Cerebral Palsy Changed My Life
The world can take you on some unexpected paths sometimes. Fifteen years ago, I was touched by a medical condition that I have never experienced first-hand — and it changed my life forever.
At the time, I was at a crossroads in my career. I needed a change and had a passion for fitness, but no solid plan for the future. All I knew was that I wanted to help others in the gym. Ultimately, that passion would drive me to become a personal trainer, but I didn’t know that yet.
Then something happened that changed everything!
I met one of my very first clients in a support group for people with epilepsy. We became very good friends and, when I became a trainer, she approached me right away about getting some help in the gym. There was just one catch; in addition to epilepsy, my friend had cerebral palsy.
Cerebral palsy is actually a group of disorders that cause motor disability. In Canada, it is the most common physical disability in childhood and affects 80,000 people. There is a wide spectrum of disability with cerebral palsy and, although it cannot be cured, people living with cerebral palsy can live full and independent lives.
I knew next to nothing about the condition and was very nervous, but I was determined to help. I asked her to have some patience with me, as we figured out a personalized fitness program, keeping her individual needs in mind.
My first step was research. I read everything I could about cerebral palsy and came up with a plan. I didn’t mention this to my friend because she didn’t want to focus on her cerebral palsy. After living with it for 30 years, she was convinced that it was as good as it was going to get. She just wanted a six pack. Fair enough.
Even so, as part of her training, I included grip and strength exercises on her right side, which was most affected by her cerebral palsy.
Dana loved the workouts. We had so much fun training, laughing and just being friends. Then, one day she sprinted into the gym and jumped on me, exploding with excitement! It was garbage day in her neighbourhood and, for the first time in her life, she had unconsciously picked up the recycle bin using her right arm. She was able to get all the way to the door without dropping it and she was ecstatic. Right there and then, a light went on and I realized that working out could help others, the same way it helped me. I decided to use my love of fitness to help people with disabilities and medical conditions realize their potential. This became my mission and the driving force behind my career.
Dana went on to do all kinds of amazing things — both inside and outside the gym. She went from struggling to pick up a bar from the ground, to doing overhead presses. She even did an eight-rep challenge of every imaginable exercise to help me celebrate my 8th year of being seizure free!
Since then, I’ve worked with many clients with cerebral palsy, and it has pushed me to expand into working with people with other medical conditions. While no two people are alike, I believe that everyone can benefit from spending time in the gym. And with the right training program, anyone can meet their personal goals. Because, when it comes to fitness, a disability does not have to be a limitation — it can be a starting point.
REFERENCES:
Cerebral Palsy Canada Network. 2024. About. What is cerebral palsy. https://www.cpcanadanetwork.com/about. Accessed on October 10, 2024.