PONI - Pediatric Onset of Neuromotor Impairments Lab

06/19/2024

📢 Exciting News from the Cerebral Palsy Research Network! 🌟

Join them for this month’s MyCP Webinar on Monday, June 24 at 8 pm ET! The focus will be on the functional changes and pain experienced by adults with cerebral palsy (CP). This is a must-attend event for anyone interested in understanding and managing these challenges.

In this webinar, they will:
• Unveil research findings about functional changes and pain in adults with CP.
• Discuss why and how abilities to use arms, legs, and communicate may change with age.
• Share insights from the Community Registry Adult Surveys on Function and Pain.
• Provide tips on exercises and pain treatments you can do at home.
• Offer resources to help you manage your health.
This webinar aims to inform and empower adults with CP by identifying common changes, ways to reduce pain, and functional decline.

Don't miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and contribute to the research! Register now and be part of a supportive community dedicated to improving the lives of adults with CP.

👉 See below to find the website where you can register:
https://cprn.org/functional-changes-pain-and-aging-with-cerebral-palsy-a-new-mycp-webinar/ #

06/03/2024

This week, PONI MSc student, Amanda, is at the Empowering Next-Generation Researchers in Perinatal and Child Health conference to talk about motion capture!

Motion capture is an important tool for understanding how we walk. We currently use reflective markers to capture 3D walking data, but the markers can be uncomfortable. We are investigating using a new markerless technology to capture the same data.

05/28/2024

🌟 Exciting Opportunity Alert! 🌟

Want to be part of something amazing? The Ultimate Para Sports Association is running their Junior Adaptive Cycling Program again this summer and they are on the lookout for enthusiastic participants like YOU!

If you're keen to get involved, don't hesitate to drop a message to [email protected]!

There are multiple images of small children riding bikes and wearing helmets with details about the program interspersed.

05/21/2024

🌟This weekend was World Family Doctor Day and therefore we celebrate the incredible dedication of family doctors worldwide! 👩‍⚕️👨‍⚕️

Let's take a moment to recognize those unsung heroes who go above and beyond, especially in caring for individuals with pediatric onset disabilities. 🦸‍♂️💕 These compassionate professionals not only provide medical expertise but also offer unwavering support, understanding, and continuity of care for their patients and their families.

Your commitment doesn't go unnoticed. Thank you for being a beacon of hope and healing, enriching lives one patient at a time. 🌈 🙏

05/17/2024

PONI lab members Karin Eldred and Candice Natrasony spread key messages about the successes of the Resistance Intensive Personalized Training for Youth with CP with clinicians, academics and clinic owners at the Canadian Physiotherapy Association National Congress in April 2024. Thank you to Jumpstart and the Melton Foundation for supporting delivery of the program!
[Image Description: Two women are standing in front of a podium on the left side of the photo. On the right side of the photo is a screen with a presentation being projected onto it. At the bottom of the photo are the tops of some peoples heads, indicating a crowd is listening to the two women speaking.]

04/26/2024

🌟 Discover the pioneering work of the PONI Lab, transforming lives one breakthrough at a time! 🌟
Our collaborative efforts and innovative research are revolutionizing mobility solutions, offering hope and empowerment to children like Emme who face pediatric neuromotor impairments. From cutting-edge robotics to advanced motion capture technology, every achievement brings us closer to a future where personalized care and community support redefine possibilities for all. Join us in celebrating our commitment to creating a world where every child can thrive. 💫

Learn more about it in the following links (article and video)!
https://www.ucalgary.ca/news/ucalgary-mobilizes-students-researchers-and-robots-help-kids-thrive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iNic0bwZpuI[Image Description:There is a girl sitting in a wheelchair with various wires attached to a robotic walking device that is worn on her legs. A young man is kneeling beside her and helping to attach the assistive walking device to her leg.]

04/18/2024

🔍 Join the conversation! The Family Engagement in Research Program at McMaster University is seeking your input on participant compensation. 🤔💬 Share your thoughts to help shape how you're rewarded for your valuable contributions! Contact them via the details in the image.
[Image Description: There is an information poster with a banner across the top. The banner contains the title “Compensating Patients Partners in Health Research in Canada” along with various images of individuals engaging with others. Underneath the headline banner is a cartoon depicting cartoon people with varying degrees and types of disability. Underneath this cartoon is more detailed information about this research study and how to participate.]

04/10/2024

Breaking Stereotypes!

Check out this eye-opening YouTube video shedding light on the misconceptions surrounding individuals with Down Syndrome (or other visible disabilities). It’s time to challenge our assumptions of them that then limit their participation in activities that their age-matched peers regularly engage in.

Let’s break the cycle of putting our mental limitations onto their lives and empower this incredible population to pursue their dreams without constraints. Together, we can create a more inclusive world!

[Image Description: In the middle of the photo is a yellow title that reads “Assume That I Can So Maybe I Will” with a group of people standing behind it looking straight at the camera.]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HpLhxMFJR8

03/27/2024

Did you know that cerebral palsy affects over 17 million people worldwide? Despite being one of the most common physical disabilities in childhood, there are still many misconceptions about it.

Here are some fascinating facts about cerebral palsy that might surprise you!
■Cerebral palsy is caused by brain damage or abnormal brain development, often occurring before birth, during childbirth, or shortly after.
■Many people with cerebral palsy can walk, although some may require assistive devices or mobility aids.
■Contrary to popular belief, cerebral palsy doesn't always mean a cognitive impairment. Many individuals with CP have average or above-average intelligence.

For more information and support for individuals and families affected by cerebral palsy, check out the resources provided by organizations like ‘Cerebral Palsy Guidance' at https://www.cerebralpalsyguidance.com/

03/21/2024

Check out this inspiring sight! 👬 Two brothers, defying the odds of their genetic condition, now walking side by side thanks to the amazing support of a Trexo device.
🌟 Their journey emphasizes the urgency of accelerating research, making sure these life-changing devices reach every child who could benefit.

Read more about the story here:
https://globalnews.ca/news/10330294/calgary-family-boys-walker-fundraiser/
[Image Description: Two young boys are pictured walking in a robotic walking device in a corridor of a building. In the background, there are paintings on wall, and a few people are walking. ]

03/13/2024

In a world striving for inclusivity, understanding disability culture is paramount.

Viewing disability as a culture emphasizes the importance of meeting the requirements of those cultures, rather than seeing accommodations as optional. Art mediums depicting everyday realities of disabled individuals offer profound insights into their experiences. Let’s amplify voices that deserve to be heard. Read more about one author’s experience and thoughts on this topic.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/disability-culture-taking-a-sitting-stand-1.7129882

[Image Description: There is a young man sitting in a wheelchair in the middle of the photo, he is looking off to the right side of the photo with a serious look on his face.]

03/06/2024

March is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month! 💚

Throughout March, we’re going to share about Cerebral Palsy.Stay tuned for facts, stories and resources to raise awareness about Cerebral Palsy.
[Image Description: A green poster with text on the poster written as “ March is Cerebral Palsy awareness month”. At bottom there are three cartoon illustrations; one depicts a person walking, one depicts a person walking with a cane, and one depicts a person in a wheelchair.]

02/28/2024

✨ Exciting News from the World of Neuroscience! ✨

Meet "Avery and the Special Shoe" - a heartwarming children's book by Jeff Somers! Inspired by his incredible daughter Avery, who navigates life with cerebral palsy, Jeff aims to spread a powerful message of self-acceptance and resilience. 💪👧

👟 Join Avery on her journey of proudly wearing her orthotic brace as a symbol of uniqueness and triumph over challenges. This tale is not just a story; it's a celebration of diversity, promoting inclusivity and understanding for all kids.

🌟 Let's create a world where every child feels empowered to embrace their uniqueness! 🌍📚

02/21/2024

The PONI lab hosted Café
Scientifique, a robotic walking event with CP kids and families at Telus Spark Science Centre on February 3rd. More than 150 people joined us to learn and witness the fantastic robotic devices in action.

Thanks to CIHR, Alberta Children Hospital Foundation, Terxo Robotic, Bionic power, Restore Network for making this event possible.

For more details, check out Alex’s blog
https://thealexscoop.com/robotic-walking-cafe-scientifique-event-telus-spark-calgary/

Also, don’t miss the coverage on CTV

https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/video/c2860306-robotic-walking-increases-mobility-for-kids #:~:text=The%20PONI%20lab%20at%20the,to%20increase%20mobility%20for%20kid

[Image Description: There is a group of 10 people standing next to a Trexo (a roobotic walking device).]

02/15/2024

Today is International Angelman Day! 💙

Over 50 organizations worldwide are raising awareness for Angelman syndrome.

Here is a link where you can help spread awareness and educate the community about Angelman syndrome.

https://angelmanday.info
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[image description: A white poster with “INTERNATIONAL ANGELMAN DAY FEB 15” written on it.]

02/08/2024

We are happy to announce that Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities is funding our current RIPT winter 2024 group at Mount Royal University!
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[Image Description: A Jumpstart logo with a white background and text written” Jumpstart” and “Bon depart”.]

02/08/2024

Uniting for a meaningful cause!

Celebrating 21 years of the Country 10 Caring for Kids Radiothon, where our lab’s participants are speaking on their experiences with care and research at the Children’s Hospital as well as living with disabilities. Stand with us in support of the Alberta Children’s Hospital. Join the cause, donate, or fundraise to make a lasting impact.

See the for details donating, specific times to tune in to hear PONI Lab research participants and links to their stories.

https://country105.com/news/10278470/henrys-radiothon-story/

https://country105.com/news/10280959/jaxon-and-josephs-radiothon-story/
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[Image Description: The first image depicts the Name of the Radiothon along with the logo of Country 105 with details of the dates and times of the Radiothon. The writing is set against the background of a clear blue sky with a few white clouds.

The second image is a picture of a teenage girl sitting cross-legged with a young girl sitting in her lap. Both are wearing cowboy hats and smiling at the camera. They are sitting on grass with a wooden fence behind them. To the right of the girls is a QR code that when scanned would lead the reader to donation pages for the Radiothon.]

02/07/2024

⛸Winter vibes and neuroscience strides❄

Our lab hit the ice for a cool team social at Central Commons Park, University District.
[Image Description:
Image 1 - There is a group of 7 people standing in a row and smiling at the camera. All of the people are wearing skates and standing on an outdoor skating rink. Behind them grass, buildings, and lampposts can be seen.

Image 2 - 3 people are in the foreground of this picture. They are skating and seem to be in conversation with each other. In the background another person is skating and there is a large building with stairs leading up to an outdoor seating area.]

02/03/2024

Missed out on registering for our Café Scientifique event on Robotic Walking? No worries! We’ve got you covered with a virtual option.

Join us from 1 to 3:30 PM on Zoom

👉 Zoom Link: https://ucalgary.zoom.us/j/98933937838
🆔 Meeting ID: 989 3393 7838

Agenda:
1:00-1:30 PM: Podium Talk: Introduction to Robotic Walking and Available Devices
1:30-2:20 PM: Stations: Talk to a User of Robotic Walking, Talk to a Scientist, Try Robotic Walking
2:20-2:50 PM: Podium Talk: Impacts of Robotic Walking
2:50-3:30 PM: Stations: Talk to a User of Robotic Walking, Talk to a Scientist, Try Robotic Walking
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[Image Description: A poster with a red background contains a cream speech bubble outlined in a black line and yellow celebratory designs in two corners. Text on the poster in black reads, “Virtual option for our Café Scientifique event about Robotic Walking” and “ More details in the description”]

01/27/2024

We are excited to discuss Robotic Walking with over 100 people who have registered for our Café Scientique in Partnership with CP Kids and Families at Telus Spark on February 3rd.
A big thank you to CIHR for making this event possible.

Space is almost full! If interest exceeds our capacity, we will look into options for holding another event and keep you posted.

For more details, visit https://www.calgarycp.org/events/2024/robotic-gait
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[Image description: A poster with the title "IMPROVING REHABILITATION THROUGH ROBOTIC GAIT TRAINING" and event details: "SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2024," "TELUS SPARK SCIENCE CENTRE," "1 PM - 3:30 PM." The poster features a picture on the left side of two kids walking in Trexo, a robotic walking device, and on the right side, there is a kid with Agilik smart orthoses. Additionally, other relevant details about the event are included. At the bottom of the poster, there are logos and a QR code that directs you to the event website.]

01/23/2024

Meet The Team

We are pleased to introduce Arkendu Banerjee, an international student from India. He is currently engaged in developing the BIODEX power and strength protocol for children with Cerebral Palsy at the PONI Lab. He completed undergraduate studies in Sports and Exercise Sciences with Honors. Currently, he is pursuing a Master of Kinesiology with a specialization in Exercise Physiology.

In his future endeavours, he aspires to establish a career as a Consultant Kinesiologist within a clinical setting. In his leisure time, you can often find him engaging in adventurous sporting activities, such as rock climbing, speed hiking, or river rafting.

[Image Description: In the center of the photo is a smiling young man with dark hair and a beard who is sitting with his arms crossed on top of a surface.He is wearing a red sweater with a white turtleneck underneath. In front of his right arm are some colourful glass jars and behind him is a wall adorned with many colourful decorations.]

01/17/2024

Meet The Team

Daniel Alayev is a third-year undergraduate student researching with Dr. Emily Rogers-Bradley in collaboration with the Adaptive Bionics lab Dr. Elizabeth Condliffe and the PONI lab as part of his MDSC 528 independent research course. He is currently working on a scoping literature review of the under-explored psychosocial effects that orthoses and robot-assisted gait therapy experienced have on users with neurologic gait disorders. Upon completion, he will undertake a clinical project to directly engage the affected population.

Daniel is majoring in Biomedical Sciences at the University of Calgary and after graduation, he is hoping to pursue a career as a medical doctor.

[Image Description: A young man with dark hair and who is wearing a backpack is standing on a sidewalk in front of an orange tree with a stone building in the background.]

12/22/2023

Happy Holidays from the PONI Lab!
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[Image description: Teal Green and White Modern Animated Illustration with “ Happy Holidays!” and “from the PONI lab” written in between the image.]

12/12/2023

What tools do you use to check public space accessibility?

Exploring city accessibility with the “Mapping Our Cities for All” (MOCA) project led by University of Calgary’s Victoria Fast!

AccessNow, an accessibility tech company, released the MOCA report, offering insights into Canadian cities’ accessibility.
See the interactive map by AccessNow : https://map.accessnow.com/?lng=%lngCode%
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[Image Description: There are two women in the middle of the picture. The one on the left is standing and the one on the right is sitting in a wheelchair. Behind them is a glass building and to their left is a raised flower bed with grass and a tree in it.]

12/06/2023

Share your opinions!

A webinar is being held giving you the chance to weigh in on what you think the priorities should be in Adult Cerebral Palsy research. Join in spotlighting the priorities that matter most – let’s amplify awareness and spark innovations together.

Check out the webinar link for full details:

https://cprn.org/webinar-priorities-in-adult-cerebral-palsy-research/
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[Image Description: A collage of four images of people on a cream background. On the left is one large image of a smiling woman. On the right are three photos vertically stacked of two women and one man, all smiling. These are photos of the panel of professionals who will be hosting the webinar. Above and below the collage of photos is green writing detailing the time and place of the webinar and the name of the Principal Investigator of the panel.]

11/27/2023

The Azrieli Accelerator, in collaboration with One Child Every Child, is launching a dedicated Alberta cohort for the 'Family Engagement in Research' course, starting February 5th. Whether you have lived/living experience or are a researcher passionate about neurodevelopmental conditions or child health, this cohort is your chance to make an impact!

The program aims to bring together community voices and researchers for a meaningful collaboration. Our lab's researchers and partners have found immense value in this course.

Check out the brochure here : https://live-ucalgary.ucalgary.ca/sites/default/files/teams/402/FER%20Course%20Brochure%20-%20Calgary%20Winter%202024.pdf?mkt_tok=MTYxLU9MTi05OTAAAAGPm-hn7cdwiegZOPYICjbUlWSyBKRPNv0RKhrMS0Zg5QWu-r4MGJ4ZBeGdOetI8ftp2zRyFORSihbp5DmsPdXV

Check out the application details here: https://live-ucalgary.ucalgary.ca/azrieli-accelerator/community/family-engagement-research-course?mkt_tok=MTYxLU9MTi05OTAAAAGPm-hn7VX3B2_nXdqbf4eyq3IOQ61FUjDr1-ng9iWmr38QrabmKpApp-_hhnaLvhHlosnsDhETjU8Mh1GADo49
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[Image Description: A poster with a red background contains a cream speech bubble outlined in a black line and yellow celebratory designs in two corners. Text on the poster in black reads, “Join the Alberta cohort of Family Engagement in Research course by Azrieli Accelerator.” course” and “ More details in the description”]

11/07/2023

Our master's students, Erin and Kiran, along with our summer student, Jessica, recently attended the Alberta Biomedical Engineering Conference. Jessica delivered an oral presentation on gait analysis without markers across various clothing conditions (which might make it easier to study walking). Erin and Kiran presented a poster on the impact of Robotic Walking on bone and muscle health, as well as muscle strength (these are important factors for mobility).
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[Image Description: Photo of Erin, Kiran and Jessica standing on the right side of the screen. On the screen in the background, a presentation slide reads, “Welcome to The 24th Annual Alberta Biomedical Engineering Conference” with the event date as “October 27-28 2023” and the location “Banff, Alberta.”]

10/23/2023

We'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities for their generous support of the RIPT Fall 2023 program. We also want to recognize the invaluable support of the Alberta Children's Hospital Foundation(ACHF), Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute(ACHRI), Hotchkiss Brain Institute(HBI) and RESTORE Network.
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[Image Description: A Jumpstart logo with a white background and text written” JumpstartTM”.]

10/17/2023

The Schulich School of Engineering at the University of Calgary invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of Biomedical Engineering, with a focus on Neurodevelopment Technologies.

Learn more about the role and apply here:

We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. The City of Calgary is also home to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III.

10/06/2023

Today is World CP Day This day brings together people living with cerebral palsy, communities, families, and supporters for equal rights, access, and opportunities. This year's World Cerebral Palsy Day theme is "Together Stronger". This theme highlights the importance of unity and mutual support within the cerebral palsy community and beyond.
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[Image Description: A poster with a red background contains a cream speech bubble outlined in a black line and yellow celebratory designs in two corners. Text on the poster in black reads, “October 6 2023 TODAY IS WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY!”]