What You Need to Know about Preventative Care and Disability

Mature doctor conversing with mother and daughter in his office

  Having a disability doesn’t make you immune to the typical health care needs that everyone experiences, but sometimes it can make it more complicated to access the preventative care you need to stay as healthy as possible. In the second installment of the What You Need to Know series, we intend to tackle preventative…

Read More of "What You Need to Know about Preventative Care and Disability"

“Jumps and Jolts”: The Ups and Downs of Living with Spasticity

[Image description: A young woman with dark hair pulled back in a ponytail wearing an orange blouse is seated and smiling at the camera.]   It is a running joke in my family that I jerk involuntarily and freeze whenever there is too much stimulation around me, or if  I’m anxious or stressed. This is…

Read More of "“Jumps and Jolts”: The Ups and Downs of Living with Spasticity"

5 Things You May Not Know About the Americans with Disabilities Act

(Image Description: Photo of President George H. W. Bush signing into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on the South Lawn of the White House. Evan Kemp and Justin Dart are in wheelchairs beside President Bush. Rev. Harold Wilke and Swift Parrino are standing behind President Bush.)

  (Image Description: Photo of President George H. W. Bush signing into law the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 on the South Lawn of the White House. Evan Kemp and Justin Dart are in wheelchairs beside President Bush. Rev. Harold Wilke and Swift Parrino are standing behind President Bush.)   Post by Nikita Aneja…

Read More of "5 Things You May Not Know About the Americans with Disabilities Act"

UCP Interns Visit the White House

  (Image description: Six women in their 20s posing at the White House Forum on LGBT and Disability Issues. Three of them have dark hair and three have light hair. Five are standing and one is in a wheelchair.)    As a representative of United Cerebral Palsy’s National Office, I was able to attend the White…

Read More of "UCP Interns Visit the White House"

“Warrior Cowboy”: On Strength, Persistence, and Gratitude in Life and Art

“Storms are a constant in our life, but no matter what happens to us — our spirit will never be destroyed.” -Shane Michael Taylor Guest post by: Shane Michael Taylor   As a nationwide release of my single and music video “Warrior Cowboy” is currently succeeding, you might be inclined to ask- how did he do it?…

Read More of "“Warrior Cowboy”: On Strength, Persistence, and Gratitude in Life and Art"

How I See Myself: A Self- Portrait Poem

  [image description: a young Asian American woman  with shoulder length black hair, smiling and sitting in her wheelchair outside surrounded by trees]  Guest Post by Mao Yang For most of us, whether or not we live with a disability, accepting ourselves just the way we are with flaws and all can be a very…

Read More of "How I See Myself: A Self- Portrait Poem"

I’m Still Me: On Living, No Matter What Your Address Is

[Image description: Joanne, a woman with short gray hair and wire frame glasses smiling at the camera. She is wearing a light colored top with a floral print. Her hands are leaning up against her chest.]

Guest post by Joanne Grana October 15, 2014. That was the day my life changed forever. That was the day I left the home I had lived in for 57 years. That was the day I moved into a facility.   Moving to a facility was not my choice. I was hot lined by an…

Read More of "I’m Still Me: On Living, No Matter What Your Address Is"

Replacing Pity with Power: A Former Poster Child Speaks Out

Lorraine Cannistra

Author and speaker, Lorraine Cannistra was once a “poster child” for United Cerebral Palsy in 1974. Her experiences back then have influenced her even to this day and she recently shared her memories with UCP. Take a look back 40 years and read how things have changed.

Read More of "Replacing Pity with Power: A Former Poster Child Speaks Out"

Disability and Cure – A Topic with Many Opinions

There are many opinions that exist when it comes to curing a disability. Some people want it, some don’t and some couldn’t care less about it. UCP recently interviewed Abbey Curran and Sean Gray, two young adults with cerebral palsy to get their thoughts on this topic…

Read More of "Disability and Cure – A Topic with Many Opinions"

I Don’t Need a Cure

Photo of Daman Wandke

Daman Wandke is a User Interface Analyst who consults with numerous large companies on how they can improve their information technology accessibility. He also happens to have cerebral palsy and does not buy into the idea that he needs to be cured. “Yes, my body works differently but it’s not broken, nor sick, nor does it need to be cured,” Wandke explains….

Read More of "I Don’t Need a Cure"