Awards 2008 : Category Winners
Arts, Culture and Communications • Business Entrepreneurs • Education • Health • Science & Technology • Social Welfare • Sport
Health
Prof Lorna Barbara Jacklin has dedicated her life and in particular her medical career to improving the lives of children with mental health problems caused by physical disabilities or abuse. She has acted as an Ombudsman for these children who do not fit into mainline education and struggle to fulfil their potential as they are misunderstood, misdiagnosed and mistreated.
Mental health problems rob these children of a fair chance in life if not treated as it eventually translates into developmental problems which in turn bring social problems as children grow up into adults who cannot function independently and are anti-social in their behaviour.
Prof Jacklin holds the position of the Principal Consultant Pediatrician with the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand and consults to the Pediatric Department of the Johannesburg Hospital.
Using her knowledge and capabilities in the mental health medical field, she has made a difference in the lives of thousands of children acting as medical consultant to the Neuro-developmental Clinic at the Johannesburg Hospital and various other clinics and initiatives in support of children with mental health problem.
With an unwavering dedication to help the neediest of children who would normally not have had services or interventions that can and do change their lives she has deliberately chosen to remain in public practice and extend her expertise to help the most marginalised children in our society.
Prof. Jacklin is determined to take her work in services for child abuse and mental disability beyond the clinic in the Johannesburg Hospital to a bigger community. She understands the plight of the poor who are overwhelmed by the needs of their child but also bound by their impoverished situation. These families find it incredibly difficult to find the money for transport to the Johannesburg Clinic and also it is hard to take their mentally disabled, and often difficult to manage children on public transport.
Understanding this she has embarked on a process to bring neuro-developmental outreach services to second level hospitals in the greater Johannesburg area taking her knowledge and services to the people. She is training, coaching and mentoring others so that services can be increased to the community.
Prof Jacklin has also recognised that the Autism Screening Clinic needs to be upgraded to a full service Autism Assessment Clinic whereby families can receive a comprehensive diagnosis of the child together with immediate and appropriate educational support and a plan of action for the family.
In her work in the Neuro-developmental Clinic she has been able to track the changing profile of autism as ever increasing numbers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder are brought to her for assessment and medical support. This is extremely valuable work in the face of an international crisis of growing numbers of children with autism. She is ensuring that South African data is being collected and scrutinized as to whether our children are following the pattern presenting in the US and UK.
Prof Jacklin is one of the founder members and previous chairperson of Healing Jozi Kids, an organisation run as a university project to raise funds for the children’s wards and out-patient clinics at Chris Hani Baragwanath, Coronation and Johannesburg General Hospitals.
She started the Toy Library for patients and children with disabilities at Baragwanath Hospital in 1985. It is still in existence and has been replicated. She is a founder member of the Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children which was launched in 1986.
As there are no affordable pre-school and educational services for blind or autistic children in Johannesburg she also founded the Children’s Disability Centre in 1986. It is now a comprehensive service, which in partnership with the Johannesburg Hospital and Hospital School, allows for the assessment, early intervention and education of blind and autistic children. The service reaches out to the community by providing training and support to mainstream schools assisting in inclusive education where possible.
Children and adults with mental and physical disabilities are preserved to be scary as they don’t always fit into the world’s way of thinking and operating. Prof Jacklin is a champion for these children, providing them with a voice so that they can get the services that they need and the life that they deserve.
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