Poster girl’s parents grateful to charity

THE mother of a little girl from South Dublin whose face has adorned posters of a fundraising campaign by Enable Ireland has told of how the charity’s intervention helped to radically improve her daughter’s disability.

Myia Corcoran (7), from Lucan, suffers from Cerebral Palsy and her face could be seen on posters on the walls of TK Maxx outlets and at Enable Ireland shops during the charity’s recent

‘No Limits Kite Appeal’.

The appeal helps the charity fund facilities to provide therapies, educational and social supports for children, adults and families around the country, while also raising awareness about the achievements of those with disabilities.

Myia’s mother Annemarie wasn’t overly concerned when as a baby her daughter seemed slow to get moving because her older sister Shannon (9) had also been the same but didn’t have any health issues.

When Myia was approaching two years of age, she

‘bunny-hopped’ instead of crawled, often held onto furniture when she walked to keep balance and tended to stand on her tip toes. This was when her parents began to get a little concerned.

Annemarie explained that by age two and a half, Myia was diagnosed with a form of Cerebral Palsy called Spastic Diplegia, which affects mobility, mostly in the lower half of the body.

“The condition affects her in a mostly physical way and affects her ability to walk for a long time,

? Annemarie said.

“She can’t walk without her splints. The splint keeps her feet down so that she is able to walk with a frame.

“She wouldn’t be able to walk far and she has her wheelchair for longer journeys and uses it for getting to school.

?

Shortly after the diagnosis Annmarie was contacted by Enable Ireland, who invited Myia to come to its centre in Tallaght. The little girl and her mother were introduced to a physiotherapist to help Myia’s mobility, an occupational therapist to help her with day-to-day obstacles and a psychologist to help assess her educational and emotional needs.

“When Maya was two and a half and she started in Enable Ireland she wasn’t able to walk at all,

? Annemarie continued.

“Then they sent us up to Tallaght Hospital where they gave us her first set of splints and they showed us a few exercises which helped her to walk. From the time when she started at Enable Ireland she was able to walk, which was a miracle to us.

“She is in once a week for physio and once every four weeks for occupational therapy, which helps her dress herself and they teach her how to write a little bit better and how to use the instruments she needs to take a bath.

?

Annemarie said the charity has helped radically transform Myia’s quality of life.

“I can honestly say that if it wasn’t for Enable Ireland I don’t think she would be where she is today. We were living in the West of Ireland when she was born and they were saying there was nothing wrong with Maya and she wasn’t disabled because she was so active, yet she couldn’t walk.

“It was only at Enable Ireland that they realised she was disabled and no one else was willing to help us at the time.

?

Anyone who wants to learn more about Enable Ireland and its

‘No Limits Kite Appeal’ or to donate to the charity should log on to www.enableireland.ie or www.nolimits.ie