The little boy with Cerebral Palsy, who went a long way thanks to YPK
Imagine a life in which your four-year-old child cannot walk by himself, cannot stand up or even sit up straight. This was the reality of the parents of a young boy called Bilbil, who was born prematurely. The family, who come from an impoverished area in Denpasar, sold all their possessions to be able to afford essential hospital care for the first few months after he was born. Initially, they were unaware that Bilbil had a medical condition. However, after a year or so, his parents slowly started to notice that he wasn’t developing the way a child of his age should. They sought the only help they could afford - that of a masseur’s, who gave Bilbil traditional massages regularly.
Month after month after month - no improvement. After two years saving up, the family managed to receive help from a local hospital, and Bilbil was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy. A doctor there recommended that the family visit the Annika Linden Centre. The Annika Linden Centre houses three outstanding non-profit organisations which provide services for people with disabilities, from mobility aids and rehabilitation, to education and employment opportunities.
There, Bilbil was provided with an Ankle Foot Orthotic (AFO) by PUSPADI Bali and started physical therapy with YPK Bali. As a four-year-old boy who had never walked before, his muscles were still too weak for him to stand up by himself. However, after a year of regular physical therapy, Bilbil become stronger, his balance improved and he began to walk for the very first time in his life. This was life-changing for Bilbil and his family, as he became more confident, more mobile and more independent.
Once he was able to walk, Bilbil began YPK’s educational programme at the Annika Linden Centre. In addition to the core academic subjects such as reading and maths, YPK’s educational programme focuses on helping children with disabilities become more independent in every aspect of their life, from communication to self-hygiene, including basic activities they would otherwise not be able to do, such as using a toilet and dressing up. They also focus on preparing the children for public school.
The therapists at YPK helped Bilbil’s parents understand his condition and what they can do at home to support Bilbil even more. His father was inspired to build a walker and a modified static bicycle for home therapy.
Through the help of YPK, Bilbil went from being unable to sit up, unable to communicate well, shy and unhappy, to being stronger, confident, intelligible and, most importantly, happy. He enjoys learning and playing with his classmates as well as the other children in his neighbourhood. He can not only walk independently with the help of his walker, but he can also ride a regular bicycle. His parents are now able to work more, which has allowed the family to become more financially stable.
“None of this would have been possible without YPK Bali”
Bilbil is one of over 750 children with disabilities whose lives have been transformed just through YPK Bali’s Educational and Rehabilitation programmes. Inspirasia has been a core supporter of YPK Bali since 2010, helping the organisation grow by providing continuous funding and additional non-financial support to increase the organisation’s capacity. We have heard many other inspiring stories, just like Bilbil’s, which demonstrate the impact this organisation can have on the life of a child and the entire family. Inspirasia is proud to be part of YPK Bali’s impact.