From grief to grace: The legacy of Gabby's smile

Young Gabby Robberds is remembered for her smile, for her gentle, tenacious spirit and good cheer. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was born, Gabby passed away in 2010 when she was just two years old, after a massive seizure from which she never recovered.

In those two years, Gabby’s warm and constant smile changed the lives of family, friends and therapists alike. It flashed often at her physiotherapy and occupational therapy sessions which she really loved, says dad, UC alumnus, Craig Robberds.

“Gabby really enjoyed those sessions,” Craig said. “Whether it was being rolled around in her chair, or being in a swimming pool for water therapy. And the therapy sessions helped her immensely.

"She'd smile and laugh throughout, it was amazing to see. And she used to train with me, and every time she did her exercises to stretch her hamstrings especially, she'd giggle the whole time."

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy for people with cerebral palsy focus on developing the ability to function on a day-to-day level, improving strength and dexterity, and fostering independence and productivity. A strong connection is often forged between therapist and patient, an important emotional bond.

Physiotherapy and occupational therapy both have a huge impact on kids with cerebral palsy; they can improve their quality of life so much.

The emotional connection also often reaches outwards to encompass the patient’s family and caregivers, creating a whole web of support – and making it important that therapy is both patient-centric and family-focused.

After Gabby passed away, her sister Charlotte wanted to honour her memory. "Charlotte was 11 at the time, and she came up with the idea of doing some fund-raising to help other kids with cerebral palsy,” said Craig.

"She initially thought of doing something small at school, getting everyone to wear a funny hat and make a gold coin donation. But few of the kids did, and so she asked me if we could try a fund-raising dinner instead."

The family held the Raise a Smile fundraising dinner – and raised $125,000 in just one night, surpassing all their expectations. This amount enabled the possibility of creating an ongoing means of support and philanthropy, rather than a one-off donation. The scholarship is also open for public donations.

After discussing it with the Cerebral Palsy Association ACT, the Robberds family was ultimately guided by what Gabby loved. Having seen the impact therapy had on her, they decided to invest in and support the next generation of physiotherapists and occupational therapists via the Gabby Robberds Scholarship, created in 2012.

It was – and remains – an extraordinarily open-hearted and far-sighted gesture, supporting both an often under-staffed clinical workforce and the community it serves. An annual scholarship for University of Canberra students, the Gabby Robberds Scholarship combines a financial award with a five-week clinical placement with the Cerebral Palsy Alliance ACT.

Having graduated with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sports Studies from the University of Canberra in 1998, Craig knows firsthand the benefits of combining studies with practical experience .

UC’s Faculty of Health is the only one in the ACT offering physiotherapy and occupational therapy courses, so we offered the scholarship to them.

The Gabby Robberds Scholarship was first made available for physiotherapy students at UC. In 2017, it was extended to students studying occupational therapy as well. Every year, one student from each discipline is chosen for the award.

The scholarship is based on academic performance, demonstrated community service for people with a disability – and most importantly, an interest in paediatric physiotherapy and helping children with disabilities.

This year, the Gabby Robberds Scholarship winners are Rachael Mitterfellner (occupational therapy) and Harriet Drane (physiotherapy), who received their awards at a special ceremony held on campus. Read their stories here.

“I am immensely grateful, both to get the scholarship and that it even exists at all, thanks to the Robberds family,” said Harriet.

“It’s incredible to see people go through so much, and use their experience to support others. It says so much about what kind of family they are.”

And it is a wonderful homage to Gabby, a little girl who changed the lives of everyone who became a part of hers.

Words by Suzanne Lazaroo, Photos by Craig Robberds