Cerebral Palsy Foundation

The Cerebral Palsy Foundation was established to take on the global challenge to find the prevention and cure for cerebral palsy.

Cerebral Palsy is a loss or deficiency of motor control with involuntary spasms caused by permanent brain damage present at birth. Injury to a baby’s developing brain can cause long-term disability or even death. Many babies die from a stroke or infection during pregnancy. For those that survive, lifelong neurological disability such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy and intellectual disability are common.

The statistics are shocking. In Australia, two babies are born with Cerebral Palsy everyday. Nearly 7 million people worldwide have Cerebral Palsy of which 33,000 are Australians.

An infant’s brain contains naturally occurring active stem cells until 22 months of age. The brain uses these template cells to develop vast and complex networks of nerve connections to help a child become skilled at walking, talking, and learning. It is in these first 22 months that the brain is capable of change. This window of opportunity for early brain repair is often lost for children with cerebral palsy because the diagnosis is made too late.

Parents often don’t realize anything until their child isn’t meeting early milestones, such as, sitting and walking. Doctors also tend to take a conservative “wait and see” approach, hoping the baby is just slow and with more time will catch up.

The Balnaves Foundation has provided $450,000 over three years to establish the Balnaves Curative Cerebral Palsy Research Program, which will commenced in October 2009. This project aims to identify cerebral palsy early, via new early diagnostic clinics established nationally. It will also give newly diagnosed Australian children the opportunity to join a series of world-first research trials aimed at lessening the degree of brain injury and optimizing brain repair in the early years.

For furthur information please visit the Cerebral Palsy Foundation website