Peke Waihanga is expanding its successful Peer Support Service to include families accessing orthotic care
Parents of children with Cerebral Palsy or Scoliosis will be the first to benefit.
The Peer Support Service, which began in 2019 as a support network for amputees by amputees, now has more than 100 trained volunteers providing help and connection to amputees nationwide.
Matthew Bryson, Peer Support and Events Coordinator, said the time was right to grow the service.
“We know the Peer Support Service we offer to amputees is world-class, and we are now in a position to expand it,” he said.
“With the Orthotic Service being a major part of what Peke Waihanga provides alongside the Artificial Limb Service, it makes sense for us to extend peer support into this space.”
George Hewitt has recently joined the team and will work alongside Matthew to develop and manage the orthotic side of the service.
Around one in every 500 babies in New Zealand are born with Cerebral Palsy. Parents of these children, along with parents of children with Scoliosis, will be the first group supported through the expanded service.
George said peer support offers something different from clinical care.
“When parents visit an Orthotic Service centre, they receive information from a clinical perspective. Peer support is about relationship-building outside of that clinical space,” he said.
“A disability diagnosis can come with a lot of new information and uncertainty. Being able to talk with someone about everyday life, school experiences, work, and practical realities can make a huge difference.”
He said guidance from someone with lived experience can be especially valuable for parents navigating the early years after diagnosis.
Peer Support & Events Coordinator, Matthew Bryson and Peer Support Coordinator, George Hewitt.
The orthotic Peer Support Service is in its early stages, and volunteers are now being recruited.
Parents of children with lived experienced of Scoliosis or Cerebral Palsy who are interested in becoming Peer Support volunteers are encouraged to get in touch. To register your interest, please complete the online form, and George will follow up.