Cape Town - Aimed at making a change in people’s mental and physical health through ocean-based surf therapy programmes, the Roxy Davis Foundation will host a Surf Therapy Clinic in Muizenberg on Saturday.
The clinic will enable individuals living with physical, intellectual, sensory or cognitive disabilities to experience surfing and its benefits.
It is also a method of intervention which combines surf instruction/surfing and structured individual and/or group activities to promote psychological, physical and psychosocial well-being.
Founder Roxy Davis said a team of passionate volunteers deliver surf therapy clinics on a monthly basis.
“Participants and their family members are afforded the opportunity to spend a day at the beach as a family, engage with other families in nature and experience the life changing benefits of surf therapy.
“As a volunteer it will teach you valuable skills, you will make new friends, become part of a wonderful community of like-minded people and it will provide you with a sense of purpose.
“Our goal is to deliver fun and memorable surf therapy clinics in a safe manner that creates impact and changes lives,” she said.
Davis added that surf therapy has long term positive effects such as physical fitness, self-confidence, social development, behaviour and sleep, and reduced levels of anxiety.
“Children with disabilities have less access to social services, adequate standard of living, health services and early learning and education.
“Inaccessibility of the environment for sport participation has been a large identifier as the chief barrier to social participation,” she added.
Two-time World Para Surfing champion, Ant Smyth, said the remarkable thing about surf therapy is that anyone who lives with a disability, can do what they thought was impossible.
“The fact that it has real measurable therapeutic benefits is the cherry on top. It’s like taking medicine because it tastes nice,” he said.
For more information, email: [email protected].