We welcome Stoyan and Georgi at one of our family-type homes in Kazanlak, and the children run toward them with arms wide open for a hug. This is how our conversation begins with the two rehabilitators who work with the children and young people with disabilities from our services in the city.
They often joke that they are a “terrible duo” who complement each other in everything. “One is the muscle, the other is the brain,” Stoyan shared at the end of our talk. To be honest, we don’t quite agree. Both have both muscle and brain, but also something else in common – a big heart.
They chose to study rehabilitation on the recommendation of their families, without being entirely sure where this path would lead them. Over time, the specialty captivated them, and they dove into the challenge; today they share that they are very happy with the choice they made.
Their paths crossed at one of the day centers in Kazanlak, where they first encountered the work of the Cedar Foundation and some of our young people with disabilities. Our joint work with them began after the hydrotherapy training we organized in 2024.
They joined on the recommendation of the day center manager. Both accepted with interest but also some reservations – over the years, they had undergone much training without real added value, but this time they hoped it would be different. On the way to the pool, they told themselves the most important thing was to learn something substantial to apply in their practice – something that would make them better.
To our joy, in the course of the training, these concerns were gradually disproven. The practice, new knowledge, and exchange of experience gave them exactly what they were looking for.
After it finished, it turned out that both we and they were facing the same dilemma. Our team was deeply impressed by both of them, and the original idea to hire only one person put us in a difficult position. How could we choose?
Without us knowing, a desire to become part of Cedar also arose in them. It is perhaps unnecessary to mention that we decided to offer both of them a place on our team – initially as hydrotherapists, and subsequently, impressed by the way they work, we entrusted them with the other rehabilitation activities.
While preparing the material for the report, we spoke with them at length about their first impressions of working at the Foundation and activities with children and young adults with disabilities in an aquatic environment.
“Even during the training, I learned that the most important thing at the beginning is adapting to the water. This is a key moment of therapy. Very often children with disabilities have fears and it’s important they don’t get scared. We know about some of these fears beforehand, but others manifest over time, so we approach them very carefully.
During the first weeks, it was very important to turn rehabilitation into a game so the children and young adults could get used to the water and gradually adapt. In my opinion, this is a very large part of the entire therapy in an aquatic environment.
Over time, once this adjustment stage passes, everything becomes easier – they already get into the water themselves and can’t wait for the next time. There is a psychological barrier that is gradually overcome. This is completely normal – I myself had a fear of the sea as a child, but overcame it over time.” — Georgi, regarding his first days as a hydrotherapist.
During the conversation with them, we learned that one of the main challenges at the start is related to the fear of water, which requires a careful approach. Besides that, however, in one of the girls, another barrier stood out – shame, which can provoke an equally strong reaction and hinder the adaptation process.
“In the beginning, she was very worried about her condition. During our first sessions in the pool, she shared that she felt uncomfortable when others looked at her. She didn’t stop looking around and observing the people around her. She would tell me: ‘Do you see how the other children are looking at me?’ It took time to deal with these worries, but I’m glad she gradually started to forget about it and those comments remained in the past.” — Stoyan explained.
“We truly observe the greatest progress on a psycho-emotional level. They are much calmer and more independent. But water has a very strong reflection on their physical condition as well because of one important property – buoyancy.”
We all know it – the feeling of how our body becomes light. In people with disabilities who cannot walk, like Gyulshen, this allows for active movements that are impossible outside the water.
She has cerebral palsy – a condition where muscles tighten, become stiff, and over time can lead to body deformations. Her control over them is impaired – some tighten excessively, while others don’t work effectively, leading to an imbalance in the whole body.
For her, rehabilitation is key, and the aquatic environment is an important part of this process because it helps slow down and even stop regression. If movement is lacking, stiffness increases and her condition worsens. We are very happy that currently, we do not observe regression. We also work actively with her hands because they are functional and she relies on them in her daily life. It is important to maintain their strength and mobility. – Georgi added.
Throughout most of our conversation, we talk about the achievements of the children and young adults, their progress, and the moments they are most proud of as their rehabilitators. We will long remember Stoyan’s stories about their successes – the small victories that mean the most to him.
“Teaching Vicky to swim is my greatest pride. In the beginning, she was scared to death – she didn’t want to get into the pool and would cry if she even dared. Now she comes beaming, and there is no trace of that fear.
Generally, the children swim with two pool noodles, but I’m a bit bolder and over time I started giving her only one. Initially, there was a brief cry of fear, but she overcame it very quickly. I saw she was doing well and gradually encouraged her to swim with less and less help. Now she is much more independent in the pool and can swim entirely on her own.
And the best part is that every time after rehabilitation she tells me: ‘Let the next time come faster. No point in waiting, let’s stay and sleep here.’ It makes your soul feel good when you hear it.”
“And with Stanimira, I also have a favorite moment. She cannot speak, but she loves hydrotherapy and never wants to leave. When I tell her it’s time to get out of the pool, she dives under the water. I pull her to the surface, but she dives again and shakes her head to show she isn’t ready to get out.
She spends an extraordinary amount of time underwater, coming up only briefly for air and immediately diving back down. If I stayed without air that long, I’d probably drown. Every time I tell myself I must time how long she lasts, and I really should do it.”
We talk for a long time, but time quickly slips through our fingers. At the end of our conversation, the topic naturally turns toward a larger question – what would they want those who have not encountered people with disabilities to know. It is then that they share their deepest convictions about acceptance and the meaning they find in their work.
Stoyan’s answer is short and categorical: “We must not forget that they are people too – that’s the most important thing. Not to avoid them, to have no discrimination against them. To treat them like people, and if we can help, if they want to be helped – to lend them a hand.”
And in conclusion, Georgi adds: “I would call on everyone to be more open-minded, to show understanding and accept people with disabilities. They exist and need normal human communication and attitude, which will help them take a step toward a better life, to feel fulfilled. As rehabilitators, we have realized that a large part of therapy is the attitude. With most of our young adults, we cannot have a conversation because they are non-verbal, but the contact itself is extremely important for them. They always remember how you made them feel. This remains the most important thing in our work.”
Their words stay with us even after the conversation ends. They remind us that the greatest change begins with something small – with the attitude we choose to have toward one another.
