Care for Children with Cerebral Palsy

For nearly 40 years, Dr Clare Cheng Yuk-kwan, a registered physiotherapist, has been focusing her efforts in the rehabilitation and educational work for children with disabilities. In the early 80s, on a particular travel in mainland China, she discovered that there were many children and orphans with congenital disorders being abandoned at the welfare homes. However, they did not receive any support in rehabilitation and education. Though the service demands were extremely high, the welfare homes were still severely lacking of professionals in related fields. The passing pictures that invoked melancholic emotions had deeply touched Dr Cheng, inspiring and driving her to begin voluntary rehabilitation work for children with cerebral palsy in the welfare homes in mainland China since 1984. Over many years, she selflessly used her personal time to travel between Hong Kong and mainland China, and constantly striving to make a difference in the rehabilitation and growth for children with cerebral palsy.

By The Side of Child Patient and Their Families

Dr Cheng’s busy work schedule had made her virtually impossible to travel between the two places frequently. In a final straw, she decided to resign from her full-time job in Hong Kong in 2008, putting her full focus and energy to drive the rehabilitation and educational work for children with cerebral palsy. Over the decade, she moved around in many mainland cities to conduct seminars, lectures and demonstrations. Besides, she visited the remote rural villages to provide rehabilitative therapy to children with cerebral palsy and inculcated them with the concept and implementation of “Conductive Education” that is the fundamental bedrock for special education, paving the way for children with disabilities to take their initiatives to learn and cultivate their positive energies and personalities and achieving the objective of an all-round education.

Dr Cheng was all out in her drive for the rehabilitation and educational work for children with cerebral palsy in mainland China. She had been appointed as a rehabilitation consultant or supervisor for many organizations with children suffering from cerebral palsy, allowing many poor children with cerebral palsy and their families to receive love, care and support. Additionally, she integrated various resources of the society to assist the poor children with cerebral palsy to undergo surgeries in Hong Kong or Shenzhen, elevating the efficiency of rehabilitation. Furthermore, she motivated her Hong Kong peers and friends to volunteer for the concern and care for these children after surgery, becoming the angels of love together with them.

Although there were many obstacles faced by the rehabilitative drives for children with cerebral palsy, Dr Cheng did not forget her initial passion. With a determined commitment, she stayed by the side of the children suffering from cerebral palsy and unlocked a colorful growing path for them. Their parents were no longer mired in anxiety and despair.

Check this link for the humanitarian work of Dr Clare Cheng Yuk-kwan.