Why Physio Matters!
Our physio clinic looks more like a hybrid of a gym and a play space. There are cages designed so children can stand with the support of bungee cords, reformers, gym blocks, balance beams, bikes, walking frames, slides, climbing equipment, etc. The setup isn’t just impressive, it’s essential. This is where our funding goes! Every inch of the space is purpose-built to support children ranging from babies to young adults, each with their own unique physical challenges and goals.
Beyond equipment, there are other massive costs: rent, insurance, wages, ongoing training, and the constant drive for innovation. Our physios are constantly evolving with the kids. And that’s not something you can replicate easily.
I’ve never used other types of physios personally, but from what I’ve observed at say at a chiropractor’s clinic, the overheads look pretty different. Rock tape, massage cream, deep heat... maybe a few tools and a bench. That’s not to discredit anyone, every modality has its value, its role. But paediatric physio? It’s a full-scale operation, it's very specific to it's service.
And the proposed cuts? They threaten progress, childhood, movement itself. These services aren’t just "nice to have" they are the exercise, rehab, therapy, the mental reset that keeps our kids positive and proud of themselves. For many kids, this is their lifeline.
Without movement, our bodies don’t feel right, do they? Now imagine being a wheelchair user and only getting one or two hours of meaningful, full-body movement in a whole week. You’d be sore. Tight. Uncomfortable. You wouldn’t be at your best. Many of us enjoy morning walks, fresh air, outtings...imagine that being taken away from you?
If I could, I’d have Kaedyn in clinic five days a week. (He wouldn’t agree with that plan at all!) But I’ve seen the difference. When he did an intense therapy block with Healthy Strides. Three gruelling sessions a week. He cried through most of them. They were hard. His body wasn’t used to the demand. But what he achieved in that window could be felt by everyone, even those who simply help him with a pad change. That’s how deeply this work matters.
Years ago, Kaedyn struggled to even put one foot in front of the other. He would scissor walk in his frame. His legs crossed involuntarily, making movement difficult and tiring. Botox helped loosen the tightness, but it was Ben, his physio who trained those muscles to work in the right way. With patience, expertise, and a deep understanding of Kaedyn’s body, Ben supported him through that frame every single step. Now? He doesn't scissor walk anymore! That is what it means to champion your job. That is what physio can achieve for someone who isn't neurotypical, it opens opportunity and possibly.
If physio stops, life stops!
Regression hits. Skills that took months to build start slipping away. Strength fades. Hips tighten. Pain increases.
Physio works hand in hand with so many other disciplines and treatments, but if you remove just one part of that system, everything begins to fall apart. My chiropractor is incredible! He can adjust Kaedyn when he needs it. But he can’t do the weight-bearing work. He can’t stretch his hips, challenge his core, or help him push against gravity. And he can’t keep him out of hip surgery on his own. We need physio for that.
When Kaedyn and I talk about physio, we call it “his gym.” It’s more than appointments and stretches it’s where he learns to stand, to walk, to push himself. It’s where he builds not just muscle but confidence. His gym is his medicine.
And yet, we’re slashing funding for this?
Let me be clear...when you hurt a physio, you hurt a child. You hurt a family. You hurt potential. The ripple effect is wide, and it’s real.
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