Therapies Unite, a charity close to my heart who I have been working with since 2016. I'm currently a Trustee and will hope to go out on another trip in the next 12 months.

Our aim is to support individuals with a disability to improve their physical health, wellbeing, independence, and integration into society.

We are a small charity working in deprived areas where poverty and limited medical care are a reality of everyday life. Through our support and professional expertise, we aim to make a long-lasting difference to people’s lives while benefiting the wider community.

Mexico is a country that has minimal state funding for therapy and equipment for individuals with a disability. Access to these basic services are limited and there are many barriers that face an individual living with a disability. The reality of this is isolation, a lack of education, unemployment, poverty, development of preventable secondary complications and premature death.

An estimated 9.17 million people live with a disability in Mexico, 7.5% of the population. Only 15% of people with a disability are receiving secondary education, 47.2% are employed and 45% live in poverty.

Awareness of disability rights is low among both people with and without disabilities.

The difference the right input can make is life-changing. It is essential that an individual with a disability is assessed from a very early age so that they can gain access to specialised equipment and individualised therapy input.

It is also crucial that families and healthcare providers have better access to education and more follow-on support.

We do not believe that any child should suffer the consequences of not having access to the right piece of equipment, regardless of where they live in the world.

Therapies Unite is currently running three independent services; Catrin’s Penguins, Catrin’s Clinic and the Volunteer Program.

As well as setting up and running our own independent projects, we also support the development of existing rehabilitation services at special needs schools, disabled children’s centres, physiotherapy clinics, elderly care homes and we also work with the local Government to improve access to therapeutic support, education and advice.