Over $30,000 worth of Therapeutic Medical Device equipment has been donated to disability support service Sunshine Butterflies at Cooroibah.
The donation involves an oversized Toy Train, a Therapeutic Recliner Chair and several pieces of portable Medical Devices plus animal vibration equipment for the farm animals that are situated within the boundaries of the farm style complex.
Sunshine Butterflies is the 19th recipient of this type of Medical Device donation, as Niagara Therapy have been donating such equipment for over a decade to Special Schools for children with Special Needs and Early Intervention Centres.
Sunshine Butterflies has also opened a new therapy room, with costs donated by Pippa and Duncan Stone.Sunshine Butterflies Founder and CEO Leanne Walsh said she was extremely humbled by this generosity.
“The equipment will make a significant difference to the daily routines of all those attending the facility,” Leanne said.“The equipment is evidence-backed practice for supporting circulation, removing toxins from the body and increasing blood flow. All of that is interrupted with some of those who depend on us, because their disability reduces their ability to move.
“It will really engage opportunities for the children and young adults who attend our programs to calmly transition through their day.”
Some attendees have conditions like, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and Down syndrome and in some cases degenerative issues.
“When you are completely impaired in your ability to communicate and/or to move and when you don’t have control of those aspects, the smallest changes are life changing,” Leanne said.
“People can only learn when they are in an emotional and physiological learning zone. This equipment assists those who have difficulty in self-regulating and this equipment helps to get those in need, get into that zone.
“The addition of this equipment will also assist us in attracting professional health and wellbeing specialists such as Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists, Exercise Physiologists etc., to help us continue in our endeavors to be a one-stop-shop for disability services”.
Niagra Therapy Movement Practitioner Ian O’Dwyer said one of the biggest things that this product has created is the ability for the client’s tissue to soften and the stress levels to decrease.
“You can’t only affect the physical, you have to also affect the emotional and mental. And if you affect all three the quality of life that our children and anyone who is challenged in life will allow them to achieve anything they want. I want to thank people like Leanne and Damien because without them our families have no where to go. Without their vision and their passion, all of this wouldn’t take place. I’m just so excited about what this program is going to bring going forward,” Ian said.For more information on Sunshine Butterflies disability support services and programs, call 07 5470 2830, or visit www.sunshinebutterflies.com.au.
