Cerebral Palsy Society of Kenya

The only thing I would change about my trip would be to visit this site sooner than I did!

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Johnson picked me up this past Thursday to take me to a new site. I found myself nervous in the same way I was nervous before my first day at Total Rehab Centre. Total Rehab had become comfortable for me. I knew what to expect there for the most part. But...I didn't come on this trip to stay comfortable!

We arrived at Cerebral Palsy Society of Kenya just after 10am. Johnson kindly left me in the care of Wakesha, the guy that seemed to be in charge of the therapists. He gave me a tour and introduced me to about 15 staff members in a matter of 10 minutes. We sat down in an office because he wanted to get to know me and why I was here. I was able to lay out my story and explain what Therapy Across Borders was to me, something that has definitely evolved over the course of my time here. I told him about physical therapy school being right around the corner, and honestly if it weren't for that I would be extending my time in Kenya by at least two months. There are so many things to be done here, and one month is simply not long enough to accomplish it all. We talked of my future with TAB as my skills and education progress, and how the relationships I make here are ones I intend to uphold throughout the rest of my life! Once he knew about my goals he gave me an overview of CPSK. It was founded by parents of children with cerebral palsy whose support group grew into an organization. Their website gives a much better description of what their story and mission is! I encourage you to check it out: http://www.cpsk.or.ke/.

There is so much happening here all at once. It's an amazing environment that promotes mental and physical advancement. There is a school on site with three teachers that houses fifteen students, all with mental and physical disabilities. The students come from the Donholm area that CPSK rests in for now. They are all picked up by two vans (as seen in the photo above) each morning that returns them to their homes around 3pm. The organization plans to expand over time to have more room to assist more children. Each child enrolled in the school gets therapy twice a week, mostly all for cerebral palsy. Their subjects range from mathematics to music therapy. It's a beautiful curriculum curated with each child specifically in mind.

Inside the therapy gym there are 4 treatment tables, a therapeutic swing, large textured therapy balls, and some padded rollers. The equipment they have is minimal, but it is enough for their needs because a lot of the therapy being done is manual therapy. This part of the site is a separate building from the school. It operates just like an outpatient clinic, where patients from within the community rotate in and out throughout the morning and afternoon appointments. The therapist and students see just over 100 children a week this way. CPSK also has an outreach program, very similar to home health in the US. They have a patient list of 55 young adults that they visit in the comfort of their own homes because it is too difficult to get them into the clinic through transportation means due to their size. For the younger, smaller children who are easier to maneuver, parents or the child's caretaker bring them into the outpatient clinic by way of public transportation. I was able to have conversations with parents who had just received the diagnosis only weeks prior, and those who had been coming to therapy for years. Getting a real view into the heart of someone who cares for their child in the Kenyan conditions with a transparency unlike any I have ever seen is something that I will not soon forget. Their strength in dealing with the stigma and the new view on life they have thanks to how their child has changed them for the better was a humbling experience. It's important to be respectful of parents when you're handling their children. To understand them on a deeper level is a secret to helping them and their child. I know that my time with some of these parents has already made me a more empathetic healthcare provider.

I spent most of my time with student volunteers during my two days here. The young men and women I had the pleasure of learning from are extremely intelligent, and take the importance of studying in this field very seriously. The chance to pursue their education to this level is rare to most, and they don't take it for granted. Getting to take tea with them and understand their motives was one of the highlights of my first day here. There is so much to be learned from healthcare in a different country; two days was just a droplet of water in the ocean of their knowledge. I could spend a month comparing the difference in therapy techniques, schooling, and reasons for getting into this profession.

How cool would it be to have an exchange program where students in enrolled in a PT or OT program in Kenya get the opportunity to come to the states for a clinical, while a US citizen goes to Kenya? The swapping of knowledge and experience that accompanies it could do wonders for how we change our outlook on holistically helping those in need.

I was able to watch and participate in afternoon therapy sessions. I can't wait to come back with the skills needed to be more hands on. As much as I wish I already knew how to intervene as a therapist, I'm at least glad that I will have the picture of this place in the back of my mind while I'm in school. When lectures pertaining to cerebral palsy or pediatrics arise, my ears are definitely going to perk up more than they would have if I had not had this experience in Kenya. I'm going to take special note of anything that might be in the same line of work as sites I have had the honor of seeing, as this new information will become tools to better serve the people I have met.

My second day on site I had a chance to talk with Joy, the wonderful PR and fundraising administrator. She gave me lots of valuable information to use in compiling a presentation about CPSK. I hope to be able to present about it to my class at UMMC, or Lord willing an even larger audience. Usually, the thought of doing something of that sort would terrify me. I think passion sometimes overrides our fears. When an opportunity to bring change for a cause bigger than yourself comes along, the things that would normally hinder you no longer carry as much weight. The biggest problem that they face in Kenya is lack of awareness of this diagnosis. They have held a charity walk every year for the past 25 years with steadily increasing attendance. As attendance increases, so does awareness. I hope this trend continues this way and plan to attend myself when I am finished with school.

After my meeting with Joy, I had a lovely meeting with the director of CPSK. George and I shared ideas, visions, and intentions. I cannot wait to see these people face to face again. They are doing amazing work and meeting a huge need. They are changing children's lives every day and empowering their parents with the proper education of how to best aid their children's development. They even provide the parents with counselors to process the news, as most people don't realize what cerebral palsy is or that it is a lifelong condition. As awareness gets out about this diagnosis, which is a huge goal of theirs, I know that their job will only require more effort and hands to keep it running efficiently. I hope my continuing role with CPSK and Therapy Across Borders will see to it that every child that needs therapy will receive it.

George, Director of CPSK & Johnson