LeagueNews - Cerebral Palsy League

Cerebral Palsy
Awareness Week
PRIME Minister John Howard visited
the Gold Coast during Cerebral Palsy
Awareness Week and met with
Cerebral Palsy League clients Stan
and Barbara Dacey at the All Saints
Anglican School.
Stan and Barbara spoke to the Prime
Minister about people with disability
living independently in the community
and not in aged care facilities,
especially when they were of a young
age.
For 10 years the couple, who both have
cerebral palsy, have lived
independently at home with the help
of carers.
Stan said there was ‘no way’ people
with disabilities, particularly young
people, should be in a nursing home.
“We’re very grateful to the League for
all the support they give us. Without
them we would be in a nursing home,”
Stan said.
While advocating for people with
disabilities living independently, the
League battled interest rate rises and
escalating petrol prices that threatened
vital services for people with a
disability.
CEO of the League, Mr Bruce Milligan
said he was encouraged by the good
will shown to people with a disability
and the League as an organisation
which provides vital disability related
support.
“We had tremendous support for
fundraising campaigns even though
the interest rate rise threatened to
undermine this success and forced us
into a very difficult corner if we want to
continue current service levels,” Mr
Milligan said.
Various people and community groups
assisted the League to raise funds
through a variety of initiatives during
the week, including Brisbane councillor,
Faith Hopkins, who donated the
proceeds of two community concerts
held at Kedron Wavell.
The League’s Gold Cost Adult
Services launched its Dinner Club for
adults with cerebral palsy to enjoy a
night out with friends while those
working at the Adept Packaging
services were treated to a barbeque
lunch at the Great Aussie Shed Party
in Rocklea.
Local Member for Yeerongpilly,
Simon Finn MP officially launched the
party and acknowledged funding
from the Gambling Community
Benefit Fund to erect garden sheds
on the property for Adept’s garden
maintenance service.
Other Cerebral Palsy Awareness
Week activities included the annual
Art for Art’s Sake exhibition which
raised almost $30,000, and golf days
in various locations along the east
coast, including Wide Bay and
Rockhampton.
Wide Bay residents were also treated
to old time tunes performed by the
Queensland Pops Orchestra’s Glen
Miller Tribute Band at a charity
concert to benefit children’s services
provided by the League in the region.
The Queensland Cerebral Palsy
Register celebrated its first birthday
by welcoming its 1000 th participant,
while the League’s Child & Family
Support Services division launched
its new Technology for Life Program
to provide families access to the latest
technology options for children with
cerebral palsy.
Adept at cooking: Robert Bloodsworth (above) from Good Times Gourmet Catering was
cooking with gas for more than 60 people, who attended Adept Packaging’s ‘Great Aussie
Shed Party’ in Rocklea during Cerebral Palsy Awareness Week.
The Cerebral Palsy League’s Cascade Soul band, Raging Lives, also provided food for thought
as they performed to League staff, clients and guests, including Member for Yeerongpilly,
Simon Finn MP, who officially unveiled the Adept Garden Service shed, which was constructed
with funding from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.
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