Liana (right) and Zahrah holding certificates that acknowledge their participation in the intensive training programme.
KUCHING: A suit used by American astronauts is strengthening muscles to enable Liana Daniel to walk.
Liana suffers from cerebral palsy – a neurological disorder that affects basic human functions.
Generous donors enable the eighth child of Iban parents from a financially burdened family living in Padawan area to be the first individual to own the expensive Pediasuit about two years ago.
Her story was featured in The Borneo Post on March 9, 2012.
A Pediasuit, developed in Brazil, is an orthopedic suit inspired by technology used by astronauts from US space agency NASA.
The soft padded orthopedic suit contains connecting rubber pulleys worn to encourage muscle strength and body alignment.
Today, the suit is available in different sizes for loan at The Therapy Playroom to families who cannot afford to buy one.
The Therapy Playroom operator Sue Walker said the centre would be conducting individual intensive programme for Suit Therapy, Spider Therapy and Pulley Therapy for children with cerebral palsy on a regular basis this year.
“One of the aims of the generous donation made by Liana’s friends in Australia was that this programme might eventually become available even to financially disadvantaged children living in rural areas around Kuching,” Sue explained.
She said Liana contracted meningitis at eight months of age that left her with significant weakness in her legs and some weakness in her hands.
In 2011, Liana was invited to Kuala Lumpur to act as a ‘model’ during a four-day training at a centre in Florida where the Pediasuit was designed.
Liana’s physiotherapist Caroline Adriaanse was one of two therapists from Malaysia who attended this training.
Caroline has since conducted short introductory courses in Kuching to explain the relatively new but highly effective celebral palsy management techniques known as Spider Therapy and Suit Therapy.
Earlier last year, a couple from Australia heard about Liana and the Community Rehab Project, ‘Meeting Needs’, which first identified Liana’s needs and potential. They came over to Kuching to meet Liana as well as to find out more about the work of Meeting Needs.
Through their generosity, Liana underwent a four-week intensive physiotherapy programme conducted at Amir’s Gym in Damansara, Selangor early last year. It was organised by the founders of Pediasuit.
She was one of four children selected to participate in the programme offered for the first time in Malaysia.
Assigned with a personal physiotherapist from Brazil, Liana followed a rigorous exercise programme four hours daily, five days a week.
Although the daily routine was tiring, Liana threw herself into it, with impressive results.
“During the intensive therapy itself, Liana’s abilities increased. By the end of four weeks, she was standing taller, had a longer stride, her body was more toned yet more relaxed, and she even developed new muscles,” observed Liana’s physio assistant Rachel.
“She experienced a burst of overall confidence, especially in speech development. These noticeable gains were carried out a few weeks after she managed to control her walking frame, which she can now use independently,” Rachel said.
Sue highlighted that Liana’s sponsors, having visited some of the facilities for children with celebral palsy in Sarawak, could see the potential for improving lives by introducing a similar training programme here.
“Once again, they offered to assist in making this dream possible by also funding Liana’s physiotherapist and physio assistant to attend the training with her,” she elaborated.
“Caroline and Rachel have brought back to Kuching the skills and expertise to conduct intensive therapy programmes, and The Therapy Playroom was selected as the venue for these trainings,” Sue said.
The first child to benefit from this new service, according to Sue, was Zahrah Puteri, who was driven across the border from her home in Indonesia daily.
Zahrah’s programme was customised to suit her family’s schedule.
“She attended three hours each day for two weeks, then took a two week break, followed by another intensive two weeks of therapy,” Sue said.
She has since made significant progress.
In her letter of thanks, Zahrah’s mother said Zahrah was eager and happy to do her therapy.
“She tried hard and the results were amazing. Every day she accomplished something new,” she said.
By the end of the programme, Zahrah made good progress towards crawling, her core muscles could support her much better for sitting and standing, her arms were stronger, and she developed confidence and endurance.
In accordance with this, Meeting Needs is looking for sponsors who would like to contribute towards the cost of sending a child on an intensive programme.
“We have five children, with varying degrees of cerebral palsy, whom we feel would benefit significantly from this programme,” Sue added.
Anyone interested in finding out more about sponsorship can contact Sue at 016-8731376 or visit The Therapy Playroom on the first floor, No. 89, Jalan Dogan.
For more info on the intensive training, contact Rachel at 014-6388392 (after Jan 16) or Caroline at 012-8887332 (evenings only).