It’s been a rough few months to say the least. Many people had looked forward to 2020 as a fresh start as it marked the beginning of another decade. But then, the coronavirus spread like a wildfire across the globe and changed every aspect of our lives, from working and learning from home to being physically separated from our loved ones.

It’s times like this that the Cerebral Palsy Foundation is even more intensely reinforcing our commitment to the cerebral palsy community which is why we are kicking off our #MakeMayMatter campaign beginning with #GivingTuesdayNow as a response to the unprecedented need caused by COVID-19.

Our #MakeMayMatter initiative is a month-long positive and supportive effort to highlight all the programs and research we are doing to improve the lives of people with CP and how you can make a difference as well.

 

Why is this initiative happening now?

For certain groups and populations, such as the elderly or people with disabilities, the impact of COVID-19 is hitting hard.

Cerebral palsy doesn’t just “go away” nor do the challenges that accompany it in the time of a global pandemic. High risk infants still need early detection and intervention, and children and adults still need access to therapies and treatments. Learning may have shifted online, but the need for education is greater than ever.  These are just some of the reasons why CPF is stepping up to meet these challenges and boosting our initiatives and programs to better support our community in this time of great need.

 

What is CPF working on and why are our programs so important?

The Cerebral Palsy Foundation initiatives provide quality of life improvements and tangible results to those living with cerebral palsy and the greater disability community. For instance, our Early Detection Initiative is leading the way in diagnosing CP in high risk infants earlier than ever so that treatment can begin at the earliest possible moment leading to better long term outcomes.

Initiatives like our Lexus/GiveWith partnership reflects the power of play and mobility for children of all abilities, and our Just Say Hi in the schools program focuses on furthering the inclusion of students with disabilities in schools across the US.

To increase engagement with our community and bring real-time helpful information, we’ve created a new Instagram Live series that will help our community thrive even during these unprecedented times. Whether you are searching for ways to continue occupational/physical therapy at home or struggling to cope with depression or anxiety, we’ve got you! Each week, we bring leading experts from various fields to provide crucial information and resources to our community, which includes our partners from the Women’s Health Initiative.

 

What your donation and support would mean to CPF and our community?

It’s times like this that we want to remind and reinforce to our community that we are all in this together. We take enormous pride in the work we do, and that would not be possible without the love and support from you all.

People, in general, need to maintain good physical, mental, and emotional well-being. People with disabilities have a hard time maintaining their holistic wellness under normal circumstances, and the current state of the world is making this more difficult.

We are dedicated to supporting our community to help them through the most difficult time we have seen in a very long time.

We can only achieve this through the support and care of our friends and gracious donors. The #MakeMayMatter campaign is a powerful way to come together as a global community and support each other during the good times and the bad.

***
Blog written by Sarah Kim