By: Cindy Hughes, Tyze Personal Networks
You know, perspective is a funny thing. The view is much clearer when you’re on Fresco, a gigantic draft horse wearing nothing but a thick pad with handles. From up there, you can see far and wide. You’re alive too—caught up in a jumble of movement, muscles and horse musk.
“Lean forward, let your muscles stretch right out!” encourages Miriam Grob, the therapeutic riding coach. Fresco is carrying precious cargo today: Matthew Quetton and his young son, Theo.
Seven years ago Theo, was born with a rare genetic mutation, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome, which causes him to grow very slowly. He is non-verbal and his physical and cognitive challenges mean he’ll always need 24-hour care. But that’s just part of the picture. Among other things, Theo has also been the catalyst for some beautiful ideas about bridging healthcare professionals and the community.
A Radical Question
Before Theo was born, Matthew and his wife Leslie were carefree 30-somethings with successful design careers. They were about to be first time parents and figured they knew what life was going to look like. Theo’s condition came as a thunderbolt.
After the initial shock, they asked a game-changing question. What if they radically altered their perspective? What if they treated Theo’s constraints as an experiment; one that required innovation, flexibility and a spirit of play?
“Theo became another creative project for us, by far the most complex and rewarding to date. We came to view his diagnosis not as a fearful thing, but in fact as the opposite – as a pathway for innovation and success.”
First, Rally the Troops
Theo immediately took on a large complicated roster of formal care providers. But the crazy thing was that these talented specialists never crossed paths or talked to one another. No overlap existed and no one but Theo’s parents understood the full, rich story. With a lifetime of care ahead, this wouldn’t do.
“As designers we knew that good collaboration only comes from good relationship. We became so committed to finding ways to break down barriers in the medical experience and to integrate Theo’s care. We wanted to turn the plethora of bright, dedicated specialists working with him into more than just specialists—we wanted a united, collaborative front. We wanted everyone to see more than a set of vital signs; we wanted them to see Theo. We got as excited about our relationships with his therapists as we would have with co-collaborators on any design project.”
But how to practically create an information bridge from one specialist to another? Why, with a creative modern solution, of course.
Enter Tyze.
Tyze Personal Networks is a Vancouver-based social mission business that creates secure online personal networks of support. A Tyze community is an online space where people can rally around someone facing a life challenge in total privacy. Users can upload photos, videos and stories and medical professionals can upload documents into a secure vault. Every network has a purpose and is created around a specific person and a specific situation. To date there are 4,000 active networks in Canada, the US, the UK and Australia.
“We were unapologetic about wanting our therapists to be friends and our friends to be therapists.”
“When it comes to tools like Tyze we’re very, very fortunate,” reflects Matthew. “It’s been so easy to use and we immediately convened everyone there, in one shared space. We consciously tore down the walls between the formal and informal people in Theo’s life. We were unapologetic about wanting our therapists to be friends and our friends to be therapists. We didn’t want a division. ”
And the Cool Thing?
It worked. Not only did a Tyze network unite Theo’s professional care providers (thanks to Tyze they actively collaborate together) it also created a space for family around the world to join in. “Our families live all over, but with Tyze we get to weave Theo’s story into theirs on a day-to-day basis.”
A Horse of a Different Color
When Theo started taking therapeutic horseback riding lessons, everyone on his network was excited. In fact, when his physiotherapist read about it, she immediately confessed she’d harboured an interest in horse centered therapy for years. The Quettons invited her to join them for a lesson.
“That was a great example of how Tyze helped us bring two therapists together who would have otherwise never met; an example of us all working together toward the same goal.”
During that joint riding lesson they recorded a video.
“We took a video of Theo on the horse, working with the physiotherapist and the riding coach, and we posted that to Tyze. The school-sponsored physiotherapist and occupational therapist were able to see Theo’s capacity and behaviour on the horse. So now the therapists are doing information swapping. And at the same time our friends and family are commenting on it just for the sheer joy of it. And we want the therapists to see that too, to have more than just a diagnostic viewpoint, to experience the richness of the storytelling and the reflection that comes from the family. We want the therapists to feel the excitement of his uncle—to understand the full dimension that Theo is in.”
Bird’s Eye View
Yes, the view from Fresco’s back is pretty remarkable. From up there, a bigger picture slides into focus. “If you don’t collaborate with a horse, you fall off,” laughs Matthew. “It’s a very good example of being authentic and learning how to play nice with others.”
The view from a Tyze network is something remarkable too. From there a broader landscape springs into focus, one that includes all the colours and aspects of a person’s life. And as with us all, Theo’s life gets colour though his relationships.
According to Matthew, the truth is that Theo is a great relationship builder. “He’s a cheeky little monkey with a sideways glance that gets ‘em every time. I envy him, even, the ease and grace with which he draws people in. The trick isn’t for us to help him build relationships; it’s to set the stage for him to do so himself.”
And in today’s modern world, what does such a stage look like? Where can we connect professionals, community and people experiencing a challenge? Where can we bring air and water to the relationships that are our lifeline?
Could it be a space like Tyze, a welcoming hub where everyone can so easily come together to care? A simple platform where information is shared, relationships are solidified and where we can instill dignity into the healing process?
Now that’s a horse worth riding.