The Malta Paralympic Committee (MPC) recently ran a seminar for paediatricians and healthcare staff from Mater Dei Hospital (MDH) and St. Luke’s Hospital’s Child Development Assessment Unit (CDAU). This was part of MPC’s work to raise awareness and reach out to professionals.
The seminar focused on the “patient to athlete journey,” giving practical advice on how MPC and medical staff can work together to help patients with physical, visual, hearing, or intellectual impairments include sport, movement, and physical activity as part of their rehab and treatment. MPC shared its experience working alongside professionals and highlighted how Para sport has changed many patients’ lives. They said: “MPC’s aim is to give people, no matter their impairments or disabilities, the tools, knowledge, and professional support they need to improve their mobility and independence, and to take part fully in society. Sport supports medical treatments and therapy but does not replace them. We all share the goal of improving lives.”
At the seminar, MPC answered common questions, including how healthcare professionals can best refer patients to MPC, and explained how MPC helps people get involved in sports that are suitable, inclusive, and adapted to their needs. MPC clarified that it doesn’t hire sports coaches directly but works with national sports bodies and clubs to offer opportunities for people with disabilities to take part in mainstream sports. This can be one-on-one or in groups, depending on the person’s progress.
MPC also highlighted the strong link between the Paralympic Movement and the medical community. The movement started at Stoke Mandeville hospital in the UK, which treated many patients with serious injuries like paraplegia or amputations after World War II. The idea of using sport as a way to aid active, social, and physical rehabilitation was developed by neurologist Professor Sir Dr Ludwig Guttmann. You can learn more about the history of the movement here: https://www.paralympicheritage.org.uk/professor-sir-ludwig-guttmann.
For more details on getting involved in sport, or if you want to organise seminars or workshops, visit MPC’s website at https://www.paralympic.mt or their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MaltaParalympicCommittee/. You can also email them at [email protected]
