Local mother asks ‘not to judge a book by its cover’ ahead of World Cerebral Palsy Day

“If you have a wheelchair or a walker or a cane, they know you have something wrong. With him he may not need those, except he just won’t be able to walk long distances,” Wozniak explained.

At two years old, Daelyn has just been walking for a few months, and fatigues quickly. Lindsey sees the looks she gets when she needs to carry him around.

“If I’m out and I’m carrying my two-year-old child, don’t look at me [like] I’m babying him. He’s tired and he can’t walk anymore,” she said.

With a cyst on the left side of his brain caused by the brain bleed, Daelyn’s official diagnosis is right side hemiplegic, meaning the left side of his body is stronger than his left. The only real treatment for the disability is a significant amount of therapy in an effort to not fall too much further behind his peers, but unfortunately COVID-19 has halted that therapy for much of this year.

Still, the therapy will only be able to do so much.

“He can get better at using [his right side] but long walks and everything we take for granted is harder for him,” Lindsey detailed.

While it doesn’t seem to impact his cheery disposition, Daelyn Wozniak frequently finds himself in the Victoria Hospital dealing with complications from common colds and flus, as a result of his Cerebral Palsy. (Submitted Photo/Lindsey Wozniak)

In addition to the mobility challenges, Daelyn has sleep issues, and illnesses that may create mild symptoms for the majority of people have a significant impact on him.

“The hospital is our friend, sadly that’s where we end up going. With him, he doesn’t get to go to a walk-in, he has to go to the hospital when he’s sick,” Lindsay said.

The cyst from the bleeding on Daelyn’s brain is approximately three by six centimetres in size, and there are concerns that it could expand if he were to hit his head. As a result, his family already knows that contact sports will never be an option, and even games like baseball will require him to wear a helmet at all times, even while in the field.

From the community, she only asks that people recognize what the disability is, and to be supportive and understanding if they come across somebody who is dealing with it.

“I want to bring awareness to everybody about CP and ask you not to judge a book by the cover.”

The vision of World Cerebral Palsy Day, according to the organization’s website, is to ensure that children and adults with CP have the same rights, access and opportunities as anyone else in our society.

Jaime Winkler is the president of the Saskatchewan Cerebral Palsy Association and the national coordinator for the Cerebral Palsy Canada Network. Additionally, she is the mother to five-year-old twins that both have CP, albeit completely different versions.

The provincial organization is focused on individual connection, as every individual has a unique situation.

“Really what it is, is we’re really an equalitarian, family-centred approach to care. We ensure that supports are in place from the beginning until they no longer wish to have connection with us,” Winkler said.

The supports could be anything from information or contacts with medical professionals, to funding for tangible needs like a motorized scooter to allow somebody to be independent.

Ultimately, Winkler said her work is focused on providing every individual with every opportunity that they deserve, a goal she is clearly passionate about.

“Our mission is to ensure people with CP have the right to opportunity to achieve their fullest potential. Really it’s about incorporation, it’s about no longer categorizing everybody into colour and disability and ability and what not. Just be. We are all people, we are all living with our own ability, so to speak,” Winkler explained.

For more information on World Cerebral Palsy Day, you can go to the organization’s website.

–

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden

by Trevor Redden

Local mother asks ‘not to judge a book by its cover’ ahead of World Cerebral Palsy Day

What's Trending