Family First is a charitable organisation that is passionate about supporting families who have children with complex medical needs and disabilities in Kumasi, Ghana.
Patrick
Patrick is an extremely intelligent, charismatic young man. We met Patrick when he was 15 years of age and were blown away by his innate abilities to perform mathematical calculations. Patrick had never been to school due to his physical disability and instead spent large parts of his day listening to his radio, learning all about the world, and he developed a particular passion for history, politics and football.
Working with a local government school, we secured Patrick a place in mainstream education in 2021. We supported the school to understand Patrick’s needs and academic capabilities and provided resources to improve accessibility, such as wheelchair ramps and classroom equipment. Patrick was ecstatic to be starting school and he quickly settled in, making good friends and impressing the teachers with his wonderful mind. On class participation, Patrick scores around 90%, the highest in his class, although this is not always reflected in his exams due to his motor skills and challenges with writing. We continue to work with the school and the local education board to find adaptations which will be important for Patrick to show his true abilities in education, and to focus on the steps needed to achieve Patrick’s dreams of attending university.
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Our dedicated team of physiotherapists work collaboratively with Patrick and his mother to develop Patrick’s independence. Patrick has severe joint contractures on his left side of his body, limiting his range of movement and meaning that some tasks are more challenging for him. However, Patrick is determined and works hard to achieve anything he sets his mind to… standing, pushing his own wheelchair, moving up and down stairs, and completing activities of daily living for himself.