CP-Pathfinding: Your health
Practical guidance, resources, and support to help you navigate young adulthood with cerebral palsy.
Who is this module for?
The CP-Pathfinding: Your health module was made for young people with cerebral palsy (CP).
It gives easy-to-understand information, tools, and tips to help you learn more about your body and health as you move into adulthood.
Why was the Your health module created?
Young adults with CP in Australia told us that growing up isn’t always easy. Many feel there isn’t enough support, advice, or preparation during this important time.
This module was co-created by people with lived experience of CP, along with their families and healthcare professionals. It’s here to fill the gaps and give you the tools and confidence to take charge of your health and well-being.
What will you gain from engaging with this module?
How can you use this module?
You can work through this module at your own pace —
as little or as much as you want, whenever it suits you.
Whether you’re:
Getting ready for a medical appointment
Exploring new lifestyle changes, or
Looking for advice on a specific topic
This module can be a guide and support for making decisions about your health.
There are many hyperlinks to credible resources and websites throughout the module. You can click on them for more information as needed. All resources are also available at the end of each module and in the Resources tab.
Self-care Tips
As you go through this module, please keep these self-care tips in mind:
Progressing through the Your health module
Acknowledgements
The content of this module draws on the latest research and current clinical insights, and is framed by the lived and living experiences of young adults with CP and parents who have adolescents or young adults living with CP.
We’d like to thank the CP-Pathfinding: Your health Working Group members who played an integral role in shaping this course, generously offering their time, wisdom and perspectives.
The module content and design were supported by the NHMRC Centre of Research Excellence: CP-Achieve, Healthy Trajectories: A Child and Youth Disability Research Hub, Murdoch Research Children’s Institute, Monash University and the Neurological Rehabilitation Group.
Meet the Contributors
The ‘CP-Pathfinding: Your health‘ Working Group Members:
Stacey Cleary
Prue Morgan
Jackie Ding
Liem Grimes
Nicole Kozelj
Sophie Geeves
Working Group Member (Researcher; Physiotherapist)
My name is Stacey, and I’m a Research Physiotherapist and Postdoctoral Fellow with CP-Achieve. I’m passionate about working collaboratively to enhance the health and well-being of young people with disabilities. My hope for this Your health module is that it will help young people with CP gain greater knowledge, skills, and confidence to participate in managing their healthcare, in the ways that they prefer.
Working Group Member (Researcher; Specialist Neurological Physiotherapist)
My name is Prue, and I’m a Specialist Neurological Physiotherapist clinician, a professor and researcher at Monash University. I have a particular interest in working with adults with CP to understand the changes that might occur as they age. By completing this educational module, I hope it will help young people with CP gain a better understanding of the Australian health system, their rights within it, and some of the health issues they may encounter.
Working Group Member (Researcher)
Hello! My name is Jackie, and I’m currently completing my PhD, which focuses on the experiences of young adults with cerebral palsy as they transition to adulthood and developing resources to support this journey. The Your health module is the fourth and final study in my PhD research. I hope that the young adults with CP who engage with this module will learn something new (big or small), build confidence, and feel empowered to use these new insights to advocate for themselves in healthcare settings.
Working Group Member (Lived Experience Expert)
Hi! My name’s Liem. I’m lots of things, too many things to get into here, but I am someone who has CP. As someone who felt pretty let down by my transition out of the children’s system, I hope this module can help you weather the health-system-storm. This will for sure help! 🙂
Working Group Member (Lived Experience Expert)
I am Nicole. I have two degrees, one in Community Welfare from Western Sydney University and the other in Inclusive Education and Disability Studies from the Australian Catholic University. I am currently a lived experience advisor providing input to several different research projects and an active disability advocate passionate about education rights and societal inclusion. By engaging in the Your health module, I hope individuals feel empowered to take an active and independent role in their healthcare and that they find comfort in hearing voices from within their community around the array of experiences; drawing on one’s strength, determination and patience knowing that they will eventually find what works for them and their healthcare needs.
Working Group Member (Parent)
Hi, I’m Michelle, a mum of three, including my amazing daughter, Ivy, who has Cerebral Palsy and uses a motorised wheelchair. We live in a rural town west of Brisbane. With a background in science, teaching, and various industries, I’ve always been drawn to helping others. My experiences as a disability advocate and changemaker have given me a unique perspective. I hope to use my voice to empower people with Cerebral Palsy to feel confident in asking those tough, often uncomfortable questions of medical professionals. Let’s break down barriers and ensure everyone receives the care they deserve.
Working Group Member (Physiotherapist)
Hi, I’m Nicola, a Physiotherapist who moved from the UK to Melbourne in March 2023 (to get away from the rainy British weather!). I split my time between working in a clinic and an adult day centre, where I treat lots of clients with Cerebral Palsy. I love what I do, and I’m particularly passionate about helping people find the most comfortable wheelchair for them. My hope for this module is that it will help young adults with CP feel more confident about the healthcare system and feel empowered to have conversations about their health and health needs.
Working Group Member (Exercise Physiologist)
Hi, my name is Tegan, and I am an exercise physiologist working in the neurological field at a private practice in Melbourne. I work with a lot of clients who have cerebral palsy along with a range of other conditions. I have a passion for helping people to achieve their goals, improve their quality of life and improve their health outcomes. I hope this module assists young people with CP navigate their way easier through the health care system and also assists them to advocate for themselves and find the supports they need.
Working Group Member (Exercise Physiologist)
As an exercise physiologist, my passion lies with making other people’s lives bigger. Through exercise, you can achieve goals and that make you realise how capable you are when you apply hard work and consistency. I hope that the young adults that access this resource can feel empowered and take the first steps of being autonomous for their health.
Working Group Member (Physiotherapist)
Hi! I’m Osuri, a physio working in a neuro private practice in Melbourne. I treat a lot of clients with CP both in the clinic and offsite at a day program for adults with disabilities. I love my job and I’m passionate about getting people involved activities and sports outside of therapy. I hope that this module will help young people with CP have a better understanding what the Australian healthcare system looks like, how to navigate the system and feel confident to advocate for themselves in different healthcare situations.
Michelle Roger
Nicola Shoebottom
Tegan Ruiter
Jordan Skalamera
Osuri Manatunga