A partnership between Mineral Resources (MinRes), Telethon and Healthy Strides will see kids with neurological conditions able to access life-changing equipment.
For the first time in Australia, a ZeroG 3D gravity-defying body weight support system has been installed at Healthy Strides’ clinic in Western Australia to give paediatric rehabilitation patients full freedom of movement.
The machine uses a computer-controlled harness to partially remove a patient’s weight while tracking their movements as they practice walking, balancing and other activities.
Funded by MinRes since 2022, the charity and equipment has been so successful that it now has an eight-month wait list.
“I am so grateful to MinRes and Telethon for helping to bring ZeroG 3D to Australia for the first time,” Healthy Strides founder and physiotherapist Dayna Pool said.
“It’s not just an upgrade – it’s a giant leap into the future of paediatric rehabilitation.”
Pool said the technology allows the children to learn important new skills in the most independent way possible.
“It protects children from falling while providing sophisticated, advanced dynamic body weight support and for the first time within a 3D space that offers freedom and simulates how we move in everyday environments,” she said.
MinRes director people Andrea Chapman said the company is proud of the partnership.
“Healthy Strides is a wonderful organisation and we have been blown away by how Dayna and her team are building the confidence, strength and skills of these inspirational children,” Chapman said.
For eight-year-old Nazeem Fahmi’s mum Noraishah, the technology has given the family hope that Nazeem will only continue to improve in his rehabilitation.
“With each intervention I can see Nazeem excel further than what the expectations were of his condition,” Fahmi said.
“At first I didn’t think he would walk, but after every ZeroG intervention he tries to walk by himself and he’s now graduated to taking five steps free of equipment or assistance – we have seen miraculous improvement.”
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