InFocus
By Carole Lander
Stature of liberty
The Short Statured People of Australia (SSPA) celebrated
its 50th anniversary at its annual convention late last year.
Members of this support group live with various conditions of
skeletal dysplasia and dwarfism. One of them is Rose Hobbs
who initiated the organisation in 1967 with her then husband
George Whittaker.
R
She is involved in current Australian
research that will lead to better
assessment and understanding of
the mobility, pain and tiredness
challenges faced by some short-
statured people. Convention
participants were invited to volunteer
for balance, joint range and leg
strength testing.
Samuel Millard, current president
of the SSPA, reported to the annual
general meeting on his recent visit to
ose Hobbs (pictured right) in 1967, has worked closely with Berlin for the first ever International
was born in 1947 with the medical practitioners and lobbying Dwarfism Summit.
condition of achondroplasia governments to improve conditions
at a time when very little was known
about dwarfism. When she was 15, a
for people with disability.
That first convention was attended
“The biggest thing about this
summit was recognising how similar
the associations across the world are
UK touring company came to Sydney by 50 people, and at the 2017 and how so many of the same issues
with the show Snow White and the convention held at Myuna Recreation come up for everyone,” he said.
Seven Dwarfs. Centre near Newcastle, there were
“My parents took me to see it and
that made a huge change in my life,”
210 people of all ages.
One regular feature is a medical
Samuel said the Australian SSPA
has a lot in common with Canada and
the United States of America – both
Rose said. “I was taken backstage advisory day where participants learn huge continents where distance can
afterwards to meet the actors playing about the latest developments in be a challenge to communication
the dwarfs. I went to see the show skeletal dysplasia and related topics. between members.
several times, just to remind myself “The conventions offer a great
“Since only one in eight to twelve
that I was not the only short person opportunity for parents of short- thousand babies are born annually
in the world.” statured babies and young children to with a condition of dwarfism, clearly
find out what lies ahead,” said Maree there is a great need for support
Jenner, who organised the day. groups such as SSPA, Little People
One of the actors was George
Whittaker and after they married,
Rose joined George on tours of
The medical team from Westmead
of America (LPA), LPC (Little People
Australia and New Zealand. In Hospital was in attendance to advise of Canada), Little People UK and
Auckland, they met a 10-year-old girl on healthy living with short stature, Restricted Growth Association UK,”
whose short stature had reduced her sleep and breathing, and the latest he said.
self-esteem to such an extent that developments in the drug Vosoritide, her school grades were suffering. which is being trialled across the After spending some time world. It acts on the growth plate
“This is where websites and social
media are so important.”
Back in the 1960s these forms
with Rose and her family, the girl of growing children and may be of communication didn’t exist.
blossomed and this was the impetus useful in decreasing or stopping the However, Rose and George
for Rose and George to start what was abnormal signals that cause bone Whittaker were delighted when,
then called Little People of Australia. growth problems. two years after that first convention,
The new organisation provided
30
being monitored from a young age.
Dr Penny Ireland, a Brisbane
individual state associations started
support and education for short- physiotherapist, gave a talk about up, organising events during the year
statured Australians and since its allied health professional support in addition to the annual national
first convention in Port Macquarie and the importance of children convention.
infocus
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