Project Summary
Grantee	: Children with Cerebral Palsy Association (SERCEV)
Purpose	: Raising awareness on cerebral palsy in East Anatolia Region, through training families that have children with cerebral palsy
Location	: Bitlis, Mus, Sanliurfa
Grant Amount	: 90.000 TL
Project Partner	: Sanliurfa Municipality, Harran University, Sanliurfa Governership, Mus Governership, Bitlis Governership, Child Physiotherapy Association, Association of Pediatric Orthopedists
Period	: 15 April 2011-15 April 2012
Status	: Completed
Project Year	: 2011

Background

The primary causes of cerebral palsy are birth conditions and accidents. Family awareness on cerebral palsy is an essential factor for the development and rehabilitation of children with cerebral palsy. However the level of awareness on cerebral palsy is very low in East Anatolia region. (SERCEV, 2011)

Project Goals

In Bitlis, Mus, Sanliurfa:

• A baseline analysis regarding children with cerebral palsy will be conducted, through visiting 120 families.
• 90 families that have children with cerebral palsy will be trained on caretaking and key issues for raising children.
• Organizing awareness seminars on cerebral palsy targeting 240 participants from the region.

An awareness on cerebral palsy will be raised in the region.

Project Developments

• 50 people consisting of SERCEV members, health experts, physical therapists, press members and families of children with cerebral palsy attended an Awareness Raising Project Meeting on cerebral palsy in Ankara.
• SERCEV contacted public institutions and local NGOs in Bitlis, Mus and Sanliurfa, built relations with them to reach children with cerebral palsy and their families in the region. During those meetings project brochures have been distributed to local stakeholders
• In Sanliurfa the official records of children with cerebral palsy have been updated and an electronic database has been established. Through the data analysis and data base process more than 2000 records on children with cerebral palsy have been updated
• In Sanliurfa 17 children with cerebral palsy and their families have been reached and participated to awareness raising programs. Experts created special training programs for each individual child with cerebral palsy and their families.
• Family visits and trainings in Bitlis and Mus were postponed to a later period of the project due to the local security problems and heavy weather conditions.

Testimonials

“I have anemia. My baby did not have any problems regarding sleeping and feeding routines; however she could not hold her head up. We went to doctor; he asked for EMG and MR results and told that she has a developmental disorder. What shall we do? We don’t have access to much support here in this region. We heard that you came for service. Can you have a look? What can we do for our baby?”

Mother of a Disabled Baby, Sanliurfa

’’We are going to a Special Education and Rehabilitation Center, where instead of a physiotherapist, center staff plans the exercises. We have learned that there are very useful home exercises, but we wanted to consult the experts first.”

Mother of a Disabled Child, Sanliurfa