Cerebral palsy is one of the least understood disabilities and people with cerebral palsy are often out of sight, out of mind and out of options in communities around the world. This needs to change.
World Cerebral Palsy Day on October 6th was created by the Cerebral Palsy Alliance in 2012 and now brings together people living with cerebral palsy, their families, allies, supporters and organizations across more than 100 countries. All with the aim to ensure a future in which children and adults with cerebral palsy have the same rights, access and opportunities as anyone else in our society.
There are more than 17 million people across the world living with cerebral palsy. Another 350 million people are closely connected to a child or adult with cerebral palsy. It is the most common physical disability in childhood. Cerebral palsy is a permanent disability that affects movement. Its impact can range from a weakness in one hand, to almost a complete lack of voluntary movement.
It is a complex disability:
- 1 in 4 children with cerebral palsy cannot talk
- 1 in 4 cannot walk
- 1 in 2 have an intellectual disability
- 1 in 4 have epilepsy.
Cerebral palsy is a lifelong disability and there is no known cure.
Simple Ways You Can Celebrate World CP Day
Read and Learn: Gillette Children’s Press has several books to help you learn about cerebral palsy and people living with CP:
Improving Quality of Life for Individuals with Cerebral Palsy through Treatment of Gait Impairment International Cerebral Palsy Function and Mobility Symposium Clinics in Developmental Medicine is the result of a three-day symposium held in December 2019. The book is edited by Gillette orthopedic surgeon, Tom Novacheck, MD and clinical scientist, Michael Schwartz, PhD. It includes a chapter written by Gillette orthopedic surgeon, Andrew Georgiadis, MD. Print copies and a free eBook are available at www.mackeith.co.uk/books.
Spastic Diplegia – Bilateral Cerebral Palsy combines scientific research and a mother’s personal story of raising her son who is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Author Lily Collison wrote the book in conjunction with senior medical staff at Gillette Children’s.
Pure Grit is Lily Collison’s second book, and it highlights the stories of remarkable people living with physical disability. Collison and co-author Kara Buckley introduce us to nineteen people from across the globe who share their success and struggles. Collison says the book is not a collection of stories of people overcoming disability but rather it is stories of people accommodating disability while pursuing their dreams.
It’s Okay to Ask! introduces young readers to five children living with a disability or a complex medical condition. As children get to know the characters in the book they learn that it’s okay to ask questions. Once you do, you can discover that everyone is more alike than you might think and that people of all abilities can be friends.
Contact: Reach out to your legislator or lawmaker and be an advocate to ensure all children have equal access to quality educational opportunities.
Wear: Green is the color of cerebral palsy awareness. The color green was chosen to reflect new growth, vibrant lives and hope for advancements in treatments and acceptance.
Support and Share: Be a support and spread the message of equality for all people via social media. Remember to tag your messages and use the hashtags #WorldCerebralPalsyDay, #worldcpday and #cerebralpalsy.
Sources: https://worldcpday.org/ and https://www.gillettechildrens.org/stories/simple-ways-to-celebrate-world-cp-day
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