Earlier this year, we proudly announced the 2017 180 Medical College Scholarship recipients. This year’s group of applicants and recipients truly inspired us. One such scholarship recipient is Elizabeth, who lives with Cerebral Palsy!
This Scholarship Recipient and Her Challenges Due to Cerebral Palsy
From the start, Elizabeth was extraordinary. She was born two months premature in a set of quadruplet girls. For over a year, everything seemed normal, until Elizabeth’s parents realized she wasn’t sitting up on her own and couldn’t crawl or walk like her sisters.
The doctors diagnosed her with Cerebral Palsy, a condition caused by a lack of oxygen to an infant’s brain during childbirth. Multiple complications and symptoms can arise from Cerebral Palsy, and it’s rarely the same for each person affected. Some of the potential symptoms of cerebral palsy may include:
- Muscle tone variation
- Seizures and/or tremors
- Difficulty with coordination and motor skills
- Delays in speech development
- Neurogenic bladder or urinary incontinence
- Delayed development
Elizabeth has now lived with Cerebral Palsy for almost 24 years. For her, the condition affects her whole body and many aspects of her life.
“Thankfully,” she says, “I do not have to face this challenge alone.”
Finding Joy in Family, Sports, and School
Elizabeth’s family has been with her every step of the way since her birth. Although living with Cerebral Palsy does make her somewhat dependent on her family for her daily care, they state that “the joys and opportunities that have come through sharing life with [Elizabeth] far outweigh any sacrifices.”
One joy that Elizabeth found at just eight years old is Paralympic Boccia. She found the challenges of the sport perfect for a competitive outlet, and Boccia is perfect for her physical abilities.
Even today, Elizabeth is still actively participating in Boccia, and she competed in the 2017 National Championships most recently.
“I also co-chair the Youth Development Taskforce for Boccia’s national organization, USA Boccia. The Taskforce’s vision is to expand youth participation in Boccia at the regional and national level,” Elizabeth states.
Despite her condition and her avid participation in Boccia, she worked hard in school, made excellent grades, and graduated from John Brown University with her Bachelor’s degree in Child and Family Studies. Her time in college strengthened her passion to help others, particularly at the policy level of social work.
During her time at school, she finally got to experience living apart from her family and assisting staff with her daily care and needs, which was another step toward the independence that Elizabeth craves, although she is grateful beyond words for her family’s unending support.
Working To Become a Leader in Social Change
Currently, Elizabeth is now completing her Master’s Degree in Social Work at the University of Illinois, and she is beyond thrilled to be able to start on this new adventure and continue her preparations for her career through higher education.
She plans to concentrate on Leadership and Social Change. When talking about why she chose this field, Elizabeth is excited and hopeful.
“I value social work because it is an opportunity to truly meet people where they are and empower them to fulfill their potential by offering new skills and resources. With my degree, I seek to impact the disability service system in our country, advocating for the dignity and well-being of all people across the spectrum of ability,” Elizabeth says.
Even though Elizabeth faces a daily battle, she says she refuses to allow Cerebral Palsy to become a prison or limit her in any way. She is determined to use her own experiences to make a difference in others’ lives.
She shares, “I believe that each person has great value and worth and deserves to be heard and respected. It is my hope to use higher education to give a voice to those who are often ignored in our society.”
With Elizabeth’s dedicated drive, we know she’ll go on to improve the lives of others living with disabilities. All of us at 180 Medical wish her the best of luck in her future goals!
