Scholarship helps student support children
Neil Macdonald
09 June 2014: A º£½ÇÉäÇø student is making a difference for children with cerebral palsy thanks to a scholarship in a child's honour.
Physiotherapy student Jenna Browne was awarded the 2014 Cerebral Palsy Alliance Gabby Robberds Scholarship, which has allowed her to go on a placement with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance (CPA) in rural NSW.
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UC student Jenna Browne (centre) with her family, the Robberds' family and Cerebral Palsy Alliance staff. Photo: Vanga Orelj |
This scholarship was founded by the Robberds family in memory of their two-year-old daughter Gabrielle (Gabby) Robberds who had cerebral palsy and passed away in 2010. The scholarship provides financial assistance to students to do their placement with the CPA in the ACT and NSW.
Ms Browne is in her final semester of a Master of Physiotherapy and is currently doing a five-week placement with the CPA in Altonsville NSW.
The 24-year-old said she is "loving" the experience of working with children with a variety of disabilities, predominately cerebral palsy.
"This type of physiotherapy really allows you to significantly make a difference in someone's life," Ms Browne said.
"It is teaching me ways to make therapy fun, everything needs to be a game for the children to enjoy doing it but still meet their goals.
"Today I made fairy wands with a young girl to encourage her to practice standing, and practice the weight shift necessary for her to start transferring in and out of her wheelchair – who wouldn't want to do that?"
CPA Alstonville covers the Far North Coast of NSW and staff travel to provide support to their clients at other facilities.
"Without this opportunity, I wouldn't have the chance to work this closely with children with disabilities like cerebral palsy, and I wouldn't have the opportunity to broaden my knowledge in this area," Ms Browne said.