Giving the disabled a life they deserve

Sue Donnell will lead a series of workshops in India based on her experiences with children with cerebral palsy in developing countries. Photo / Supplied

Sue Donnell's volunteer work with disabled children has given many of them a life beyond lying on the floor.

For the past nine years, the 52-year-old has been a volunteer physiotherapist, helping children with cerebral palsy in developing countries.

As a recipient of the Cathay Pacific High Flyer Community Awards in association with the Herald on Sunday, Donnell will travel to India in September to lead a series of workshops training local therapists.

She said children in countries such as India were often left on the floor, unable to take part in their homes or communities.

"They spend their life lying on the floor - that's the expectation of someone who's sick or disabled," she said.

But Donnell, from Auckland, is changing that and has made countless trips overseas to work with children and provide training.

"It's the satisfaction of seeing kids have their lives transformed."

Donnell said she has always had an interest in making a difference in the lives of others "who don't have the same level of resources that we do".

When her youngest child started school in 2001, she started volunteering at the Carlson School for Cerebral Palsy in Epsom.

The Altus Resource Trust was set up three years later to support their work, providing therapy, equipment and training for children with disabilities.

In India, Donnell will lead a series of workshops based on her experiences with disabled children in India and the Pacific Islands.