What is cerebral palsy?
We’re not doctors or medical experts, but we are experts in our own bodies and experiences with cerebral palsy. So here’s a bit about CP, in our own words…
CP is a physical disability (or movement disorder) that can be caused by a traumatic brain injury usually around the time of birth — a stroke, brain bleed, or lack of oxygen to the brain, for example, with more associated risk factors.
CP commonly occurs in premature, and multiple births — twins and triplets. While less is known about genetic links to CP, researchers are learning more.
CP generally affects one’s neurologic functions that impact motor control, muscle tone, balance, and coordination. It can also be associated with co-occuring conditions like chronic pain, epilepsy, speech impairment, and more.
CP is the most common lifelong physical disability — there are over 1 million people in the US alone who have cerebral palsy. And everyone has a story to share.
Many people with cerebral palsy go on to lead very ‘normal’ lives and can accomplish a lot with the right amount of support, access, and accommodations.
CP presents differently for everyone who has it and while it’s a non-progressive condition neurologically, its impacts on the body changes with age, and navigating care is a complex challenge. Learn more.
Much of the research is focused on early detection & intervention of cerebral palsy in babies and children so that they may be treated earlier and have better outcomes as they grow up.
As people with CP age, many feel left behind once they reach adulthood and age out of pediatric care. There’s lots of questions left unanswered about how to manage and treat this disability, where to go to receive care, or what to anticipate for the future.
What can we do?
There’s no cure for cerebral palsy, and we know other nonprofits are hard at work curating important healthcare resources and funding research but there’s still a major gap to fill.
That’s where we come in. Social support is urgently needed.
You can help us be the catalyst for change.
In 2024, we incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization to increase our capacity to build community and provide social support for disabled people who are in need of belonging and connection.
Cerebral palsy is primarily recognized by the healthcare system as a childhood disability — but we all inevitably age out of childhood and along with that goes pediatric care and other related resources for support. When we reach young adulthood, we’re often left to navigate life and this disability with very little support and understanding of what lies ahead. Whether it's managing our own healthcare, finding gainful employment, or sustaining a fulfilling social life in an inaccessible world, we’re often left with more questions than answers.
This is why we’re in the business of building spaces for belonging for people with CP because we’ve all been there — alone, misunderstood, feeling less than and at a loss for where to go when we need help. Disabled people have lived in a state of exclusion and isolation for so long, and we believe that having access to community is so humanly essential and important.
We're working together to create a stronger presence in people's lives through in-person events, storytelling, and more — but we can’t do it alone. We need your support to launch our nonprofit organization into the future.
The need is there —
There’s strong evidence to support the fact that people with disabilities experience “loneliness, low social support and social isolation” and “report exposure to multiple forms of low social connectedness” at significantly higher rates compared to our non-disabled peers (source).There are 1 million people with CP in the US, over 17 million worldwide and many have reached adulthood but have yet to meet others with CP.
Why now? Why us?
We are confident we can help this global community thrive in spite of all of the obstacles that come with having a disability.Cerebral Palsy Strong found is footing by being a grassroots organization, led by and for adults with CP. We've sourced all of our knowledge from within and want to continue to generate information that will impact future generations. It’s our goal to continue to serve our community by addressing our collective needs, even as those needs evolve with age.
Our organization is perfectly positioned to become the leading source of social support for this community. We’ve built a fast-growing online platform where connections are formed and hundreds of real-life stories are shared, but we know people are hungry for that to translate offline. We want to build something that does not exist — and we already have proof of concept.
Over 75 people attended our first two CP Social events and even more expressed their desire to join from around the world. Our flagship event, The CP Social, is the first-of-its-kind celebratory event that brings adults with cerebral palsy together to engage in conversation, build community, and feel a sense of belonging with one another. We offer focused Q&A panel discussions on topics that are surfaced by participants but also allow time for new connections to take place that give way to lifelong friendships.
You can have a say in bringing this to life.
What we’re building is in its infancy stage and we need your help to get organized by expanding what we’re able to offer our community. We know we deserve more and have a clear vision for the future. It’s our goal to increase what we can do so that we can reach more people, more often, and make a direct impact in communities in the US and all over the world.
Will you help us dream BIG?
In our first year, it's our goal to raise $100,000 — will you give what you can today? To be clear, these funds are critical to support us as we begin moving our mission forward and laying the foundation for all of our activities and exciting plans over the next 3-5 years:
Expand annual CP Social events (national/regional events)
for adults with CP (2025)
for people with CP of all ages and our families/friends (2026-beyond)
Organize CP Social: Mini Meet-ups (hyper-localized events) (2025)
Employ dedicated staffing to promote growth
Develop a peer-to-peer mentorship network
Curate and coordinate educational community-driven content
Design branded #CPstrong merchandise & virtual storefront
Establish a west-coast-based Cerebral Palsy Strong center
Every dollar you give will set us up for success so that we can focus on what matters: creating a community where everyone with cerebral palsy feels seen, heard, connected, and supported no matter where they're at in life. We're committed to offering free participation —forever— to all events and programs in order to increase accessibility and reduce financial strain on getting involved with our community.
You can help make all of this possible by donating right now.