In "Reaching For Sun" by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, Josie Wyatt knows what it means to be different. Even if Josie wants to forget that she was born with a disability, her mom can't seem to let it go.
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Minnelly Vasquez, Licensed Clinical Social Worker with the Weinberg Cerebral Palsy Center at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, discuss mental health care for individuals with cerebral palsy and caregivers.
![Minelli Vasques has curly brown hair, she is smiling and wearing glasses. She has a white shirt and a black blazer with her arms crossed in front of her.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/36.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=olbEAh-i)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and psychologist Gili Segall, PhD discuss mental health during these constantly changing times and how to create strategies to help everyone in the family thrive.
![Gili Segal has long brown hair and is wearing pink shirt](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/7.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=xUsk9chy)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Christina Smallwood talk about parenting, raising a child with cerebral palsy and helping her learn to advocate for herself.
![Fifi is a little girl standing in front of her purple walker wearing a grey t-shirt with her hands fisted in the air. She is smiling and has brown hair. She is next to her mom who is wearing a white cowboy hat, dark glasses, has long blonde hair and is smiling wearing a grey shirt and jeans.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/9.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=aZFGskkD)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Jason Benetti talk about his hard work, misperceptions, resilience, and his experience with cerebral palsy.
![Jason has dark brown hair and is smiling wearing a blue shirt, red tie and a blazer.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/13.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=0pwdxlwJ)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Xian Horn, author and disability advocate discuss breaking down stereotypes.
![Xian Horn is sitting on a bench smiling, wearing white pants, white shirt and a brown blazer. She has walking sticks in her right hand. She has long brown hair and is smiling.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/14.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=ocNP398h)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Weinberg Cerebral Palsy Center social worker, Jan Moscowitz, discuss strategies for coping with anxiety and depression, especially during times of isolation.
![Jan has long brown hair and is pleasantly smiling for the camera. She is wearing a brown plaid dress with capped sleeves.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/CPF%20Live%20%281500%20%C3%97%201500%20px%29%20%284%29.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=JgL3UF3I)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and occupational therapist Lorene Janowski discuss OT at home.
![Lorene has long brown hair and is smiling. She is wearing a tan top.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/2_0.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=9nnyACQu)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Dr. Paulo Selber discuss the ins and outs of gait analysis for cerebral palsy.
![Paulo Selber has short greyish brown hair and is smiling wearing a blue shirt, tie and blue blazer.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/16.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=nLFG2htP)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Dr. Mary Lauren Neel, MD discuss Life after the NICU.
![Mary Lauren has curly blond shoulder length hair and is wearing a white lab coat. She is smiling](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/11.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=reSmgWDd)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Chris Modlesky, PhD discuss exercise, fitness, research, research funding and his current research.
![Christopher Modleski has dark hair and is smiling wearing a white button down and grey blazer](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/19.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=0As7w1VB)
On Thursday, March 24th, 2022, the Cerebral Palsy Foundation hosted the first ever Cerebral Palsy Congressional Briefing with a panel of physicians, patient and self advocates.
![Seal of the United States Congress](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2022-03/Seal_of_the_United_States_Congress.jpeg?h=f34f3095&itok=XG7OweeR)
March is National Cerebral Palsy Month in the United States and is an opportunity to highlight the history of cerebral palsy advocacy - where we’ve been, where we are currently, and the opportunities that are ahead.
![Collage of individuals and families with cerebral palsy wearing green t-shirts that say go green for CP](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-07/CPAwareness%20Day%202%20Collage.jpg?h=75dbcb96&itok=73hI5ZJS)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Mary Gannotti, PhD, PT discuss pain across the lifespan in cerebral palsy.
![Mary Gannotti has long brown hair and is smiling. She is wear a purple top and a purple beaded necklace.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/24.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=50Xvlmsq)
Good nutrition is critical for your child's healthy brain development. It's not uncommon for families to struggle getting enough food to eat. If you feel like you haven't had enough food to feed your whole family in the last month, please talk to someone. This is a common problem.
![Representation of parents seated at a table feeding their child at the center](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-06/OPD%20Feeding.png?h=70edec53&itok=W0YDtQHS)
Our educational series continues with this virtual event featuring a multi-disciplinary panel discussion on exercise and physical activity and its impacts on spasticity and function.
![Head Shot of Dr. Christopher Modleski wearing a grey jacket & white shirt, head shot of Dr. Wendy Pierce wearing a tan shirt, and Dr. Byron Lai wearing a black jacket with a red tie. The text says Can Exercise and Physical Activity Help Reduce Spasticity and Improve Function? Register for Free, Town Hall on March 9, 2022.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2022-03/CP%20Resource%20Listing%20Image%20Template.png?h=ea13d641&itok=7ElfIVkc)
Pain in people with cerebral palsy is very common, and probably not evaluated frequently enough.
![Representation of person using crutches with red circles radiating around their shoulders representing pain](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2020-06/Pain%202.png?h=5b5a0f6a&itok=jLU3wzGr)
A lot of people with cerebral palsy will experience pain over the course of their life. Through better assessment we can provide better interventions, which will lead to a better quality of life.
![Chronic Pain Assessment Toolbox for Kids with Disabilities](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2022-03/CPresource%20Listing%20Images.png?h=57024e64&itok=Qv3pmzVd)
In the sequel to best selling "Out of My Mind" heroine Melody a year older, armed with confidence and is ready for adventure!
![Book Cover with the title out of my heart by Sharon Draper written over a blue sky background with fireflies flying out of a jar.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-12/Screen%20Shot%202021-12-05%20at%2012.25.14%20PM.png?h=fdc1790a&itok=GbDItkTB)
Pediatric critical care physician and ethicist, Dr. Jane Lee was accustomed to caring for children with severe disabilities and felt comfortable helping families navigate the "system". That is until she has her own complicated delivery leaves her second child with a severe brain injury, she finds that everything she learned about disability and personhood as a physician and ethicist is no help as a parent.
![Book Cover with the title Catostrophic Rupture written above the author's name, Dr. K. Jane Lee, MD in white lettering over a red background.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-12/Screen%20Shot%202021-12-05%20at%2012.13.22%20PM.png?h=fbbd9961&itok=SaX-bkE4)
Our educational series continues with this virtual event featuring a multi-disciplinary panel discussion on spasticity management and related issues for adults with Cerebral Palsy!
![Cerebral Palsy Grows Up! New Horizons Virtual Town Hall poster with green background with Dr. Hank Chambers pictured in the upper left corner wearing a dark jacket and blue shirt, Dr. Heukyung Kim in the Right upper corner wearing a red shirt, Dr. Mark Peterson wearing a blue blazer, and Dr. Mary Ganotti wearing a dark shirt. Over the logo for new Horizons Town Hall Series and next to the statement: made possible by Ipsen Biopharmaceuticals.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2021-11/Town%20Halls%20%2812%29.png?h=57024e64&itok=2-EB1rJu)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Lily Collison with Kara Buckley and individuals from the book Pure Grit, talk about what it takes to be successful with a disability.
![Kara Buckley has blond hair and blue eyes and is smiling wearing a black turtle neck while Lily Collison has black pixie hair and is smiling wearing a maroon shirt.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/37.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=tesQ-7sM)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne talks with Lily Collison and her son Tommy about their journey with Cerebral Palsy, Lily's new book, Tommy's work and much more.
![Lily has short pixie like black hair and is smiling for the camera. She is wearing a maroon top.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/31.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=4bx_BZV8)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Peter Trojic, professional dancer with the Heidi Latski dance Company in New York City, discuss dance and disability.
![Peter has dark brown hair, he is gazing into the camera with a serious expression on his face, wearing a leather jacket](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/CPF%20Live%20%281500%20%C3%97%201500%20px%29.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=qAhW1m7k)
CPF Executive Director Rachel Byrne and Jocelyn Cohen, Vice President of Communications and Engagement at Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation discuss collaboration in research.
![Joycelyn has long brown hair and is smiling. She is wearing a pink shirt.](/sites/www/files/styles/small_landscape_12x7/public/2023-02/CPF%20Live%20%281500%20%C3%97%201500%20px%29%20%282%29.png?h=8a7fc05e&itok=x_1EMCqY)