Foundation seeks support to build cerebral palsy centre

A non-governmental organisation (NGO), Yaw Owusu Ansah (YOA) Disabilities Foundation, has called for support from philanthropists to help it complete a centre for children with cerebral palsy.

The centre which is located at Oyibi in the Greater Accra Region is expected to serve as a home, school, and clinic for children with cerebral palsy when completed.

“We are appealing for financial support to complete our centre to help children with cerebral palsy and their parents,” a facilitator of the foundation, Mrs Benedicta Oduro, told the Daily Graphic when End Point Homeopathic Clinic donated assorted items to the foundation in Accra.

According to her, parents who gave birth to children with cerebral palsy, a brain disorder that impairs control of movement, faced a lot of frustrations.

She said apart from the fact that care was expensive and no special clinic existed to care for the children, some schools rejected them while those that accepted them maltreated them.

“These frustrations and sometimes rejection by family members have forced some parents to send their children with cerebral palsy to shrines and prayer camps where concoctions given to them end up killing the innocent children.

“That is why the foundation is developing a centre to house these children,” Mrs Oduro added.

Offer special support

The Manager of the foundation, Ms Michelle Owusu-Ansah, in her address indicated that the foundation was established in Ghana to offer special support to children with cerebral palsy and their parents.

“The foundation, which was founded by Bishop Yaw Owusu Ansah, is to support children with cerebral palsy who are often dehumanised and tagged with all sorts of derogatory remarks

“The establishment of the foundation through its radio educational programme and other activities has contributed greatly to the reduction in stigmatisation and the pains our mothers and their children go through,” she said.

As a non-profit making venture, she added that the foundation had managed to assist mothers and their children in diverse ways.

Donation

Meanwhile, End Point Homeopathic Clinic donated assorted items and a cheque for GHȼ10,000 to support activities of the foundation.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the health facility, Dr Adu Boateng, observed that the donation was to put smiles on the faces of the underprivileged in the society.

“This is also to climax our 10th anniversary celebration,” he added.