Tikvah Layeled is a rehabilitation and treatment center than helps care for children with cerebral palsy. CP may include a variety of disorders that can occur in children at birth. This disability can result in poor motor skills and cause the child difficulty with speaking or walking. The caregivers at Tikvah Layeled are trained to help nurture these children. They help them adapt their disabilities to everyday life so they can grow into productive and happy young adults.

Music has been proven to provide many therapeutic benefits to patients who suffer from a variety of illnesses and disabilities. Learning to play a musical instrument can help children develop motor skills while also providing a fulfilling from of self expression.

Playing with animals can help children interact with nature and these animals can have a very calming affect on children with CP. Service animals have played an important role in the lives of many people with disabilities. Simply being around animals is a form of the therapy that can benefit children greatly.

At the core of the success of Tikvah Layeled, however, is the caregivers themselves. The dedicated staff at Tikvah Layeled are trained to provide treatment and rehabilitation, of course, but it is their commitment to providing love and support to the children in their care that really makes the difference. No matter what activity the staff and children engage in, the love they show is evident and so are the positive results that follow. The efforts of the staff at Tikvah Layeled have really transformed the lives of the children they work with.

It is the mission of Tikvah Layeled to help children who suffer from cerebral palsy. Through rehabilitation, treatment, education and by raising awareness, the organization has a positive impact on the lives and well being of the children in their care. Tikvah Layeled needs financial capital to operate, of course. Staying at the leading edge of technology and purchasing and maintaining rehab equipment requires money. As the center works to improve the quality of life of these children who suffer from CP, they must also raise money to fund their operations.

Towards this goal there are several levels which supporters can contribute at in an effort to help the center meet its operating needs. The highest contribution level on Tikvay Layeled’s donation ladder is a gift of $1800, but there are many other levels that people can choose from according to what they are able to give. A gift of $500 goes a long way to help purchase new equipment and a gift of $360 can help the center purchase the latest technology to give these kids the best physical therapy and care possible. A gift of $180 or even $18 are appreciated as every little bit helps. Any amount that donors chose to give will provide benefits to the children and will help fund the facility so they can provide the highest level of support possible and give the children the best life possible. Donors can also make gifts to honor the memory of a loved one. Donations can be made with a credit card through the donation’s page on the Tikvah Layeled website.

For 14-year-old Tegan Vincent-Cook, a student in the United Kingdom, dealing with Cerebral Palsy presented enough challenges in her daily life without having to deal with children at school. Sometimes, out of ignorance, the other kids would stare at Tegan and in some cases, instead of being mean, they would simply ignore her. Children can be cruel to each other to be sure, but they can also be shy or may not have learned proper social skills yet. Encountering a fellow student who has a disability may make them reluctant to reach out to that child and become friends. The result can be feelings of isolation and loneliness for the child with a disability such as Cerebral Palsy.

What helped Tegan break through this social barrier with her fellow classmates was when she told her story as a presentation to the class. The results were immediate. The children were able to gain a better understanding of what Tegan had to deal with and they immediately had questions for her that were sparked by her sharing this part of her life with them. As a result of this experience, Tegan decided that a good way to help other kids with CP would be to create an animated version of her story to share with kids everywhere. In the short film, which Tegan wrote, she describes her disability, what it is and how she has adapted to it. Not only do her classmates have a better idea of who Tegan is, her social life at school has shown marked improvement. Children everywhere can benefit from seeing this cartoon in the classroom so they can better understand and accept children who are different from them.

Cerebral Palsy is a condition that affects children at birth. It is the most common disability found in children with up to two infants per thousand suffering from the affliction. Developed nations have created great support systems and treatment centers and as a result they have been able to help children with CP lead happy, productive lives. In many underdeveloped countries, however, this is not the case. Funding for the study and treatment of this neurological disorder is not always readily available and as a result children suffer.

In the developing nations of Africa, the challenge of treating children with CP is great. A recent study conducted by the Global Health Center of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) found that in Botswana children with CP were met with less positive outcomes than children in more developed nations. Better prevention and treatment programs are necessary to reverse this trend. As a result of the study CHOP has determined that a lack of financial resources presents the biggest challenge to doctors in these nations. To combat this problem CHOP has formed a partnership with the government of Botswana to provide better funding for the care and treatment for these children.

The Faculty of Medicine of the University of Botswana is also working hard to reverse this trend and prevent the major causes of CP in children. Children in these countries who are born prematurely or that have received low oxygen during birth are at a greater risk of developing CP, but education can help lower these rates and bring them more in line with those found in the US and Europe. Through prevention and proper treatment children with CP in these developing nations can have the same success rates as children in other more developed parts of the world.