› Rubber ducky race celebrates Occupational Therapy Week

Our Christchurch Hospital Occupational Therapy (OT) team took to the Avon River last week for their inaugural ‘rubber ducky’ race.

The race was in honour of Occupational Therapy Week (25 October to 1 November). The OT team had 25 ducks entered into the race, many of them decorated to add to the fun.

Director of Allied Health Helen Little said the race was an opportunity to come together as a team and celebrate the important role of Occupational Therapists. “It was really great to see our team come out in force to have a bit of fun after, like all frontline health teams, a year of working really hard under a lot of pressure. We also wanted to highlight as part of Occupational Therapy Week the really important role we play in our patients health and wellbeing.” The theme of this year’s event is ‘Opportunity + Choice = Justice’ which aims to highlight the unique role occupational therapy has in providing people with greater opportunities and choice in their lives.”

As part of the week, occupational justice has been defined as the right of every individual to be able to meet basic needs and to have equal opportunities and life chances to reach toward their potential, but specific to the individual’s engagement in diverse and meaningful occupation.

It was a tight race

Occupational Therapists Lucia Stettner (kneeling) and Britta Carroll (paddling) were charged with collecting all the rubber ducks from the river

Duck race winners: 1st place - Allied Health Assistant, Danya Price 2nd place - Allied Health Assistant, Jennifer Ligsay 3rd place - Allied Health Assistant, Maria Flash. All rubber ducks were retrieved from the river.