I furthered my education by doing
high school by correspondence, and a
business course at TAFE at Southbank.
When I finished at TAFE, I was successful
in getting work at the Little Kings
Movement.
When CPL opened their centre in
Moorooka in 2000, I began attending that
location and will continue to do so for as
long as I am able.
In 2006, I was lucky enough to be able
to move into my own home back at
Moorooka. It is a Queensland Housing unit
and I was consulted in the final ‘fit out’
stage so it would meet my specific needs.
I still live here independently with the
support of CPL carers.
In 2016 I received Life Membership for
the years of service to CPL. As far as
I am aware, at present I am the oldest
client who has been receiving continuous
service from CPL, and continues to do so
– 69 years now and still counting.
I am very proud of this as I still live in the
community and don’t need a motorised
scooter, I have my own manual wheelchair
that keeps me fit. My friends say I’m ‘self-
motivated’.
I still attend CPL Moorooka two days a
week where I enjoy artwork and many of
their other activities. With the support
of staff my paint brush is attached to
a special headpiece to allow me to be
creative. At home, my current craft efforts
are with tapestry and I am making ‘tote’
type handbags.
“
As far as I am aware, at present I
am the oldest client who has been
receiving continuous service from
CPL, and continues to do so – 69
years now and still counting.
”
home computer is operated by a floor-
mounted trackball-type mouse. I do love
the improvements in technology that
have made things easier for people with
disabilities and now I mostly use a tablet
device.
In my spare time, I enjoy kite flying and
am the only member in Australia of a Kite
Flying club who has this type of disability.
Sadly, all of my immediate family (mother,
father, brother) have now passed away,
and while I have a number of nieces and
nephews, none are local. I do however
have wonderful CPL support, my faith,
family, and fantastic ‘framily’ (friends I
consider family), so I am blessed and
surrounded by loved ones still.
What’s next for me? Retire? I don’t have
time to retire…. With the support of CPL,
I hope to be able to live independently in
the community for many more years to
come.
- Joan Leonard
I love music and dance, and attend the
wheelchair dancing class (pictured right)
once a week.
Now I attend work only two mornings
per week (transition to retirement),
my work involves computer work. My
CPL – Choice, Passion, Life
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