Gear up for some foot-tapping music at the Music Academy on November 10. And for a good cause too. Pop music queen Usha Uthup will regale audiences and her fans at a special fund-raising musical event organised by the Spastics Society of Tamil Nadu (SPASTN) to sustain their current and future programmes. The singer will also release a souvenir on the occasion.
Kalpana Yuvaraj, coordinator, SPASTN, said the society, started in 1981, was a not-for-profit non-government organisation that provided rehabilitation for children and young adults with cerebral palsy, multiple disabilities, mental retardation and autism. “The growth and development of SPASTN is driven by its core values and vision of creating an ‘inclusive community of excellence’ by implementing programs and enabling services that is rights and rights -based and inclusive,” she stressed.
“SPASTN envisages an inclusive society which respects and values diversity, human rights and participation of persons with disabilities on an equal basis with all others in all aspects of community life,” the social activist added.
The srategic areas of thrust were creating awareness and Information-dissemination on disability, assessment services, parent empowerment programmes, special Education Services, and neurodevelopmental therapy services, sensory integration programmes, newborn screening in government and PHCs, vocational training programme, job placement and support unit community-based rehabilitation training at rehabilitation professionals, among others.
SPASTN served nearly 1,500 children and youth with cerebral palsy and multiple disabilities, according to Kalpana Yuvaraj.