Help Sierra
Help Sierra go beyond her limits.
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Fierce Grace Brixton
Throughout the 7.5 years I taught for Michele Pernetta, teaching what has now become her brand: Fierce Grace yoga, Nigel and I have always remained close friends. I am delighted to return to London a few times each year to teach for him and his wife Katie's Brixton FG studio.
I believe it's remarkably easy to take mobility for granted when you are able bodied, especially when you are able to access an amazing yoga practice through Fierce Grace.
In 2007 my husband and I gave birth to a beautiful, intelligent and profoundly disabled little girl Sierra Rose. She is a bright, a wonderful spirit and has severe Cerebral Palsy. Moving back to Australia was a choice I made to take a job with a salary that would provide for my husband, Sierra and me while allowing for my husband to give primary care to our little girl.
The Australian Govt. pays for basic schooling and equipment but given the complexity of Sierra's needs the basics come no where near to what it costs.
In October 2015 we invested in Sierra attending physiotherapy in the UK focused on enabling her to use her hands to drive a motorised wheel chair. She was successful and for a child with severe disability this is a miracle.
Since October I have been raising funds to buy Sierra a motorised chair. The chair will mean an entirely new and exciting future of independence for Sierra both at school and at home.
Any donation makes a big difference. Thank you in advance for you generosity and kindness. Karen, Shane and Sierra xx
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
Meet Sierra
This little sweetie, Sierra Rose is 9 years old. She is bright, has an amazing spirit and has cerebral palsy.
In October 2015 Sierra attended physiotherapy in the UK focused on enabling her to use her hands to drive a motorised wheel chair. She was successful and for a child with severe disability this is a miracle.
This UK physiotherapy and many other OS trips accessing experts across the globe who can really make a difference in enabling Sierra to be go beyond her limits, have only been possible through the financial support of others.
Some of the highlights include: (*this blog has posts throughout where you can read about individual trips and specific results)
1. Sierra learning to use the muscles in her eyes with specialised contact lenses provided by a Prague specialist eye doctor
2. A massive improvement in Sierra's immune system after stem cell treatment (using her own cells) in a German stem cell clinic
3. Talking to her parents and teachers through a communication computer that is controlled by her eyes
Sierra Today......Since October we have been raising money to buy the motorised wheel chair which Sierra used while in the UK. The chair will mean an entirely new and exciting future of independence for Sierra both at school and at home.
Chair cost $13,000
Funds raised $1,700
We'd love you to contribute. Any $$$ amount will make a difference!
Come and join in the fundraising fun!
Wednesday, January 27, 2016
My friend Ravi
Tuesday, January 19, 2016
Sierra Today
Have a read through the recent posts and be amazed....Sierra is driving a motorised chair
£5850
Wednesday, October 7, 2015
Helping Hands trip...
Sierra was successful in starting to use her hands and in driving a borrowed motorised wheelchair for the first time. By the third day she was lifting her hand off and on the driving stick to change directions and reposition her hand. Very exciting to see.
Now I have new problem.. how do I buy that chair?
Sunday, September 27, 2015
Helping Hands trip...
I have planned this trip for months and yet on the third day of the physiotherapy with Tereza we had both a breakdown and a meltdown! I returned from an hour or so of the yoga training, just a few minutes walk from where we were staying. I found Tereza sheet white and angry. Not with me or with Sierra, but from what was a BIG day. Sierra had choked, had big seizures, spat out nearly all the food she had been fed and then angrily tried to eat the spoon out of Tereza's hand due to hunger and probably dehydration.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Helping Hands trip...
Both the therapists I have flown over from Prague last week and now this week have been working with children running Hippotherapy camps for many children and families.
"Hippotherapy is a treatment method of physiotherapy (rehabilitation) which uses a specially prepared horse, specifically the movement of his back during a walk, to provide therapeutic effects. This movement is alternating and repeats rhythmically and cyclically. It offers stimulation for all senses and this directly influences motor behavior of the client through the activation of all levels of central nervous system. Our main aim is to improve neurological functions and sensory processing in children with various health disorders."
One of the ideas I am starting to consider is about collaborating the efforts between the UK and EU therapists even further next year....
The farm where we are accessing treatment with Anel this year is the home of a child with complex needs like Sierra's. They have built a property that has a hydrotherapy pool, therapy rooms and stables with horses, all of which the family intend to offer for other children with disability.
One of my commitments is to empower families like mine to access a global approach to treatment. While some of what each country offers is excellent, I have found that a combination of the various approaches, at different times of Sierra's journey, has been most impactful.
I see a possibility of supporting other families accessing treatment that is not available where they live.
If we were to have the Czech physiotherapists working from the same place as the UK therapists for a couple of weeks next year, and encouraged families to access the therapy all together it would be easier.
Something like: one week of Hippotherapy in the morning, physiotherapy in the afternoon and a couple of hydrotherapy sessions. I think it would be great for the parents as well!
Food for thought!