In October last year our Physiotherapist, Simone Klingelhöfer, first met little Oliver. Oliver is 5 yrs old and suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Because of a traumatic birth his legs are hindered due to spasticity and he can only use his arms and hands with great difficulty. Previously his only way to move around was by crawling on all fours.
Although Oliver lives more than an hour by road away from the hospital, his parents have been bringing their son for regular therapy sessions. They assist in Oliver’s progress by performing therapy exercises at home during the week as well. By January, he had improved so much that everyone was amazed and it was time to think about helping him take his first steps.
Simone worked with David Montesino, the hospital’s carpenter, to devise a way to help Oliver walk. They built a small, wooden walker on wheels. Using this unique piece of equipment Oliver dared to take his first steps. The hope for the future is that he will eventually be able to walk unaided.
Look into Oliver’s eyes and you will see the joy and hope radiating out. This kind of situation makes our jobs here all worthwhile.
