ASPACE, a school and day centre for sufferers of cerebral palsy, has just been provided with a new fully enclosed swimming-pool complex with changing-room facilities. The pool has an area of 8 x 5 metres on three levels so that it can cater to the age and capacity of the individual user. The total area of the facility is 155 square metres with a lobby and access control.
Fundación JoyRon has spent most of the last twelve months raising the necessary funds from various organised fundraising events and the encouragement of private donations in order to finance the construction of this facility.
Fundación JoyRon is a non-profitmaking foundation set up in July 2015 by Ronald Hawes with the objective of helping children in need in the Baleares". Ronald, together with his fellow foundation members, all of whom are unpaid volunteers, wanted to provide this facility so that those attending ASPACE, of which more than 50% of them are children, could receive essential and regular aqua therapy.
So on Thursday 23 March, the swimming-pool complex was formally opened by Miquel Ensenyat, president of Council of Majorca, and Joan Francesc Canyelles, mayor of Marratxi, in front of an audience of some thirty JoyRon supporters/volunteers, plus ASPACE staff and many of the cerebral palsy sufferers and their family members.
Also present were ASPACE president Jose Antonio Rodado and senior manager Jesus Hernando. ASPACE advise that they can now offer a hydrotherapy service throughout the year to some two hundred users including some external users, thereby providing medium to long-term care programmes.
The aim is to maximize the capabilities of people with cerebral palsy in their physical, emotional, cognitive and psychosocial aspects. Hence the need for a swimming pool is essential, especially when we consider the aqua therapy benefits for children with cerebral palsy are numerous:
1. Encourages a wider range of muscular movement
2. Provides resistance
3. Alleviates stress and tension
4. Reduces pain and tension in muscles and joints
5. Protects against injury
6. Improves cardiovascular conditioning since the heart pumps more blood per beat when body is submerged in water
7. Decreases post-exercise discomfort.
Although a traditional physical therapy can be immensely effective in helping children with cerebral palsy to move, water has the added benefit of hydrating, oxygenating and revitalising the body’s musculoskeletal system.
Gravitational pull is released, and weightlessness qualities are achieved. Range of movement increases and repetition, stretching and balancing is more sustainable. Additionally, the viscosity of the water provides an excellent source of resistance, which can be incorporated into an aquatic therapy programme. For instance, walking in water provides more than ten times more resistance than walking on land, which means an aquatic therapy patient receives the benefit of deep, intense exercises while in a soothing and comforting environment.
Ronald Hawes was delighted that ASPACE decided in recognition of the work undertaken by Fundación JoyRon to name the swimming pool complex The JoyRon Aquatic Centre. Fundación JoyRon will now look for its next meaningful physical and tangible project to support children in need in the Baleares.
Anybody interested in knowing more or wishing to support the foundation either financially or as a supporting volunteer should contact the foundation at info@joyronfoundation.org or via www.joyronronfoundation.org.