NGO cautions against stigmatising of ‘cerebral palsy’ patients

The Chief Executive Officer of Givers Never Lack Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, Mr Edward Amankwah, has expressed worry at how cerebral palsy patients are ridiculed in the country.

“My teenage son is a victim of cerebral palsy, so I equally share in the pain of cerebral palsy patients and that of their families. My son has on numerous occasions been ridiculed by many who do not understand the nature and causes of cerebral palsy,” he lamented.

“Cerebral Palsy is not a disease, neither is it contagious but a word that is used to qualify the wide spectrum of conditions that typically causes physical impairment,” he said in an interview with the Daily Graphic.

 What it is

Cerebral Palsy is a neurological malfunctioning caused by an abnormal development of the brain or by a non-progressive (permanent) brain injury that occurs when a child’s brain is developing.

Cerebral Palsy, current research has suggested, is caused mostly by accidents, physical abuses, medical malpractice, negligence, infections and injury.

 Challenges

“The foundation has since its establishment in February 2014 provided financial and other forms of assistance to individuals with cerebral palsy and autism,” Mr Amankwah indicated.

He said the foundation had also rescued many people with cerebral palsy and encouraged parents who had given up on the fight (due to financial constraints and emotional breakdowns) to persevere.

Mr Amankwah said in spite of the enormous contributions the foundation had made, it still lacked infrastructure to operate an educational centre with boarding facilities where individuals with the condition could be cared for.

He called on the public, organisations and the government to contribute their quota to the fight against cerebral palsy.

The Chief Executive Officer of Givers Never Lack Foundation, a non-governmental organisation, Mr Edward Amankwah, has expressed worry at how cerebral palsy patients are ridiculed in the country.

“My teenage son is a victim of cerebral palsy, so I equally share in the pain of cerebral palsy patients and that of their families. My son has on numerous occasions been ridiculed by many who do not understand the nature and causes of cerebral palsy,” he lamented.

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