Ezekiel Muli’aumaseali’i, 10, has cerebral palsy and has done four intensive therapy programmes with Australian company Centre of Movement. Ezekiel is pictured with his parents Moemoe and Neum Muli’aumaseali’i and therapist Stephen Pennisi.
Ezekiel Muli’aumaseali’i, 10, has cerebral palsy and has done four intensive therapy programmes with Australian company Centre of Movement. Ezekiel is pictured with his parents Moemoe and Neum Muli’aumaseali’i and therapist Stephen Pennisi.
Hamilton boy Ezekiel Muli’aumaseali’i has cerebral palsy – the 10-year-old struggles to hold things, uses a wheelchair for mobility, and needs assistance with “everything”. That has started to change after doing intensive physical therapy. Now, an Australian company that has had “hundreds” of Kiwi families use its therapy programme is opening a permanent clinic in Rotorua.
Ezekiel Muli’aumaseali’i just wants to do “whatever a 10-year-old likes to do” such as swinging at the playground and sitting on the mat with his classmates at school.
These are things his parents Moemoe and Neum Muli’aumaseali’i “hoped” for one day, but “never thought it would actually happen” for Ezekiel, who has cerebral palsy.
They say thanks to intensive physical therapy, it has.
The family has paid about $80,000 for four three-week therapy programmes through Australian paediatric neurological rehabilitation service Centre of Movement.
It plans to open a permanent Rotorua clinic in June or July 2025.
‘Wanted for years’
Moemoe said they had been doing neurodevelopmental therapy with Ezekiel through the Doman Method “but it just got really taxing”.
The Centre of Movement coming to New Zealand offered an opportunity “we’ve really wanted for years for our boy”.
Moemoe said they heard about “alternative therapies” when Ezekiel was younger but found them “inaccessible”.
Ezekiel Muli’aumaseali’i with his parents Moemoe and Neum Muli’aumaseali’i and Centre of Movement co-director and therapist Stephen Pennisi during an intensive therapy programme in December in Rotorua.
Neum said Ezekiel’s main goals were increasing his independence and participating in the community.
After Ezekiel’s successful first programme in Rotorua in November 2023, they have done it twice in Australia and once more in Rotorua,
Each trip to the Gold Coast cost about $25,000 and the Rotorua ones about $15,000. The three-week therapy programme costs about $8900.
The family had a Givealittle page for the first programme. For the trips to Australia, “we had to grind”, Neum said.
Neum said the Centre of Movement offered “a different way of doing things”.
“Even exercise physiologists, we don’t really have them focused on disability here in New Zealand.
“We’ve seen results for our kid but … we just hoped, we never thought it would actually happen.
“Being able to crawl now instead of just lying there.”
He said specialists in New Zealand had previously said Ezekiel would not be able to crawl and they were advised to enrol him in a specialised school, which they originally did.
After alternative therapy, they were encouraged to look into mainstream schooling for social interaction and stimulation.
“We went for it.”
Neum said Aberdeen Primary School had laid a “beautiful foundation” for him.
‘Anything’s achievable’
Neum said intensive therapy had allowed Ezekiel to dream and set goals, including learning to walk, run, and ride a bike.
“They [Centre of Movement] said that anything’s achievable, we’ve just got to work hard at it. And that’s … not what we hear here in New Zealand.”
Moemoe said a clinic opening in Rotorua was “an incredible opportunity for all our whānauhere”. They planned to do four programmes a year once it opened.
Jacque said she thought opening a permanent clinic was “amazing” as it took advantage of Rotorua’s “unique” geothermal resources.
Jacque said Greer had done three intensive therapy programmes. She was getting stronger and doing “better than what medically was expected” with intensive therapy a contributing factor.
‘Incredible’ results
Centre of Movement co-director Emily Pennisi said Rotorua was chosen for its geothermal waters and “natural healing properties”.
The centre is a paediatric allied health clinic in Australia known for its specialisation in neurological disorders.
“We’ve seen incredible results during our pop-up clinics in Rotorua ... the way the water was able to reduce inflammation, boost their recovery, we saw such accelerated milestones.
“We’re wanting to create the first paediatric centre that has access to the geothermal pools and water at Rotorua.”
The location of the clinic was not yet confirmed.
She said “hundreds” of New Zealand families were going to Australia for intensive therapy and the new clinic would make it more accessible.
Pennisi said the clinic would create “at least 15″ new roles and applications were rolling in.
Health NZ services
Health New Zealand national chief allied health, scientific and technical Dr Jacqui Lunday said it knew how important physical therapy was for children with a physical disability, such as cerebral palsy.
Lunday said it funded child development services across the country providing community centre-based services to support families and caregivers “to enable their child to reach their potential”.
She said child development services were multidisciplinary teams, which included physiotherapists and occupational therapists who worked with children and their families depending on their needs.
Support could include fine motor skill development, developing day-to-day life skills, and providing sensory processing education.
Alongside its publicly funded therapy services, there were some private and community providers, Lunday said.
“We recommend getting advice from your GP or local healthcare provider when considering healthcare options for your child.”
Megan Wilson is a health and general news reporter for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has been a journalist since 2021.
