By Robyn Long
Asma is a three-year-old from Deir Al Balah refugee camp and a regular physiotherapy patient at the Deir Al Balah Rehabilitation Society. She is recovering from a dislocated artificial joint in her hip and learning to walk again through various exercises and relaxation methods. The therapy is critical for her growing little body. "Her muscles are weak from the pain, so the process is delicate," says her nurse Lubna Ma'ane, "but she has a balanced therapy plan and we are glad to see she is improving quickly."
The Rehabilitation Society was established in 1997 initially to teach deaf children in Gaza's middle area. In response to a growing need, the Society created a physiotherapy unit in 2004, for which ANERA purchased all of the specialized equipment. "This equipment and these services are important now as people frequently are unable to travel elsewhere for treatment due to closures. Treatment must be regular for people to benefit-so people cannot afford to miss sessions," explains the director, Khaled Mohammed Abu Shueb.
"We deal with a range of injuries at the center, from people wounded during military incursions to those recovering from surgery, fractured bones, strokes, or living with developmental disorders," states Nurse Ma'ane. Access to physical therapy services for the 322,000 residents in Gaza's middle area has become increasingly difficult over the last four years due to road closures and military incursions. Despite this, the Society pushes forward with its two primary goals, as described by Mr. Abu Shueb. "We are working to care for handicapped people and those recovering from injuries, while supporting their reintegration into society. [This] is an approach to the overall care of people."
To meet these needs, the Society has developed an outreach program to care for people in their homes. "We will either bring them here in wheelchairs or visit their homes to teach therapeutic techniques. This works well because it also teaches their families how to help them at home," explains Mr. Abu Shueb. The Society also donates hearing aids, crutches, eyeglasses, medical beds and other supplies to patients for use in their homes.
The center cares for people of all ages, Asma being one of the youngest patients, and the oldest thus far being 68 years old. "Children are more [challenging] to help because they are afraid of the therapy and treatment can be painful in the beginning," says Nurse Ma'ane. The secret, she reveals, is remaining playful. "It helps to play with them first, to get them to laugh," she says while pulling a ball of silly putty from her coat pocket. "They love this for instance. They will mold it into shapes I can't imagine and it relaxes their minds before therapy."
In conjunction with physiotherapy, therapists at the Society work to reintegrate people into their community. This is particularly important for children, so the center offers programs such as art or music classes for kids with and without disabilities. "Disabled children usually feel excluded from society and it's frustrating for them. Organized events [make children] feel more comfortable with one another," Mr. Abu Shueb says.
