Western Australian children with neurological conditions and injuries are the first in Australia to access a cutting-edge rehabilitation robot to improve their mobility thanks to a partnership between Mineral Resources (MinRes), Telethon and Healthy Strides Foundation.
ZeroG 3D, a gravity-defying body weight support system, was this month installed at Healthy Strides’ clinic in Victoria Park, giving paediatric rehabilitation patients full freedom of movement without the fear of falling or injury.
The first machine to be installed outside of the United States, it uses a computer-controlled harness to partially remove a patient’s weight and automatically track their movement as they safely practice balancing, walking and functional activities.
Since 2022, Healthy Strides has used the original track-based ZeroG system, which was also funded by MinRes via Telethon and proved so successful over the past two years the charity now has an eight-month wait list.
The previous version limited users to walking only in a straight line along a track, but the next generation device works on a gantry system that allows the robot to move in any direction.
This breakthrough means patients can step in any direction and safely simulate everyday activities, such as moving around a kitchen or even riding a bicycle and dancing, in a real-world environment.
“I am so grateful to MinRes and Telethon for helping to bring ZeroG 3D to Australia for the first time," said Healthy Strides Foundation founder Dayna Pool, a physiotherapist who specialises in neurological rehabilitation.
"It’s not just an upgrade – it’s a giant leap into the future of paediatric rehabilitation."
Dayna said ZeroG 3D provides the opportunity to truly harness the principles of neuroplasticity – to learn valuable and important new skills in the most independent way possible, while ensuring skills are gained and maintained for a lifetime.
“It protects children from falling while providing sophisticated, advanced dynamic body weight support and for the first time within a 3D space that offers freedom and simulates how we move in everyday environments,” Dayna said.
MinRes’ funding of the ZeroG 3D system forms part of the company’s annual Telethon donation, which included a $2 million contribution to the fundraising tally in 2024.
MinRes Director People Andrea Chapman said MinRes is so proud to partner with Telethon and Healthy Strides to help bring this breakthrough technology to WA for the first time.
“Healthy Strides is a wonderful organisation and we have been blown away by how Dayna and her team are building the confidence, strength and skills of these inspirational children,” Andrea said.
Healthy Strides’ innovative therapy programs is helping one of the 2024 Little Telethon Stars, eight-year-old Nazeem Fahmi.
Nazeem lives with cerebral palsy and dystonia, and recently completed a fourth block of six-week intensive therapy at Healthy Strides. ZeroG has helped the determined Cooloongup Primary School student to walk with crutches and practice functional movement to increase his independence.
“Healthy Strides has given us hope," said Nazeem’s mum, Noraishah.
"With each intervention I can see Nazeem excel further than what the expectations were of his condition.
“At first I didn’t think he would walk, but after every ZeroG intervention he tries to walk by himself and he’s now graduated to taking five steps free of equipment or assistance – we have seen miraculous improvement.”
At the heart of MinRes' social investment program is a commitment to working alongside and empowering not-for-profit organisations and industry peers operating in local communities.
Learn more in the company's 2024 Social Investment Report.
