Jacques Lloyd, Sherwin Gerwell and Vernon Openshaw from Afrique Rehabilitation and Research Consultants NPC facilitated a five-day peer-support training event at Summit Rehab, Mediclinic Muelmed, Pretoria, in September.
Ten Bold Moves members with spinal cord injuries (SCI) participated in the workshop, which covered various subjects, including peer support, communication skills and basic counselling skills, skin, bladder and bowel care, wheelchair skills and transfers and disability rights.
Representatives from Coloplast and Bard Care also presented at the event, which featured a motivational speech from author Bongathini Mbatha, who published his book, I Don’t Want to Walk Again, this year.
In his closing remarks, Dr Francois Theron shared his vision of establishing peer-support groups in every city, town and village throughout the continent. The workshop launched the Peers on Wheels Enhancing Recovery Project, which connects recently discharged SCI users with peer supporters in their area through a website.
The website is not publicly available, but is available to SCI patients at Summit Rehab. For more information on peer training, contact Jacques Lloyd at reabledjac@gmail.com.
