Saturday, 5 October 2013 00:00
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The Cerebral Palsy Lanka Foundation (CPLF), a non-profit organisation dedicated to the care and therapy of children with Cerebral Palsy launched the 1000 Wheels of Hope project on World Cerebral Palsy Day. The project hopes to collect funds to provide 1000 paediatric wheel chairs to children with Cerebral Palsy in Sri Lanka.
This foundation (CPLF) is the first and the only organisation in Sri Lanka set up to provide educational and therapeutic services for children with cerebral palsy and associated movement disorders. The aim is to make the children independent and confident, create a sense of self-esteem through therapy, coordinated with awareness building and training programs for parents.
Commenting on the project, CPLF Founder/Director Gopi Kitnasamy stated: “The project, named ‘1000 Wheels of Hope’, is aimed at collecting funds to purchase 1000 paediatric wheel chairs for under privileged children with Cerebral Palsy. This is but a drop in the ocean for us but we hope that people will come forward to support us in this worthy initiative. Thus lending support and showing care to children suffering from this illness and also to their families, giving them a sense of self-worth.
“This will encourage them to come out of their house, move forward and participate in the society, as otherwise most of these children are house bound. The aim of the project is not only to bring hope and smile to the lives of children with Cerebral Palsy, but also empower them and make a positive change in their world to make their lives better.”
The cost of a wheel chair is currently Rs.10,000. Donations to the 1000 Wheels of Hope project can be made by calling the Cerebral Palsy Helpline on 0717777355 or by email via [email protected] or [email protected] or visit our website www.cplanka.org.
Cerebral Palsy is a disorder that affects a person’s ability to move and maintain balance and posture. It usually affects children within the first two years. Cerebral Palsy is not a disease, and it is also understood that the vast majority of cases come about at the time of birth or before birth. Even though Cerebral Palsy is not curable there are many specialized treatments available that provide therapy to make it possible for children to become active in the community given the limitations of their disability.
The number of children with Cerebral Palsy is as high as 8-10 per 1000 births in Sri Lanka while it is as low as 6 per 1000 births in the developed world. There are an estimated 40,000 children with Cerebral Palsy in Sri Lanka (CPLF has initiated a project on getting the exact statistics in Sri Lanka) and 17 million around the world. It is the most common physical disability in childhood.
CPLF commenced operations on 6 October, 2011, with the establishment of a head office and the first ‘The Dream Centre’ in Wattala. The Dream Centre is a Resource and Rehabilitation centre set up to provide educational and therapeutic services exclusively for children with Cerebral Palsy. Since then CPLF have opened up a second centre in Moratuwa, with a vision to set up one such center in each district of Sri Lanka. CPLF also conducts numerous awareness programs and training sessions on Cerebral Palsy throughout the country.
CPLF works closely with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and is affiliated with organisations like the International Cerebral Palsy Society (ICPS), American Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM), Indian Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu.
