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THE NEWS How long have you been with the CP Society and what is your job? I started as a part time accounts temp in April 2024 and accepted a full-time permanent Accounts Administrator role in July 2024. What do you love about your job? I enjoy interacting with our members - they come from all walks of life. I like to help solve problems. If a member has an issue with their e-Card, can’t login or needs help with a password change, then I am the lady to help! I like to interact with our suppliers and if they have issues (changing their eftpos terminals or change of business ownership) I can help with that. What makes a successful day at work for you? A successful day at work is to have resolved all the incoming queries that pop through to me, and assist my colleagues with any queries they have for their projects. If resources and funds weren’t an issue, what would you like to see our members enjoying? I would like to try and onboard more suppliers from the regions, such as Bay of Plenty, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Far North and Tasman, so that our members can use their e-Cards at more bricks and mortar stores in these regions. Meet our team Carol Avard Each edition we introduce you to a CPS teammember. Kia ora e te whānau Hōkai Nukurangi, Cerebral Palsy Societymembers. In June, we were proud to see the Society’s Researcher and Member Support Advisor Amy Hogan travel to Germany to participate in EACD/ IAACD 2025. It was a valuable opportunity for the Cerebral Palsy Society to be visible on the world stage and contribute to ongoing global conversations around disability policy. Amy joined delegates from 25 countries to help shape a global statement on disability rights. This initiative, grounded in analysing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD), aims to strengthen the inclusion of lived experience in international policy settings. The statement is intended to be shared with key organisations such as the World Health Organization and the United Nations in the months ahead. Usually, this group of people meet online, but thanks to funding from the Cerebral Palsy Foundation they were able to meet in-person while in Germany. In addition to this work, Amy’s pre-recorded presentations on pain and aging with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi were shown as part of the broader conference programme, and she also took part in a panel discussion on the importance of adult voices in shaping Cerebral Palsy - Hōkai Nukurangi research. To have a presence in an international setting such as From the Chair Daniel Clay President/Chair EACD/IAACD 2025, is a wonderful opportunity for the Cerebral Palsy Society. My fellow Board members and I thank Amy for representing the Society so well. You can read more about Amy’s time at the conference on page 6 . The Cerebral Palsy Society is currently supporting Dr Anna Mackey from the New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Registry to look at health services provided for people living with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi in Aotearoa New Zealand. One aspect of the project is looking at information from ACC on what type and number of services it provides to people with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi. The information will be combined with information from the Cerebral Palsy Register and information from Health NZ. Good progress has been made in gaining the permission needed from all groups involved to start looking at the information. We are also pleased to report that the project has received further funding from the Neurological Foundation. Thank you for the generous support. Another aspect of the project is understanding ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses for people living with Cerebral Palsy – Hōkai Nukurangi around their health care. We look forward to hearing the outcomes of this project over the coming months. Ngā mihi nui, 4 | THE REVIEW SEPT 2025