League News Layout1 - Cerebral Palsy League

Mavis Freeman
MAVIS Freeman was an original. If
there was a challenge - she would
take it.
Two years after marrying her
husband, Selwyn, the couple
welcomed their first child, Jeanette.
They spent a blissful four months
together before Mavis would face one
of her biggest challenges. Jeanette
contracted Polio.
Polio took its toll on the young family
in more ways than one. After
struggling through the illness,
Jeanette developed cerebral palsy,
which left her with limited mobility.
Keith, the second of Mavis’ four
children remembered his mother’s
strength when he visited the
Queensland Spastic Welfare League,
with his sister in the early 1950’s.
“My mother was one of the originals
to seek treatment for Jeanette at the
League,” Keith remembered.
“She spent a lot of time there.”
During the mid 50’s, Mavis would
board in a private residence in
Toowong, and commute daily to the
centre with Jeannette for therapy, or
volunteer her time to toileting and
feeding other children who attended
the centre, while Selwyn tended the
farm they were keeping together.
“We lived on a farm in a place called
Lanefield. Mum took care of Jeanette
and taught her school lessons by
correspondence until grade six,” Keith
said.
“Jeanette was good at school work.
She had a brilliant mind, she just had
motor problems,” he said.
The family grew and eventually,
Jeanette and Keith welcomed their
brother, Murray, and sister, Christine.
Mavis continued to support her family
and encouraged them to take up new
interests as they found them.
“Jeanette became very interested in
Corgi dogs in the late 60’s,” Keith said.
“Mum would drive her everywhere she
needed to go and helped her learn
about breeding and showing dogs.
They bred them together and showed
them until eventually they bred a
champion,” he said.
“Mum was the type of person that got
on with things. If there was a challenge
she took it - she was that way with
everything,” Keith said.
In 1975, Mavis took on what would
have been the second greatest
challenge she would face in her life.
She would say goodbye to her
daughter for the last time when the
family lost Jeanette to her struggle
with pneumonia complications.
Mavis Freeman proved she could take
life’s challenges and was an original
in many ways, including her support
of what has become one of largest
service providers to people with a
physical disability in Queensland: the
Cerebral Palsy League.
“She was amazing; right until the very
end,” Keith said.
“We miss her very much.”
Mavis Freeman passed away on 22
February 2006 at the age of 84.
She is survived by her children Keith,
Murray and Christine.
Her husband, Selwyn, became a Life
Member of the League in 1975.
Brainstorm Cerebral
Palsy
An open email forum to discuss
cerebral palsy, welcomes people
with cerebral palsy, their friends
and families, and all health and
educational professionals in
Australia. To join Brainstorm CP,
send a blank email with a blank
subject line to:
BrainstormCP
subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au
or visit the group website on:
http://au.groups.yahoo.com/
group/BrainstormCP
Click “join this group” and follow
the instructions.
Australia’s most
female friendly
employer
CITED as an Employer of
Choice for Women by the
Federal Government’s Equal
Opportunity for Women in the
Workplace Agency (EOWA),
the Cerebral Palsy League was
proud to be the only nonresidential
care services
organisation in the country to
achieve this accolade.
For the third consecutive year
the League has received this
award for employing women as
more than 75 per cent of is 1100
strong workforce.
“We strive to support and
encourage women within all
levels of our organisation and
are delighted to receive this
award,” the League’s Human
Resources Manager, Stuart
Pilton said.
“The proof is in the pudding
though and we’ve had women
who’ve devoted their lives to
working for the League for over
20 years.
“This includes long-term
employee Robyn Smedley, who
has spent three-quarters of her
life – some 35 years – working
for the League,” he said.
PETALS, the Worldwide Florist
Network will donate 25 per
cent of every online order to
the Cerebral Palsy League,
when the following number is
quoted.
7059
Place your next order with
Petals online.
www.petals.com.au
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