Rehab rockstars (at the conductive education obstacle course)

On this very cold and wet Sunday morning, our amazing occupational therapy students ran an event for the Conductive Education group. I came with my umbrella (and sore ankle) and watched children with celebral palsy in their wheelchairs racing around an obstacle course in the rain – each of them assisted by a team of people who had given their time. There were 13 teams altogether, including a team of their siblings, who often get forgotten. As one of the mums said – their children are rarely able to have this kind of adventure – they never get to be wet and mucky and the centre of attention.

The conductive education group was able to pull people in from as far as Invercargill and Oamaru. I met people from Taieri College, and someone from the Mt Aspiring College. I had realised that conductive education was for children with cerebral palsy, but I hadn’t realised that it also works with adults who have stroke. I met someone who has been working with them for two years after his stroke, and he has found it very beneficial.

I was really impressed by the occupational therapy students who were out in the cold and wet, supporting their classmates, at the beginning of their final week in college. They were working with a young adult with CP and together they were fiercely competitive. Unfortunately they didn’t win – so they said that they’ll come back next year after doing some training. They really are the ‘rehab rockstars’.

Jocelyn and Ruby were rightly honoured for their work in getting the event off the ground. The event was Jocelyn’s idea – seven weeks ago she came to me saying that she thought that they could do it. They put everything that they had into it – and they obviously had a great committee alongside them. This is a great example of what our occupational therapy students are able to pull off.

The Rehab Rockstars

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One of the ostacles: everyone has to have a turn being in the carriage
Jocelyn Helm and Ruby Dunbar: being honoured for the incredible work they did in getting the event off the ground

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