Chair’s Blog
On Friday 30th July 2021, Long COVID Physio announced the inaugural Executive Board of our Association. Our first executive board are shaping our next stage of growth. They represent our membership, our culture, and our purpose. This phase also represents an opportunity to reflect on the growth we have collectively achieved to date. Long COVID Physio was founded in November 2020 from a tweet. To witness the growth of our association from a collective of Physiotherapists living with Long COVID, to an association with objectives, a constitution, a catalogue of work, and an Executive Board, warrants celebration.
This celebration is not navel gazing or self-congratulation. This celebration includes the countless supports we have received. From our allies not living with Long COVID and those living with other health conditions such as ME/CFS. The support from associations representing people living with Long COVID such as Long COVID Support, Long COVID SOS, Patient Led Research Collaborative, Body Politic, Long COVID Kids and many others. Additionally the professional associations and organisations including World Physiotherapy, Physiopedia, Phyioplus, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), and American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), who have supported us in diverse ways.
It is through the allyship and support of many others, that we have been able to grow. If I was to use a metophor of a plant, it is this support that enabled us to water our “seed” first planted in November 2020. This “seedling” has established strong roots founded in peer support. It has grown early “shoots” and “leaves” represented by our work and collaborations including the briefing paper on safe rehabilitation approaches, rehabilitation standards for those either hospitalised or managed in community settings, and educational courses. The “budding” of our podcast was an important part of our early growth. And now, the formation of our Executive Board is our first “flower”.
Why a flower? Because we are still growing, we are forming, we are evolving, and hopefully we are bright, colourful and inviting. I believe we have so much more yet to show the world what we can achieve together. Our inaugural Executive Board is diverse and inclusive in representation, with different geographical regions, Long COVID status (eg: living with Long COVID or Long COVID ally), professional experiences, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, and age. We have created roles that centre on rehabilitation and disability, equity diversity and belonging, Allied Health Professionals, and roles that provide people with episodic disability the opportunity to participate. I am so privileged to have been provided the opportunity to take on this role of Chair within this incredible Executive Board and Association. I am filled with pride and joy to be working with all who continue to support us. I look forward to what the future holds for our Association, as our plant continues to grow and flower.
