I Define Me

Steve Ferreira, our “I Define Me” award winner for October, lives a life characterized by hopeful determination. From winning gold medals in track and field to pushing for equal representation in the media, Steve takes on the challenges of living with cerebral palsy with indomitable courage and positivity. We were very glad of the opportunity … Read more

The word “optimism” is derived from the Latin optimum, which means “best.” When a person is optimistic, it means they expect the best possible outcome from a given situation. According to statistics, optimists are sick less and live longer than pessimists. Their positive outlook on life strengthens the immune system, and they have fewer heart attacks than the … Read more

September’s “I Define Me” honorees Mike Berkson and Tim Wambach are the dynamic duo behind “Handicap This!,” a two-man live show that uses comedy, theater and hard facts to educate and empower audiences about the realities of living with physical disability. We had the privilege of interviewing Mike (with some chiming in from Tim) about the … Read more

Costello. Ernie. Robin. Kirk. You read these names and probably don’t know who they are or what they mean. But what if I added Abbott, Bert, Batman and Spock? Suddenly, they’re instantly recognizable as historic pairs. Sometimes it only takes two people to be a team. Sometimes a person doesn’t know their mission in life … Read more

  Comedian Josh Blue, our “I Define Me” award winner for this month, manages to get laughs out of even the most mundane tasks. Like volunteering at a zoo, for instance, where he locked himself in an empty animal exhibit for eight hours and accepted the curiosity (and the peanuts thrown to him) from a … Read more

Josh Blue makes fun of people with cerebral palsy. Since he also happens to have it himself, no one seems to mind. Blue is a very successful comedian who delivers stand-up performances across the country and world. What started out as a hobby in college has turned into something with a much larger reach than … Read more

Being born with cerebral palsy is a serious matter. That is, unless you’re talking to Chris Fonseca. If you ask him what his life has been like as someone who lives with cerebral palsy, you’ll probably end up laughing and then change your mind about the subject. That’s because Fonseca is a “stand-up” comedian who … Read more

Sandy Oeverman was working as a lifeguard at a community pool that was particularly popular among senior citizens. One repeat visitor to the “senior swim time” caught her particular attention for the way he changed from the beginning of the pool session to the end. Sandy writes on brainline.org: “His posture was bent and his … Read more

Everyone has different motivations in life. Some people are motivated by money, their faith or a goal they set for themselves. Bonner Paddock’s motivations aren’t so easy to sum up. Born with cerebral palsy and once told that he wouldn’t live past the age of 20, Paddock has become an expert at setting goals for himself. … Read more