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Cerebral Palsy Photo Contest Winning pictures

Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day 2022

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Today, March 25, is the federally recognized Cerebral Palsy (CP) Awareness Day! We are excited to announce the winners for our inaugural CP Awareness Month photo contest. In February, we began accepting submissions in five categories: creativity, diversity, participation & inclusion, perseverance, and physical activity. Each of the following submissions were selected by leading these categories in votes out of 13,383 counted:

A young girl with cerebral palsy smiles while holding the bottom of her dress above an incoming ocean tide.

Creativity Winner: Michelle Toy: Live every day like Mighty Mara!
A young boy with cerebral palsy uses his gait trainer with determination and glee

Diversity winner: Reena De Asis: Determined to thrive as he reaches out to you and lights up the room. The flames on this joyous toddler’s gait trainer are a reminder that he’s a CP warrior on fire!
A proud young woman with CP, seated in a wheelchair and wearing a blue-and-gold graduation cap and gown, receives her diploma.

Participation & Inclusion winner: Jersey Morrison: Jersey’s Graduation in 2021
A man in a wheelchair with cerebral palsy sits between hospital administrators receiving his fundraising check for $10,000.

Perseverance winner: Gary Lynn: “I have not ever let Cerebral Palsy stop me or define who I am!”
A young boy with hemiplegic cerebral palsy jumps for joy as he heads for a puddle of rain water

Physical Activity Winner: Sarah Board: Jumping for joy despite my hemiplegia!

Congratulations to each of these photographers and subjects for their selection and their prize of $100.

In addition to these winners, the staff and volunteers of the CP Research Network voted for best overall photograph in terms of what represented the CP Research Network’s values, the categories and our focus on wellbeing. The winner is:

An adaptive basketball coach in a wheelchair lifts a boy with cerebral palsy overhead in his own chair to dunk a basketball

Best Overall winner: Dawn McKeag: Slam dunk!

Congratulations to Dawn McKeag for the photo of her son Fin and the coaches their local Y for adaptive basketball and the $500 prize!

In addition to this winner, our team wanted to recognize two pictures for honorable mention:

The Shrader triplets, two of whom have cerebral palsy, at graduation

Best photo honorable mention: Carol Shrader: Triplet selfie at Benjamin’s graduation from Belhaven University!

A young man with cerebral palsy in a wheelchair focuses intensely as he aims down his drawn arrow preparing to release it

Honorable Mention: Wesley Magee-Saxton: My 22 year old son, who has CP,  has been perfecting his archery technique with a bow that his dad modified for him. He spent hours practicing and can now almost always hit the target.

Thank you to EVERYONE who participated – submissions, shares and votes. We hope that by sharing pictures and our awareness banners we helped you create awareness for CP and celebrate our vibrant community! Our board will continue to match donations this month 2:1! Wear your green proudly today!

A small preview image of the Staying Driven logo linking to blog post ‘CP Research Network Launches New Fitness Program’.

CP Research Network Launches New Fitness Program

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We are excited to announce a new wellbeing program in partnership with Staying Driven and Steph “the Hammer” Roach! Beginning Tuesday, June 8th at 7 pm ET, Staying Driven coaches will offer virtual adaptive fitness classes exclusively to registered MyCP community members!

Steph 'The Hammer' Roach, Adaptive Fitness CoachStaying Driven - Virtual Adaptive FitnessStaying Driven is a virtual adaptive fitness program founded by Stephanie “the Hammer” Roach. An adult with CP and a former CrossFit trainer and gym owner, Steph shifted her business during the pandemic to virtual classes for people with disabilities. She and her staff of adaptive fitness trainers offer multiple classes a week for people with disabilities.

The CP Research Network has arranged for MyCP members to be able to attend up to two classes per week, free of charge!

To be eligible, you need to complete these registration requirements:

  1. Be a current member of MyCP (joining is free). Parents of teens under 18 need to be the active member.
  2. Participate in at least one MyCP survey (a list of available surveys can be seen here).
  3. Sign up for a free Zoom account for class registration.
  4. Read and sign the waiver for Staying Driven and the CP Research Network on the sign-up page

Are you ready? Go sign up!

How it works:  MyCP members who follow the steps above will receive an email from the CP Research Network with the link to the Zoom Registration for the fitness class with Staying Driven. Steph, or one of her other coaches, will run the class. The participant uses the link to register for each class.

When? Saturdays at noon ET/9 am PT or Tuesdays at 7 pm ET/4 pm PT

What should you bring? A water bottle, a hand towel and a positive attitude.

What about resistance or weights?  Classes are adapted for people of all ages and abilities. Steph will encourage you to gather items from around your house or apartment to participate. If you have a personal care attendant or a caregiver that wants to be involved, they are welcome to attend to assist.

What if I cannot make these times or I want to work out more often? The MyCP Fitness program only supports these two days and times. Staying Driven has monthly memberships that will allow you access to all of the regular programming if you are interested.

Do I need a note from my doctor? A doctor’s approval is up to your discretion. Think of it as joining a gym — the gym doesn’t require a note from the doctor, but the waiver makes clear that you are responsible for making the appropriate health choices for yourself.

Join us for this new and exciting program made possible through your generous donations to the CP Research Network!