: Washington Paralympian shares her story of success
For years, Taylor Swanson competed alongside able-bodied athletes, only to make a profound discovery when she was 30 years old. After feeling a step behind her entire life, Swanson was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. But once the playing field was levelled, she excelled. 'I always had Cerebral Palsy, I just didn't know it. So, I had a lot of trouble in school… accidents, falling over, things like that," said Swanson. As a member of the Roosevelt High School track team, Swanson admits it was a struggle to keep up with her classmates, but it was a knee injury that prompted a physical therapist to suggest exploring para-athletics. 'From then, I started looking into competing as a Para-athlete and what that journey looked like,' said Swanson. That research landed her at ParaSport Spokane, a supportive non-profit organization that provides training and competitive opportunities for athletes with physical disabilities of all ages. Her time there propelled her into her first Paralympic Games in Paris last summer. 'I had no expectations. My coach always tells me 'go out there and have fun,' which is what I tried to do,' she said. She did more than that. She brought home a silver medal in the 100-meter T37 Sprint and a bronze in the 4x100-meter Universal Relay. 'It was awesome to have 80,000 fans watching me race, which was completely new to me,' she added. Last month, Swanson competed at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, a 'good tune-up' leading to Nationals, which was also happening in Eugene in August. A decent showing there would give her a chance to qualify for the World Championships in New Delhi, India, next month, and if all goes well, could prompt an invite to the 2028 Summer Paralympics in Los Angeles. Swanson was asked what it would mean to get that gold medal to hang around her neck, and if she had already envisioned that in her head. 'Yeah. That's the ultimate goal, getting that gold medal,' she affirmed. When asked for any advice she'd pass along, Swanson replied, 'Just to go out there… try it. I run track, but there's so many other sports out there. Just find one that you love, because there's a lot of opportunities for athletes who have disabilities, for whatever interests they may have.'
Qatar Tribune
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Qatar Tribune
NHRC holds interactive dialogue on ASD, CP
DOHA: The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) organised an interactive dialogue on the particularity of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Cerebral Palsy (CP), with the participation of the Supreme Judicial Council and the Ministries of Interior; Education and Higher Education; Social Development and Family; and Public Health, along with the Public Prosecution and a number of parents. At the outset of his speech, Director of the Legal Affairs Department at NHRC, Nasser Marzouk Sultan Al Marri expressed gratitude to the parents of children with ASD and CP for their deep concern for their children's surroundings and future, in addition to those parents' continuous efforts to provide the best means and supportive approaches to meet their children's needs, adding that those parents embody true unconditional love and steadfast belief in their children's abilities, despite challenges. Al Marri expressed hope that this inaugural dialogue would serve as an effective platform to shed light on the core challenges facing children with ASD and CP, discussing optimal ways to address them, and coming up with clear recommendations that would contribute to removing the obstacles facing this group. He also hoped that the interactive dialogue's recommendations receive serious follow-up and prompt response from concerned authorities. For his part, head of the legislation and legal studies and research department at NHRC Abdulrahman Al Hashemi said that this meeting aims to address ASD and CP and to highlight the current challenges facing this group, emphasizing the importance of proposing solutions based on expertise, knowledge, and best practices in order to reach constructive visions that pave the way for broader prospects in addressing these vital issues. Al Hashemi indicated that this interactive dialogue is part of NHRC's 2024-2030 Strategic Plan and reflects its conviction in the importance of community partnership based on human rights' principles and values, as well as NHRC's responsibility to respond to complaints and petitions it receives, ensuring coordination and integration with the relevant humanitarian and social authorities. Participants in the interactive dialogue recommended addressing the training and rehabilitation gap that exists for persons with disabilities over the age of 21 by establishing specialized centers for that purpose, which would offer comprehensive programs according to the latest international standards, with those programs including occupational and physical therapy in addition to vocational training. Until such proposed government centers are established, participants called for a transitional period that would see persons with disabilities who are over the age of 21 receive temporary programs at the Shafallah Centerfor Persons with Disabilities that include training as well as occupational and physical therapies. Moreover, participants also suggested that a partnership is created between Shafallah Center and private centers to provide this segment of society with joint training and rehabilitation services during this period. They further suggested that specialists from private centers make regular visits to Shafallah Center for training and the exchange of expertise and advocated the provision of educational vouchers to cover the cost of training and rehabilitation at private centers for cases that require these services, thus, ensuring that persons with disabilities receive needed support regardless of their families' financial capabilities. The participants in the interactive dialogue also called for creating a guide on ASD and a hotline to receive complaints and provide psychological support to individuals and their families. They highlighted the importance of encouraging partnerships with the private sector to develop training and rehabilitation programs tailored to the individual needs of this group in line with labor market demands. Participants also recommended launching awareness campaigns to emphasize the importance of continuous rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities and to showcase success stories that demonstrate how such programs can transform lives.
Qatar Tribune
05-07-2025
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
NHRC organises interactive dialogue on ASD and CP
QNA Doha The National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) organised an interactive dialogue on the particularity of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Cerebral Palsy (CP), with the participation of the Supreme Judicial Council and the Ministries of Interior; Education and Higher Education; Social Development and Family; and Public Health, along with the Public Prosecution and a number of parents. At the outset of his speech, NHRC Legal Affairs Department Director, Nasser Marzouk Sultan Al Marri expressed gratitude to the parents of children with ASD and CP for their deep concern for their children's surroundings and future, in addition to those parents' continuous efforts to provide the best means and supportive approaches to meet their children's needs, adding that those parents embody true unconditional love and steadfast belief in their children's abilities, despite challenges. Al Marri expressed hope that this inaugural dialogue would serve as an effective platform to shed light on the core challenges facing children with ASD and CP, discussing optimal ways to address them, and coming up with clear recommendations that would contribute to removing the obstacles facing this group. He also hoped that the interactive dialogue's recommendations receive serious follow-up and prompt response from concerned authorities. For his part, NHRC's Legislation, Legal Studies and Research Department Head Abdulrahman Al Hashemi said that this meeting aims to address ASD and CP and to highlight the current challenges facing this group, emphasising the importance of proposing solutions based on expertise, knowledge, and best practices in order to reach constructive visions that pave the way for broader prospects in addressing these vital issues. Al Hashemi indicated that this interactive dialogue is part of NHRC's 2024-2030 Strategic Plan and reflects its conviction in the importance of community partnership based on human rights' principles and values, as well as NHRC's responsibility to respond to complaints and petitions it receives, ensuring coordination and integration with the relevant humanitarian and social authorities. Participants in the interactive dialogue recommended addressing the training and rehabilitation gap that exists for persons with disabilities over the age of 21 by establishing specialised centres for that purpose, which would offer comprehensive programs according to the latest international standards, with those programs including occupational and physical therapy in addition to vocational training. Until such proposed government centres are established, participants called for a transitional period that would see persons with disabilities who are over the age of 21 receive temporary programs at the Shafallah Centre for Persons with Disabilities that include training as well as occupational and physical therapies. Moreover, participants also suggested that a partnership is created between Shafallah Centre and private centres to provide this segment of society with joint training and rehabilitation services during this period. They further suggested that specialists from private centres make regular visits to Shafallah Centre for training and the exchange of expertise and advocated the provision of educational vouchers to cover the cost of training and rehabilitation at private centres for cases that require these services, thus, ensuring that persons with disabilities receive needed support regardless of their families' financial capabilities. The participants in the interactive dialogue also called for creating a guide on ASD and a hotline to receive complaints and provide psychological support to individuals and their families. They highlighted the importance of encouraging partnerships with the private sector to develop training and rehabilitation programs tailored to the individual needs of this group in line with labour market demands. Participants also recommended launching awareness campaigns to emphasise the importance of continuous rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities and to showcase success stories that demonstrate how such programs can transform lives.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Ukrainian man with cerebral palsy walking from Calgary to Banff to raise money for hospitals
Oleksandr Kyianytsia is draped in a Ukrainian flag as he walks along the Bow River pathway in Calgary on his way to Banff to raise money for hospitals in Ukraine. Oleksandr Kyianytsia, born with cerebral palsy, lives in Montreal but is originally from Ukraine. He's set off on a journey called Gift of Walking with a goal of raising money for Ukrainian hospitals impacted by the war with Russia. He leaves Calgary on July 3 and will pass through Cochrane, Bragg Creek and Canmore on his way to the mountain resort town of Banff. 'It will be very challenging, but I am very happy to do it because it was my dream to go through the Rockies,' said Kyianytsia. 'I began to think, 'How can I help?' and I had this idea to do a walk to help (raise money for) Ukraine to buy medical equipment.' This is Kyianytsia's third walk for Ukrainian hospitals. In 2023, he completed walks from Montreal to Ottawa and Toronto to Niagara Falls, totalling more than 330 kilometres and raising $32,000. This latest journey will take him close to 20 days and 200 kilometres and he'd like to raise $20,000. 'He will change five or six pairs of shoes because he's dragging his foot, and then the shoes get damaged and tear,' said Roman Yosyfiv, Calgary president of the Ukrainian Canadian Congress. 'So we bought him a couple shoes and then he's going to change them all the time because this is how difficult this is for him.' Before the walk began, the community held a rally at Municipal Plaza, where Mayor Jyoti Gondek signed a pair for Kyianytsia. 'I think this hospital, when he was back in Ukraine, this hospital helped him a little bit, and now he wants to give something back,' said Yosyfiv. 'They're fighting for independence, just to be Ukraine, and Ukraine compared to Russia is a small country, and without our support, I don't know where it's going to end up.' This campaign is supported by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Calgary Branch, the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Bow Valley Branch and the Ukrainian Association in Cochrane. Anna Tselukhina is on the organizing committee for Gift of Walking and says more than 30 people have signed up to help Kyianytsia on his journey. 'Officially, I am co-ordinator of volunteers who will be feeding and taking care of (him) during his walk,' she said. 'Maybe walking with him during the different parts. 'It's three different teams that joined together to make this event happen.' Tselukhina says Kyianytsia isn't very good at walking with his cerebral palsy and falls regularly. 'That is what he told us: 'I'm falling down, but I stand up and I keep walking' because he has such a great heart for Ukraine,' she said. 'This is the example of a Ukrainian who doesn't want to give up no matter what's happened, no matter what kind of obstacles he has. I think this is a great example to all of us (and) we should learn from him.' You can learn more about the walk by clicking here.
The Guardian
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Jonathan Bryan obituary
Jonathan Bryan, who has died aged 19, following a short illness, was a poet, author and campaigner for the education of profoundly disabled children. Born with cerebral palsy, which severely restricted control of his limbs and the facial muscles necessary for speech, Jonathan confounded the limited expectations that so often accompanied the label of profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD). With the support of his family – his parents, Christopher Bryan, an Anglican vicar, and Chantal (nee Suffield Jones), and two younger sisters – as well as carers, communication partners and specialists, he learned to read, and then to write, using a spelling board and the movement of his eyes. By the age of nine he had, as he said, 'found his voice' and thereafter was able to join mainstream education, finishing in the sixth-form at Westonbirt school, not far from the family's home in Wiltshire. His first book, Eye Can Write, was published in 2018, when he was only 12, but revealed a mature capacity for empathy and love, and a lively and obviously mischievous personality. He recounted how at one point he spelled out 'm-y', at which point his helpers assumed the next character must be a space. However, leaving a pause for dramatic effect, he continued, 'r-i-a-d-s'. The book contains a number of his poems, including PMLD, a 23-line resigned expression of the low expectations many have of disabled people. But at the end is the invitation, 'Now read it again backwards'. When read in reverse, the lines become a fierce assertion of the human will to learn and to communicate, regardless of disability. This astonishing feat of composition was helped by Jonathan having a photographic memory. In 2018 he founded the charity Teach Us Too, to campaign for all children, of whatever level of physical ability, to be given a voice through learning to read and write. He continued to write poetry and publish works inspired by his strong Christian faith and hope, stoked by an experience, recounted in Eye Can Write, when, in a medically induced coma, he saw himself running through the fields of heaven in his promised renewed body. At the time of his death, he was in his first year of studying creative writing at Bath Spa University. He and I both attended Widcombe Baptist Church in the city. Jonathan received numerous awards, beginning with the Diana award, received from Princes William and Harry in 2017, involving an acceptance speech, delivered by his mother, to assembled dignitaries in the House of Lords. In 2022, he was named in the Disability Power 100. He is survived by his parents and his sisters, Susannah and Jemima.
