Bounce Back Boy
Exploring the inspirational life of Josh Cawley. Originally commissioned by the National Council for Palliative Care (now Hospice UK)
Bounce Back Boy is a powerful account of the true story of Josh Cawley and his adoptive family. Josh had complex support needs, the result of catastrophic injuries he suffered at the hands of his birth parents when he was a baby. He was left unable to speak or to move from his wheelchair. In 1994, Lynn Cawley and her family adopted him and looked after him until he died at home aged just 22.
Sadly, this tragic event was rendered even worse by a series of failures on the part of health and social care professionals who failed to adequately identify, assess and meet the needs of Josh and his family. Having fought against discrimination for Josh in life, Lynn found herself fighting again for his right to ‘a good death.’
Bounce Back Boy tells Josh’s story, but has also helped to inspire and inform a range of end of life training resources for health care professionals, developed by the Royal College of Nursing’s Pain and Palliative Care forum. The play has instrumental in a number of campaigns for better end of life care and has been performed in the House of Commons.
The play has been filmed and is available through the Royal College of Nursing or it can be performed with a single actor.
Watch a performance of Bounce Back Boy with Joseph Daniel-Taylor below…
More about Bounce Back Boy…
This unique film aims to provoke discussion and:
raise awareness of the multiple challenges that can arise when a young person with complex needs is dying
promote understanding of the human impact of inadequate support for individuals and those that love them at the end of life
highlight the importance of tailoring care to individual and family needs at the end of life
improve the quality and experience of palliative and end of life care for young adults and people with learning difficulties.
