Page 22 - Mainstreamer e-Magazine Volume 5, April 2024

FAR AND BEYOND: A BLESSING IN DISGUISE

one is ever truly prepared for and is immensely seldom been sick, and we have eliminated cow’s
challenging to navigate. milk formula and other dairy products that were
“ by Disability Isn’t an Accident but a Blessing in
causing his health issues.
Our family motto, “Being a Family Affected

Our family’s primary priority became
Disguise,” reflects our journey. Theo has become
Theo’s welfare. We tirelessly
and teaching us the true meaning of resilience and
explored and pursued all possible our life’s mission, transforming our perspective
dedication. Our faith has been tested, but we have
rehabilitation options, despite the learned to let our beliefs guide us through the
ongoing challenge of funding.” highs and lows.
Theo is now an inspiration to our community.
From the moment we faced an unsuccessful Since 2017, we have held free parenting workshops
pregnancy, we pondered how to best support our across the Philippines, with the help of Bobath
son, who was initially given a grim prognosis by physical therapists, medical teams, sponsors, and
medical specialists, suggesting he could live in a the local government. These workshops aim to
vegetative state. Devastated yet determined, my change outdated perceptions about the lives of
husband and I resolved to prove this prognosis children with cerebral palsy and epilepsy, one
wrong and provide our son with the best life family at a time, by demonstrating that profound
possible. challenges can lead to profound strengths.
Our family’s primary priority became Theo’s
welfare. We tirelessly explored and pursued all The author, an active and staunch advocator for change
in the realms of Cerebral Palsy, is a work-from-home mom
possible rehabilitation options, despite the ongoing who aspire to create a wave of wide-range awareness on
challenge of funding. We worked as a team, stayed the subject. Jessa have work relentlessly to champion the
holistic rehabilitation approach for children with Cerebral
focused on urgent rehabilitation programmes, and Palsy at the earliest possible time for the betterment
navigated many difficult moments in our journey and improvement on the quality of life of the children, to
while keeping our son’s best interests at heart. create a better future for them.
While my husband worked diligently to meet
our financial needs, I deepened my knowledge
of Theo’s multiple conditions through extensive
research and trial and error, particularly his diet. I
ensured he ate healthy, nutritious foods to support
my breast milk production until his first birthday.
We adhered to the recommended six-month rule
for introducing solids, carefully selecting foods that
would enhance his brain development and lung
function. Despite facing numerous health setbacks,
we persisted in exploring traditional remedies and
seeking various specialists’ advice without settling
for the conventional perspectives on Cerebral
Palsy.
In November 2017, I developed a feeding
approach tailored specifically for Theo called
“Normalised Feeding.” This approach focuses on
natural and healthy solid foods suitable for children
with Cerebral Palsy, avoiding foods that exacerbate
his condition. Within three months, Theo reached
his Ideal Body Weight (IBW) and a healthy Body
Mass Index (BMI) for his age. Since then, Theo has

21 April 2024 | Vol. 5