News & Events
- CKFTO Annual Fund Raiser
- GTECH partners with CKFTO
- CKFTO continue to support our families and friends of the Down Syndome Family Network
- CKFTO reached out a helping hand to support The Cerebral Palsy Society
- CKFTO/Rotary Club of Port of Spain Collaboration
- Motor Camp - August 2012
- Handwriting Camp - July 2012
- Alert Camp - July 2012
- Justice for Children March - April 2012
- Repsol's "No Excuses Stakeholders Discussion"
- First Teacher's Workshop - August 2011
- First Caregiver Seminar - July 2011
- CKFTO Official Clinic Opening - February 10, 2011
It's that time of the year, when CKFTO hosts its annual fund raiser, in order, to fund therapies for those families that cannot afford it. This year we will be having a silent auction with pieces from artist such as Sharon Burford, Bunty O'Connor, Marsha Trepte, Beverly Williams- Harries, Rebecca Foster, Fitroy Hoyte amongst others.
For more information, click to download the Annual Fund Raiser [PDF].
GTECH partners with CKFTO to enrich the lives of special needs children by donating androids and computer equipment to the clinic.
CKFTO staff Violet Lezama and Christopher Ristic continue to support our families and friends of the Down Syndome Family Network at their first ever Buddy Walk in October to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome.
In August 2012, CKFTO reached out a helping hand to support The Cerebral Palsy Society, by offering therapeutic camp services to some of their members. Nine families from this association took part in our CKFTO Motor Camp, and it offered them an insight into the benefits and family support that can be derived through Occupational Therapy, Music Therapy and Support Services at CKFTO. We look forward to offering continued support to this group.
Caribbean Kids and Families Therapy Organisation (CKFTO) and The Rotary Club of Port of Spain have joined forces to assist with the needs of one of the families benefiting from subsidized therapy at their clinic in St. James. Suresh Shah is an active 8 year old boy diagnosed with autism, hyperactive disorders and verbally uncommunicative, he is also blind. He attends CKFTO's clinic in St. James weekly for occupational therapy sessions. Since his diagnosis, his mother and father have been working tirelessly to offer Suresh the possibility to live an enhanced state of health and well-being in spite of his disabilities.
Our goal at CKFTO is to transition Suresh to be able to communicate with his family more efficiently, increase his independence and develop the basic skills needed to function in society; to attain an overall better quality of human life. To assist Suresh's with his disabilities of impaired sight and communication, The Rotary Club of Port of Spain, through the kind concern of President Lawrence Wilson have purchased adaptive communicative switches to assist Suresh and his family within their home environment and to enhance his performance in his activities of daily living. These switches will not only assist Suresh, but it will help his parents better understand him as they themselves are visually challenged. These communicative devices are able to record phrases and are visually bold and easy to comprehend. CKFTO thanks all its sponsors for their commitment to helping our families receive therapeutic interventions and look forward to closer collaborations in our mutual quest of community outreach.
CKFTO is proud to offer an activity camp for children with motor skills delays such as cerebral palsy, Downs Syndrome, developmental delays and others! The focus of this camp will be on inclusion of children with physical disabilities into our society and to join us for a week of fun therapy, activities and laughter! This camp runs from August 13-17, 2012.
For more information, click to download the Motor Camp Flyer [PDF].
Our Handwriting Camp is for children struggling with handwriting issues or now getting ready for the challenge of school. Our Camp has been developed to meet the needs of all children requiring assistance with printing and printing refinement. This camp runs from July 23rd, 2012 to August 3rd, 2012.
For more information, click to download the Handwriting Camp Flyer [PDF].
Alert Camp is an occupational therapy group to teach your child to self-regulate at home, school and in the community. This camp runs from July 9th, 2012 to July 29th, 2012.
For more information, click to download the Alert Camp Flyer [PDF].
CKFTO took Part in the "Justice for Children March" which took place on April 22-2012. This march was intended to call on Government to pass the Children's Bill it was very well attended, thousands of people marched the Savannah, children, young people as well as old people. This March was organized by "The Jericho Project".
CKFTO was invited to attend Repsol's "No Excuses Stakeholders Discussion" headed by triple amputee, who happens to have Trini parents, Rajesh Durbal. Rajesh is an inspiration to one and all. Here is little bio on Rajesh:
At an early age, Rajesh was fitted with prosthetic legs and learned by trial and error how to do things on his own as a triple amputee. At the age of 5, Rajesh participated in most activities at school. His teacher took a liking to him, and published a book about him growing up while being different. By the age of 10 he was competing in slalom skiing. At 14 he was offered a chance to train and become part of the disabled ski team in Colorado. At 16, Rajesh broke the world record for double below knee amputees in the 100M sprint. He graduated with a Bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems from Capella University, and landed a lead technical engineering job working for a trading firm on the New York Stock Exchange. In 2001, wanting to get out of the city, Rajesh pursed other forms of education and achieved his PMP certification. He then started working for a major construction company leading multimillion-dollar technical projects for the government.
Something was missing; Rajesh knew there was more to life. He knew that he could do more with the gifts he was given. With prayer and faith he decided to do something that he feared and thought he could never do; a triathlon. Only until later did he realize that no other triple amputee has ever attempted this challenge.
In June 2009, he completed his first sprint triathlon in a time of 1:48. He completed a second sprint triathlon in September 2009, in 1:36. Rajesh cmpeted in the Ironman in Kona, Hawaii. Most of all he wants to spread awareness that we all can live amazing lives filled with meaning and purpose by his mantra "LIVE FREE."
The Minister of Education endorsed and supported our first and unique Teacher's workshop held on the 11th and 12th August. The emphasis of the Teacher training workshop was to provide classroom teachers with therapeutic tips and tools from a variety of trained professionals, to use with students who might be experiencing obstacles to learning. With the funding provided by Repsol we were able to provide training to 65 teachers, the majority of whom were from public schools. The seminar topics and format were developed through the experience of the JBF sponsored school based occupational therapist Marisa Hayden. Overseas guest speakers included Karen Litchfield, Occupational Therapist/ BSC in Education and Kimberly Amar RN/college lecturer in Health Care from Ontario, Canada.
Our Repsol sponsored Caregiver Seminar held on 15th July 2011, was our first ever large public training initiative to raise awareness, educate and empower caregivers of children with a variety of disabilities, about issues and challenges common to all. The aim was to provide an opportunity for caregivers of children with special needs to interact with professionals, and receive simple practical strategies for the parenting and management of infants, children and teens with a wide variety of disabilities. One hundred and twenty parents/caregivers of children with special needs attended. It was a resounding success!
CKFTO's St. James clinic was officially opened on February 10, 2011 by the Honourable Minister of the People and Social Development, Dr.Glenn Ramadahrsingh. CKFTO Chairperson, Elizabeth Aleong expressed a special thanks on behalf of the organization to private sponsors, United Way, Repsol & Palm Tree Investments, all in attendance at the opening.
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