IN THE spirit of the season, Foundation 7, a local music academy, serenaded the staff and inmates of the Ptolemy Reid Rehabilitation Centre yesterday. The foundation is located at 7-8 Brickdam, Stabroek, and offers classes in Keyboard/Piano, Guitar, Voice Training and Drums. Also lending a hand was Flight of Hope, who provided drinks and meals for the event. Director of the organisation, Captain Orlando Charles, noted that even though Flight of Hope focuses on hinterland areas, they also provide for causes on the coastal areas as the need arises. The Ptolemy Reid Centre was originally established by the Ministry of Health in January 1967 as the Polio Centre. It provided rehabilitative services for those children who had suffered residual paralysis following the 1960 & 1964 polio epidemics. With the advent of a successful vaccination programme, the incidence of polio declined drastically. Since then, the Centre opened its doors to persons with other forms of disability.
In 1991, in an effort to improve resource acquisition so as to expand and provide quality service more effectively and efficiently, the Centre was de-linked from the Ministry of Health and is now managed by a Voluntary Management Board of Directors. The government provides an annual subvention and professional staff, while the Board raises funds both locally and externally to finance its operations. Also, a main source of funding is provided by donations from numerous NGOs, the private sector and the public at large. In January 2012, the Centre celebrated 45 years of dedicated service to persons living with disabilities. With this accomplishment, the Centre currently provides services including dormitory, day care, orthotic and prosthetic appliances, audiology, special education, vocational training, occupational, speech and physiotherapy.