KEEPING IT REAL With Jerusha: Your Questions Answered

KEEPING IT REAL With Jerusha: Your Questions Answered

Jerusha Mather is a neuroscientist, writer, and motivational speaker who was recently featured on ABC News in Australia, where she's based We highlighted her story in our KEEPING IT REAL blog series, and now she's here to answer some questions from the cerebral palsy community and share a bit more of her experience.

Are there any organized trips that you recommend for people with CP?
I frequently took trips to the beach with my family and/or friends. There were also plenty of fun activities surrounding the beachside area that I would undertake such as carnivals, petting zoos, fruit farms, walking or strolling across the beach, making sandcastles, playing cricket, watching movies, and fishing. On a side note, most of the rides in carnivals and themes parks were accessible. Most theme parks have priority access passes that ensure you do not have to wait in cues for too long to get on the rides. 

Are there any athletic programs you are involved in. If so, can you tell us about them?
Find a sport that fits in with your abilities.  There may be athletic programs in school or the community that you could join. Some sports can be modified to suit your abilities too. I personally used to play T- Ball for my primary school. However when I moved to high school, I did more gym-based/pilates exercises.  

Do you know about a good social network for teens with CP?
I am aware of an advocacy group  in Australia for people with disabilities called Youth Disability Advocacy Service. I know that they have a steering committee that addresses a diverse range of issues related to disability and young people. Joining things like these can give you a voice to speak up for things that you may be passionate about. And it also can be an excellent social outlet to meet like-minded people.

I think it is important to mingle with a diverse range of people. Because society puts us in a box sometimes and I think we need to try and come out of that box by connecting with as many people as we can. The more diverse your connections are, the better.