The Ghana Today team presenting money to support the upkeep of Miss Ruby Afful
Ghana Today, a Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) Radio flagship programme, has committed to supporting the Cerebral Palsy (CP) Advocacy campaign to ensure the implementation of policies for the wellbeing of children with the disorder.
The Ghana Today team, led by Mrs Gloria Anderson, has, therefore, presented GHC1,000.00 to support the upkeep of Miss Ruby Afful, a nine-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, whose primary caregiver died recently.
The team dedicated Thursday’s programme to discussing the stigma and challenges associated with the disorder and pledged to use the platform to send periodic messages and reminders to the public.
Miss Afful’s grandmother is taking care of her following the death of her mother, Wilma Kotey, who was 28 years old.
Mrs Ellen Affam-Dadzie, the Founder, With God Cerebral Palsy Centre, a facility that provides day care services for children with the disorder, said Miss Afful’s mother died for lack of support after she fell ill and could not access proper healthcare.
She said the family members had neglected the young girl because they did not foresee any bright future for her.
“At the funeral of the late Wilma Kotey, there was no mention that she left behind an only child with cerebral palsy. Tributes were read by nephews and nieces but not from her only child,” Mrs Affam-Dadzie said.
Mrs Hannah Awadzi, the Founder of the Special Mothers Project, an advocacy and awareness creation programme on cerebral palsy, called for policies that enhanced the lives of families raising children with the disorder.
“Currently, there is no concrete policy on children with cerebral palsy and there is very limited support services and systems. Families raising children with cerebral palsy are left to struggle in isolation..,” she said.
Mrs Awadzi said society must make room for the effective inclusion of children with cerebral palsy as most of them were denied access to education, quality healthcare and social life among other things.
She said society must learn to show empathy, instead of pity, and embrace all persons living with cerebral palsy.
