On Thursday 25 April 2013, an official opening ceremony took place at Reunion School. VIP guests included the Honourable Judge Vuka Tshabalala and prominent Durban businessman and philanthropist, Mr Vivian Reddy, Trustees of the Afrisun KZN Community Development Trust, which contributed R2.5 million to increase our boarding facilities with another 66 bed, state-of-the-art hostel.

Addressing the assembled guests, teachers and learners at the school, Mr Reddy acknowledged the staff of Reunion School and the KZN Cerebral Palsy Association.

Service to humankind, especially in difficult circumstances and with few resources, is the most wonderful thing, he said.

In her welcoming speech to the Donors and Trustees, Principal of Reunion School, Mrs Edith Makhaye, explained what the new hostel would mean to our Cerebral Palsied

learners, most of whom are boarders. This is not just their school, she said. It is their home.

Mrs Ina Borstlap, Director of the KZN Cerebral Palsy Association, explained how with the support of generous donors and partners the school has grown over the years from the time the Association took it over as an abandoned primary school with only three classrooms.

46th Edition

Changing

Perceptions May 2013

In this issue of your newsletter

Development at Reunion

Autobiography by June

Neuhoff

Diary of a CP 20-something

My Village card

Important dates

P O Box 10213 Ashwood 3605

Telephone: +27 (0)31 700 3956 Facsimile: +27 (0)866 153 913

Email: info@kzncerebralpalsy.co.za Website: www.kzncerebralpalsy.org.za

Our Association is a registered Non-Profit (002-154 NPO) and Public Benefit Organisation (PBO 930000042) with Section 18A Tax Exemption status.

But the biggest smiles belonged to the staff and learners at the

school who showed their appreciation by singing

enthusiastically for the guests.

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June is a delightful and dynamic person who

shares her autobiography as a Cerebral Palsied

person in The Real Me

The Association is proud to promote Junes book which is available from our office, www.kalahari.com and www.amazon.com

In this thought-provoking, true life story, June

relates her painful journey from sheltered, happy

baby years through humiliation, heartache,

shattered dreams and social stigmas to become a

whole, confident woman who defends the cause of

the downtrodden. Her story both challenges and

encourages the reader.

I am at peace now, I have accepted the Real Me

and hope that I inspire you through this book

that you too will see that all things are possible

through God. June Neuhoff.

June Neuhoff, recently presented Linda and Sally with an

autographed copy of her book, The Real Me for our

office library.

Thank you to the Donors who made this publication

possible.

Five fabulous ladies who are furthering their current nursing qualifications at the KZN College of Nursing, King Edward VIII Campus visited our children. They were so impressed by the Centres and our Members that they did not want to leave and ended up joining in with our activities for the rest of the day.

Thank you Phumzile Mavuso, Phindile Nayitana, Thobile Msane, Ester Mbangeni and Thobile Dlamini!

Its not that successful people are

givers; it is that givers are successful

people

~Patti Thor~

Julia and I love watching movies together. The challenge can be finding movies that we both like. I love foreign language movies but she cannot read subtitles due to her visual problems. She cannot handle violent movies at all so any Tarantino movie is out. She is also happy to watch romantic comedies which I prefer to avoid. Yet we both love British movies of a certain sort such as Pride and Prejudice. Weve had a great year in this regard and have been to see Les Miserables, Anna Karenina and Quartet. Les Miserables has been special for Julia and me ever since she was 7 years old and she first heard the music. In 2010 I took her to London to see the stage production and she absolutely loved it. So as soon as we heard there was a movie, we booked to see it at the first available opportunity. We had to drive out to Gateway despite Musgrave being on our doorstep as they did not have it showing in a wheelchair friendly theatre. The film lived up to expectations though Julia preferred the voices of the actors in the musical. Strangely, I wept through the whole thing which was quite embarrassing and unusual for me. She knows every song off by heart and when they cut a verse out of a song, she was very put out. I hadnt even noticed. It reminded me of

when she was about 11 and her passion at the time was the movie, Titanic. We had the video cassette (yes, this was before DVDs) and she watched it over and over. She also knew every word of that movie off by heart. Anna Karenina, was not quite to Julias taste but Quartet we both loved. It is typical of the type of movie we love watching together; British humour, Maggie Smith at her best, a musical theme and a delightful story; feel good without being too saccharine. It is an absolute delight to be able to share this interest with Julia. Thinking about this reminded me of why Julia was given her name, which I might add, she professes to hate. I named her after the movie, Julia, which I saw at the drive-in in the early 80s. It starred Vanessa Redgrave and Jane Fonda and was about the friendship between the two female characters. I loved this movie and its theme so much; I determined then and there that if I had a daughter, I would name her Julia. So it is quite annoying that she hates it when she is in fact privileged to be the recipient of my special name. I have wanted to get the movie for her for quite some time and managed it this year through the wonderful Art Film Co DVD store in Florida Rd who orders old movies on request.

After all these years, I still loved it. My Julia was surprised that the Julia character in the movie did not feature as much as the Lillian character. I explained that the Julia character (played by Vanessa Redgrave) was the one who inspired me. She was a strong woman, a fiercely independent free thinker who was prepared to go against the mainstream to uphold her values. She recognised social injustice and was prepared to fight against it. Ironically, Julia in the movie had her leg amputated after being involved in a protest that turned violent. So she also had to deal with a disability and she did not give up. It struck me while re-watching that they both have feisty, never-say-die personalities. I think Julia now understands why I was inspired to name her after this amazing character and maybe she hates her name a little less.

Diary of a Cerebral Palsied Twenty-something Diary no. 43 by Penny de Vries

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Launched as an extension of MySchool, the MyVillage programme focuses on community upliftment. The supporter card gives you the opportunity to support our Association in a transparent and convenient manner without costing you a cent! When you purchase items from participating retailers, your card is swiped and

a small percentage of your transaction is then allocated to our Association. The supporter card is not a credit or debit card but simply tracks your transactions and your funds raised. In order to become a supporter, please register with MyVillage and nominate our Association, Cerebral Palsy Association KZN as your beneficiary. You can register online at www.myschool.co.za; or apply at your local Woolworths store and if you have a Woolworths card, kindly request them to link it to our Association; or contact 0860 100 445.

Alternatively phone Adle who will assist you on 031-7003956.

CWAC welcomes Sli back with open arms after her operation

to her left hip and leg

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From a gorgeous baby to a beautiful young lady.

If you have much,

give of your wealth;

if you have little, give of your heart ~Arabian Proverb~

20 May National Cerebral Palsy Conference

06 June Browns School Foundation

Phase Sports Day

13 June Nielsen Global Impact Day

14 June Browns School Heels and Wheels

16 June Youth Day

Pevensey Place AGM Jocks vs Crocks - Cricket Match

19 June Browns School-Intermediate and

Senior Sports Day

18 July Mandela Day

13 August KZN Cerebral Palsy Associations AGM

07 September Browns School Fete

21 September Pevensey Places Fete

Reunion School is thrilled with a donation of their own organic vegetable tunnel.

Now they can grow their own organic vegetables for the boarders. Day scholars also receive a cooked meal EVERY day at the school.

Mongezi and Khaya in the Easter groove