​On October 5th, CP-NET celebrated World CP Day with our 3rd Annual CP-NET Science and Family Day!

The day included presentations on the latest CP-NET research, engaging panel session and inspiring plenary talks focusing on positive mental health and wellbeing for children and families.

Welcome & CP-NET Overview

Darcy Fehlings, Program Lead of CP-NET
Julia Hanigsberg, President & CEO Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital

What is it Like to Live with CP?

Paige Zaldin, CP-NET Stakeholder

Ontario Brain Institute Overview & New Video Release

Tom Mikkelsen, President & Scientific Director of OBI 

Parenting Children with Neurodisabilities: Context and the Lived Experience

Lucy Lach, Associate Professor at McGill University

Reflections: Where Can We Go Next?

Peter Rosenbaum, Co-founder of CanChild 

The F-Words: A Framework for Supporting Family Wellbeing

Panelists: Julia Hanes, Danijela Gravhoac, Jonathan Lu, Maria Susini
Moderator: Andrea Cross

Go Baby Go: Technology and Training that Lets a Kid be a Kid!

Cole Galloway,  Director of the Pediatric Mobility Lab & Design Studio at the University of Delaware

A Stakeholder Voice to Drive CP Research – Our CP Community has Spoken!

Darcy Fehlings, Program Lead for CP-NET
Brenda Agnew, CP-NET Stakeholder

We received very positive feedback from the 75+ onsite participants and 10+ participants who joined us from Ottawa via livestream. We heard from several attendees that they felt this was the best CP-NET Science and Family Day yet! 

Below summarizes the average scores and the percent of responses for selected questions. 

Audience comments

"Excellent organization, very personable, very hopeful for the future!"

"Very nice to know that family voices are being valued."

"As a clinician it is always helpful to have families and clients share their perspectives as this helps me reframe what I am doing." 

"Love the themes presented at this conference!" 

"Great speakers, well organized & affordable!" 

Suggested Topics for Future Events

"More local impact stories and successes."

"Results from CP-NET research: what we've learned and why it matters to you."

"How to empower parents/clients/families to petition for more CP research and treatment." 

"Knowledge translation for educators and school administrators."

"Universal design - adapting our homes, schools, and businesses."