Associació de Paràlisi Cerebral (Fundació ASPACE Catalunya)

The Associació de Paràlisi Cerebral, officially known since 2018 as Fundació ASPACE Catalunya, is a non-profit entity founded in 1959 and legally constituted in 1960 in Barcelona by a group of parents of children affected by cerebral palsy, led by Josep M. Marcet, under the name "Sociedad de Ayuda al Paralítico Cerebral". Its purpose was to promote services covering research, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, education, promotion and assistance for people with cerebral palsy or related neurological or psychological conditions, while also supporting their families. Over more than six decades the organisation has built a comprehensive care model. Its services include the Centre Pilot Arcàngel Sant Gabriel, a specific outpatient service for people with cerebral palsy, the ASPACE Special Education School, the Occupational Centre for Social Integration and the Centre Integral Montjuïc. Since 1997 it has also offered home care. In 1999 it received the Creu de Sant Jordi, in recognition of its pioneering role in Spain. Today the foundation describes itself as a reference in cerebral palsy and neurodevelopmental pathologies, working across health, social and educational domains. Its 2025 annual report states that it accompanied more than 3,700 people and carried out 150,000 interventions, with a focus on innovation, research and knowledge dissemination. It runs specialised services for young children under the "Petit Aspace" programme and collaborates with external medical institutions, such as a high-specialisation ophthalmology care model developed with the Institut Català de Retina (ICR). The organisation is also active in clinical research. A clinical trial on the use of radial shock wave therapy (rESWT) for spasticity in cerebral palsy, led by physiotherapist Míriam Tur within her doctoral thesis at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, was published in the international journal Frontiers in Neurology. The foundation continues to promote evidence-based rehabilitation and multidisciplinary support for people with cerebral palsy and pluridisability at every stage of life.

The Associació de Paràlisi Cerebral was founded in 1959 and legally constituted in 1960 in Barcelona by a group of parents of children with cerebral palsy, led by Josep M. Marcet, under the name "Sociedad de Ayuda al Paralítico Cerebral". Its founding mission was to promote services for research, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, education, promotion and assistance for people with cerebral palsy or related neurological or psychological conditions, and to support their families. Over the following decades the organisation developed a network of specialised services. These include the Centre Pilot Arcàngel Sant Gabriel, a specific outpatient consultation service for people with cerebral palsy, the ASPACE Special Education School, the Occupational Centre for Social Integration and the Centre Integral Montjuïc. In 1997 it added home care to its services. In 1999 it was awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi, recognising it as a pioneer in Spain. In 2018 the entity adopted the official name Fundació ASPACE Catalunya, reflecting its evolution into a foundation. By 2025 it reported accompanying more than 3,700 people and carrying out 150,000 interventions, with a model based on innovation, knowledge and networking. It has also developed clinical research, including a trial on radial shock wave therapy for spasticity in cerebral palsy published in Frontiers in Neurology, and collaborations such as the ophthalmology care model with the Institut Català de Retina.

• 2026

  Announced a new high-specialisation ophthalmology care model with the Institut Català de Retina (ICR).

• 2025

  Annual report states more than 3,700 people accompanied and 150,000 interventions.

• 2018

  Adopted the official name Fundació ASPACE Catalunya.

• 1999

  Awarded the Creu de Sant Jordi for its pioneering role in Spain.

• 1997

  Home care service added to its offerings.

• 1960

  Legally constituted under the name "Sociedad de Ayuda al Paralítico Cerebral".

• 1959

  Founded in Barcelona by a group of parents of children with cerebral palsy, led by Josep M. Marcet.

Reference organisation in cerebral palsy and neurodevelopmental pathologies, offering multidisciplinary support across health, social and educational domains.

• Centre Pilot Arcàngel Sant Gabriel

  A pilot centre providing specialised care.

• Escola d'Educació Especial ASPACE

  Special education school for children with cerebral palsy and related conditions.

• Centre Ocupacional d'Integració Social

  Occupational centre focused on social integration.

• Centre Integral Montjuïc

  Comprehensive care centre.

• Petit Aspace

  Specialised services for young children with personalised attention focused on integral development.

1. 1Fundació Aspace Catalunyaaspace.cat
2. 2La Fundació Aspace Catalunya publica un nou assaig clínic sobre l'ús de les ones de xoc radials per l’abordatge de l’espasticitat en la paràlisi cerebralaspace.cat
3. 3Associació de Paràlisi Cerebral - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4Fundació ASPACE Catalunya - Viquipèdiaca.wikipedia.org