–as Guyana readies to dedicate special month to raising awareness on subject 

TWENTY-nine-year-old Suzana ‘Suzan’ Da Silva experienced major life changes when she was shot during a robbery back in 2014 that resulted in damage to her spinal cord and a life of being in a wheelchair permanently.  It was “devastating” to her when she realised the seriousness of her injuries, and after receiving therapy overseas and returning to Guyana, she decided that it was time for her to raise awareness among persons here who are suffering like her.

It was then that she made contact with Senior Physiotherapist, Barbara Lawrence of the Ministry of Public Health’s Rehabilitation Department, and inquired if they were aware that there’s an entire month designated for spinal cord injuries.  Lawrence and her team, who operate out of the Palms compound on Brickdam, had never known that such a ‘month’ existed worldwide, and thus immediately organised an event at the Regency Suites Hotel to help Suzan’s cause. By the time Suzan contacted Lawrence, the month of September was already half gone, but Lawrence was nevertheless determined to do a workshop to help raise awareness.

“She was the one who brought it to our attention, because we were not even aware that there was a month designated for spinal cord injury,” Lawrence said. “She called and asked us if we can support her in terms of raising awareness because a lot of persons have such injuries but are just hiding away at home,” she told the Guyana  Chronicle at the hotel event.  “At the Palms, we see spinal cord patients. Most of them will not walk again, but what we aim to do is help them get independent at a wheelchair level,” she said, noting that the forum provided a good opportunity for those affected to interact with persons like

themselves. “It’s one thing for us to talk to them because we have our two feet, but it’s a different thing for them to hear from each other,” Lawrence said, Adding:“We have quite a few persons, but their morale is quite low because they often can’t go back to work and so forth.”  The event not only catered for patients with spinal injuries, but for their caregivers as well, since most patients cannot operate independently.

ACCESSIBILITY 
Physiotherapist Neil Barry, who is attached to the West Demerara Hospital, told the Guyana Chronicle in an invited comment that a national database is sorely needed so that the authorities can determine the number of persons suffering with spine injuries.

He also spoke about the need for more accessibility to be provided by the government. “Fifteen per cent of the world’s population develops disability, and some governments complain that it’s too expensive to make places accessible, but what the research shows is that places that are more accessible to those in wheelchairs earn more than those that are not,” Barry said. “The disability market alone in the world earns more than a billion dollars yearly.

”  Suzan herself spoke about the challenges that come with her disability as a result of limited accessibility available in Guyana for those in wheelchairs. “Accessibility in Guyana is a big problem,” she said, “because I think we have this mentality that if someone is in a wheelchair, then they should stay home. “Sometimes I want to go out with my family, but I have to choose because the place may not be accessible to me. I can’t go into the movie theatre at that big mall because I would be too close to the screen,” she added.  Lawrence rejoined that Guyana’s building code should be modified to include certain requirements that cater more to the needs of these individuals.

Meanwhile, Suzan said that the workshop was just the beginning, and that she wants to form an organisation that deals with spinal injuries.   While driving her parents to the airport back in 2012, she was shot and robbed in Garnett Street, Kitty. “One of the bullets lodged in my spinal cord,” she said. “I still have one in my neck that is close to the higher part of my spine, so they said it wasn’t necessary to take it out.     “Every time I see someone get injured, I feel as though I am injured all over again because I understand their pain. I didn’t know what spinal cord injury is, so I’m glad to be able to help others.”