Gordana Skrba:
The Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy is a not-for-profit charitable organisation dedicated to supporting people with cerebral palsy in Ontario.

Patricia G:
Raquel was nine months old when I got to find out that she had cerebral palsy. It was a very devastating diagnosis for my husband and I, not knowing what the future was going to be like for Raquel, and what cerebral palsy was at the time.

Shira W:
Cerebral palsy is a varying diagnosis, it’s not one-size-fits-all. Some people who can run around and you can barely see it, and then there’s people who use their wheelchairs fulltime and rely on someone for all aspects of daily living. I am one of those people.

Victor Gascon:
My partner and I adopted a young boy who had cerebral palsy at the age of seven. Because cerebral palsy has left him non-verbal, which it does for a lot of people, it puts him in a very vulnerable position. When staff are working with him, we need to trust that people are doing what they’re supposed to be doing, and that they’re not neglecting or abusing him.

Shira W:
When you turn eighteen and lose the support of our wonderful paediatric health system, you go into the standard hospitals, they don’t know what CP is.

Victor Gascon:
Organisations like the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy plays a major role in educating PSWs – personal support workers – how to prevent abuse.

Gordana Skrba:
We believe in supporting our members in a way that offers a variety of opportunities for full inclusion, and give them a choice to enjoy the freedom as to where they live, where they work.

Patricia G:
The charity has made a huge difference for my daughter. About a year ago, she had a surgery that enabled her to walk a little bit better. Because of that surgery, she’s able to do things that she wasn’t able to do before.

Shira W:
They helped me secure my own apartment and funding for my singing lessons.

Gordana Skrba:
The dollars that we receive from Federated Health Charities, OFCP uses to support our members through life-enriching activities, programs. Also provide funding assistance to assist them with the purchase of much-needed equipment.

Victor Gascon:
We get no federal money, we get no provincial money, like, we get no government money at all. All of our funding comes from donations.

Patricia G:
The funds are going to the right place. Activities that make such a huge difference, not only to the kid, but also to the families. To see a kid have fun and just being kids, is the most amazing gift that you can make to a parent and to a kid with special needs.

Raquel G:
Thank you for your donations, because I get to go swimming and gymnastics and baseball.

Gordana Skrba:
The funds that we receive from Federated Health Charities, we see as a gift of hope, that one day soon, we will be able to find a cure for cerebral palsy.