CP Inspiration

In recognition of Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month, we thought it would be an amazing opportunity to share the voice of a community member that has faced the journey many of you may just be starting. Having a child with CP can be very difficult and involve a number of questions about their present and future, as well as goals and more. Once a child with CP and now an adult, Lyne Dubeault, has a story that may also be all too familiar for some of you while, at the same time, providing hope for those of you curious about what your child’s future may hold:

While we often focus on children with Cerebral Palsy in hopes of helping to make an impact at an important time during a child’s development, we also work to show what the future can hold. Stories of success and strength we receive from people with CP can be enriching and inspiring to all due to the long road that led up to their successes, but they also supply the hope needed for today’s children.

Every child with Cerebral Palsy is a gift and parents of children with CP are some of the bravest, strongest people on the planet. The time commitment and dependency involved is incredible, making feelings of isolation or “being alone” a common occurrence. While many of our resources are dedicated to helping children, the MyChild team also feels strongly about helping, strengthening and empowering parents in any and every way that we can.

Levi Norwood is a senior wide receiver at Baylor University. During this past season, Levi and his teammates were part of a very unique effort that raised attention to Cerebral Palsy: for every score against Kansas, supporters pledged donations that eventually raised over $6,000 for Cerebral Palsy research.

The inspiring father-and-son team, Rick and Dick Hoyt, will forever represent a symbol of strength and parental devotion, as Boston City Councilor Matt O’Malley declared October 22, 2014 as Team Hoyt Day.

On October 16th, Ontario High School crowned Melissa Andrade its 2014 Homecoming Queen, making her the first student with special needs in the history of the school to ever win the crown. Andrade, has Cerebral Palsy, and a smile of positivity that’s determined to break all barriers.

A new study by Newcastle University in the U.K. finds teens with Cerebral Palsy report similar quality of life to their able-bodied peers.

Back in June, we shared an inspiring story on our Facebook page about Keith Boyd, a 10-year-old entrepreneur who has Cerebral Palsy and is the CEO of Keith’s Ice Cold Lemonade Stand.

Students in the robotics club at Granada Hills Charter High School spent their summer building a low-cost exoskeleton that would help children with Cerebral Palsy walk.

Exoskeletons for therapy can make a huge difference for children learning to walk: it cut the rehabilitation time from five years to one. However, these devices are expensive - ranging from $300,000 to $500,000. To produce an exoskeleton for a fraction of the cost, the students used cost efficient materials: 3D-printed parts, four motors, a treadmill, and a harness.

19-year-old Jake has Cerebral Palsy and was walking along a rural highway in Monroe, Washington in search of his favorite animal – horses – when a stranger stopped him to offer help.

Aaron Panagos said communication was difficult at first. Once he learned that Jake was homeless, and it was clear that he couldn’t take care of himself, Aaron called police to see what they could do to help.

Aaron and officer Paul Henderson took Jake to Valley General Hospital in Monroe with, where he received care and shelter.