Changing Perceptions 56th Edition
December 2018
The Al Ansaar Foundation together with uShaka Marine World and Willowton Oil treated the children and adults at our Centres to their first outing to uShaka. No expense was spared everyone was kitted out with a special t-shirt for the day, transport was provided, as well lunch, icecream etc. For many it was the first time that they saw the
ocean not to even mention a dolphin! The expression on their faces was priceless. The children arrived back from their outing totally exhausted from a day filled with lots of excitement.
THANK YOU FOR THIS AMAZING EXPERIENCE!
P O Box 10213 Ashwood 3605 Telephone: +27 (0)31 700 3956 Facsimile: +27 (0)866 153 913 Email: info@kzncerebralpalsy.co.za Website: www.kzncerebralpalsy.org.za Our Association is a registered Non-Profit (002-154 NPO) and Public Benefit Organisation (PBO 930000042) with Section 18A Tax Exemption status.
Changing Perceptions
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Diary of a Cerebral Palsied Thirty -something Julia has dreamed of getting married since she was a little girl. This is not unusual; many little girls wish to be married. The difference is Julia is accustomed to the fact that her dreams don’t always come true. There are many things she would have liked that are out of her reach. Deep down, I think she thought marriage was in that category. To be brutally honest, so did I. I will never forget when she was about 6 years old crawling around the physio room at Browns and a child of about 11 walked in. The child was also cerebral palsied and walked very badly. Liz Burnett said to me, ‘If Julia ever walks, she probably won’t walk as well at that child”. As well as that!! I was horrified and my next thought, I’m ashamed to say, was, “Who would want to marry a girl that walks like that?” A few years later when it became clear that walking was not going to be on the menu for Julia, I realized that our darling Auntie Liz was simply trying to prepare me for the possibility of nonmobility. Now that she is 31 years old, her not walking does not seem the worst thing in the world anymore. Nevertheless, it’s true that relationships were always going to be difficult for her because of all the barriers to socialising that exist. Not that Julia allowed that to deter. She is single-minded and knows exactly what she wants. She met Gwill over 3 years ago through an online chat room, as she has met all her boyfriends. (Inappropriate as ever, she loves to brag about having had more boyfriends than her triplet sister). They started off as friends and soon became best friends. He had some struggles of his own and she was always
Diary no. xx by Penny de Vries
there for him. As he was for her. It finally dawned on them that love was in the air and Gwill proposed last November. The wedding was in October. It was a beautiful day and a joyous occasion. Julia Pitt née de Vries made the most beautiful bride and her husband, Gwillym, looked pretty spiffing too. We chose Makaranga Garden Lodge as the wedding venue, partly because Julia has fond memories of being taken there as a little girl. Also, it is wheelchair friendly, has ramps and a wheelchair lift as well as being a beautiful setting. As is usually the case with weddings, 2 months before the event were rather stressful as we made all the necessary arrangements. I suspect even more stressful than most because of the logistical aspect to say nothing of Julia’s high anxiety. If I were not semiretired, it would have been even more difficult. Julia wanted to be as normal a bride as possible so we had many reccies at the venue trying to find the best route from the honeymoon suite to the ceremony spot. Even wheelchair friendly places are never without little humps and corners and small steps. The kind of obstacles we able-bodied do not even notice. The day went off without a hitch. All Julia’s siblings and their respective partners were there. Every one of them did their best to be a support to Julia. They know her needs. It was very heartwarming, as a mother, to look back on their childhood years, to remember some of the strife and tensions and clashes that were part of big family life and see them today. Acting in unison.
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INDIVIDUALS GOING THE EXTRA MILE Megan Goble is one of those individuals who has amazed us this past year with her willingness to go the extra mile. Megan first took part in the FNB Duzi Canoe Marathon earlier this year and then took on the Fish River Canoe Marathon with David Goble and George Purbick. Megan and her team did the extra-ordinary and raised over R31,000 for our children!!!
MISSION 100 ACCOMPLISHED Dr Amith Keshave and his team participated in the Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic to raise awareness and donations. They smashed their goal and handed over a cheque for R20,000!!!
“Alone we can do so little; Together we can do so much.” - Helen Keller -
D i d y o u k n o w… . Did you know that if you have a dependent with a disability you are entitled to claim certain expenses as a tax credit? If you need additional information or assistance, please phone Adele on 031-7003956 or drop her an email at adele@kzncerebralpalsy.co.za
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Changing Perceptions
WE WELCOME OUR 2018/2019 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Penny De Vries Thabisile Sishi Colleen Bailey Lindi Ngubane Phumbla Maphumalo Dr Amith Keshave Mark Denissen Pam Dawson Ntsikelelo Pefile Dominic Moshoeshoe Rochelle Thanjan
Our dearest Hamilton has decided that it’s time to retire... Hamilton, you have been an integral part of our team for so many years and we’re not entirely sure how we are going to get along without him. Hamilton we wish you a blessed and healthy retirement and please know that we are all going to miss you tremendously!