•As Benola Donates 15 Wheelchairs
Chioma Umeha
Children living with cerebral palsy received free
medical check-up by different paediatric therapist as Benola initiative marked
its sixth National Cerebral Palsy Family Forum with more than 15 children
getting free wheelchairs.
The forum like the previous year’s edition held at
University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idiaraba, also had the support of
LUTH as usual.
Pediatric therapists such as speech, occupational,
nutrition and dietetics as well as other medical social workers from LUTH were
present to provide proper attention to families that have children living with
cerebral palsy.
On the essence of the forum, an occupational
therapist of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Mr Ayomide Oni explains
children with cerebral palsy can be taught on how to be independent that is,
doing things that they are meant to do as children.
“We are here to help train disabled children on
how to be independent and do several things themselves without the help of
their parent, so we encourage parent to always bring their children for counselling.”
Another therapist, Cynthia Onyekwere, whose
specialty is on nutrition and dietetics at LUTH also advises parent to give the
exact food to their disabled children.
She frowned at parents that give their children
concoction and supplement popularly known as ‘Agbo’ that were not prescribed by
doctors in health facilities. According to her such medication or supplement
will cause more harm than good to that child.
“I want all parents that have children living with
cerebral palsy to ensure that they find out the exact food that their children
like, make sure that everything given to them are nutritional because only a
nutritious food can make a child healthy.”
Mrs. Happiness Uzo, a member of the Medical Social
Therapist Board of Nigeria, also disclosed that the government is trying to
make sure that disabled children are given maximum attention concerning health
and vocational issues.
“The government provided the paediatric therapist
for parents to walk in and make complaints on how their children are feeling.
You are free to come in anytime, we are here to help cerebral palsy persons, we
are here for you and always put it in mind that we are in this together because
we understand exactly how you feel so please feel free.”
Benola initiative is looking forward to a world
where there will be no discrimination of disabled children among other abled
ones, children with cerebral palsy can do a lot of great things in future all
they need is proper care, love and attention, she said.
If parents that have disabled children treat them
badly, then there are no way the children would live well. What we need is to
build up the self-esteem of children with cerebral palsy, give them adequate
love and care, comments Mrs. Abimbola Oshinowo, Assistant Director of the Lagos
Ministry of Health.
She also appreciates the Benola initiative for
assisting the government to do some of their numerous duties as well as
supporting families with children living with cerebral palsy.
One the beneficiaries of the Benola initiative
forum is master David LUTH, a special child with cerebral palsy who was
abandoned under the staircase in the Lagos University Teaching Hospital after
few months of birth.
David has been a baby of the hospital ever since
then and he was named after the great hospital since the only relative he has
is his nurses who have been his caregiver and the hospital at large.
Another beneficiary is a joyful five-year-old boy,
victor Adebayo who looks good, agile and happy, despite his disability.
In a chat with DAILY INDEPENDENT, his mother, Mrs.
Olufunmilayo Adebayo says that her child has been a source of blessing to her
despite his disability.
“Victor is my third child, after his birth I had
to stop my job and other side businesses because he needs adequate love and
care from me. My child is always neat and happy; he is a strong boy that always
tries to do things beyond his capability.”
Mrs Adebayo appreciates the forum for their
medical counselling noting that counselling helps to guide parents on achieving
a better future for their children.
Folarin Oluwani was also a beneficiary of the
forum. Aged five, Folarin is living with cerebral palsy and is receiving
adequate care from his mother who also had to stop working because of him.
Cerebral palsy should not be seen as the end of
the world, let parents show love and care to these children and ensure they
live a healthy life, says Femi Gbadebo, the Founder, Benola Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Initiatives.
Gbadebo further says, Benola was initiated because
of his son and this forum has successfully proved, through awareness, that
disabled children can become useful persons in life.
