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Georgia's Story

On 24 January 2002, four year old Georgia Spiller's young life changed dramatically, when she was fitted with a Hart Walker, which enabled her to walk unassisted by human hands for the first time.

It was a big moment for Georgia, who had always talked about being able to walk by herself, and her parents - Andrea and Ben - were ecstatic! "Georgia had tried other walkers, but is now progressing in leaps and bounds since she began walking in her Hart Walker," Andrea admitted. "She was fitted two weeks before kinder started and, on her first day of kinder, children show kind interest in Georgia's walker, and in helping her by holding her hand when she walked. Parents who had known Georgia since early childhood were also excited to see her moving around on her own."

Georgia Spiller has Cerebral Palsy. She was an overdue baby and, when all her oxygen supplies were lost during birth, Georgia born by emergency Caesarian-section. Underweight, Georgia spent her first 10 days of life in the Royal Children's Hospital, and was then moved to the St John of God Hospital in Geelong for another three weeks. After three months, Georgia's paediatrician told Andrea and Ben that their baby did not seem to be suffering any effects from the birth trauma, as signs of problems would normally have already been evident. Her parents felt relieved.

But, at six months, Georgia began to suffer from twitches, and the Spillers were told that she might have Epilepsy, the type of which was undetermined. At around seven months, it became clear to Georgia's parents that their little girl's development was quite delayed. "She was 'floppier' than other infants her age", Andrea recalls. It was then that Georgia's paediatrician told Andrea that her child had Cerebral Palsy. Andrea was devastated and confused. She had gone to the appointment alone because Ben had to work, and could only associate Cerebral Palsy with what she thought to be "a vegetative state".

Georgia has been diagnosed with 'moderately severe' Cerebral Palsy. "She doesn't speak, but smiles a lot and is very aware of things going on around her," explains Andrea. "Since her diagnosis, Georgia has had every kind of testing and therapy available to her; she has had hearing tests, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, orthopaedic treatment, hydrotherapy, percussion test, and many more."

It was mid 2000 when Georgia's physiotherapist advised that a Hart Walker would be beneficial to Georgia's development

"The Hart Walker has been nothing but exciting for the whole family," says Andrea. "Georgia is enjoying her new-found independence and is happy to be able to do 'what all the other kids can do'. She loves moving around and gets so excited, her face beaming, when she is in her Hart Walker, very proud of herself, smiling as if to say 'Look at me! Look what I can do!' "

Andrea is happy and thankful that the disability aids and services now available to Georgia are even more developed than they were only a few years ago. "There is much more understanding in the community, and there are so many more ways to help people with Cerebral Palsy. I believe, as much as one can, that now is a easier time to have a disability such as Cerebral Palsy because it must have been so much harder years ago."

The Spiller family - now also including Georgia's brother Lachlan - look forward to Georgia's future progression and an increasingly ability to achieve even more on her own in her Hart Walker.