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As a speech-language pathologist and music therapist at the MAB-Mackay, we’re privileged to help children with physical disabilities overcome obstacles and reach their full potential. It feels great to know that we are making a difference in their lives. An essential tool in our therapies at the MAB-Mackay is toys. As therapists, we carefully select an item from our Therapy Toy Library to be used during a session, based on the unique abilities of each child. These toys are also loaned out to families, so the parents can encourage their children to practice towards achieving therapy goals on their own. Some children have very limited vision and rely on their auditory or tactile senses to experience and interact with the world around them. In this case, we may introduce toys that create sounds or have different tactile properties. Small musical instruments are very effective in engaging the child in working towards a therapy goal in fun and interactive ways. We also use a variety of toys that are activated by movement, touch, or a switch. For some children with limited use of their arms or hands, we encourage them to push buttons that activate different toys that will move or make a noise. The carefully curated collection includes toys or games designed to promote learning through play. Whether it’s enhancing hand-eye coordination, promoting sound association, or teaching skills such as turn-taking, every toy used in therapy or loaned to families becomes a stepping stone in the child’s developmental journey. But our Therapy Toy Library is not just about the children; it’s about supporting the whole family on their journey too. We’ve been told firsthand how the toys we send home help to create moments where families can connect and have fun together. By providing them with these tools and guidance to navigate the complexities of their child’s development, we create a support system that extends far beyond the MAB-Mackay’s walls.
To be honest, we know that the cost of many of these toys is absolutely prohibitive for most families. And in many cases, these aren’t the types of toys you can easily buy in local stores. We also have to make sure that they aren’t too loud or have flashing lights that could cause seizures. Even if the toy or instrument in question is basic, we are aware that many of the families we help have very limited budgets due to the commitments involved in raising a child with disabilities. This is why we need your help today. You’re one of those special people who’s shown that you really care about giving children with physical disabilities all the chances they deserve in life. Thank you for making our work possible through your truly precious support in the past. In the spirit of the holiday season, we’re inviting you to make a special year-end gift to the Habilitas Foundation, to help us purchase new items for our Therapy Toy Library at the MAB-Mackay. The children will have you to thank, and you’ll share our pride in knowing you’ve touched their lives. We can assure you that every gift truly counts. Every day counts in a young child’s development. Without these tools, children with disabilities risk falling further behind. This year, we are especially delighted to share that every donation made to this year’s Therapy Toy Library Fund will be matched, dollar for dollar until January 15. Getting your gift matched helps to double the number of therapy toys for the children. With our heartfelt thanks and blessings for the holidays to you and your loved ones,
Tiana Malone Music Therapist
Rania Papanas Speech-Language Pathologist MAB-Mackay Rehabilitation Centre
P.S. The holidays are a special time, and you can make it more special for so many children who are blind or visually impaired, deaf or have auditory impairments, have motor disabilities or communications disorders. Just imagine how your DOUBLED gift can give light and hope to so many families who’ve made great sacrifices for the safety and future of their baby or young child. Please send in your special holiday gift, scan the QR code or visit our website at www.habilitas.ca to provide much-needed therapy tools today! This holiday season, you gift can go twice as far by making your donation by January 15. Together, let’s make an even greater difference.
7010 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H4B 1R3 Charitable Registration Number: 82332 8554 RR0001 info@habilitas.ca
www.habilitas.ca