From us to you, we wish you a very happy National Cerebral Palsy Month. Cerebral Palsy is caused by differences in the parts of the brain that controls muscle and motor movements. Therefore, people with CP may have trouble with walking, maintaining balance or may have speech issues. There are many amazing people with CP who make a profound impact in the lives of the people around them and who contribute tremendously to our special needs community. One such individual is Geri Jewell.
Geri Jewell’s career started on the NBC comedy sitcom, The Facts of Life, where she acted as the brilliant and hilarious Cousin Geri. This role was very significant as it was the first time that a character featured on the screen ever had physical special needs. After she played this role, she gained much popularity. This role led her to discover the comedian inside of her, and she did stand up comedy on Comedy Store in 1978. Through being a comedian, she has been able to raise awareness and open minds about people with special needs. In addition, after playing Cousin Geri, she was featured in shows such as Sesame Street and was considered for an Emmy Award for the HBO series, Deadwood.
Along with being an actress, Geri pursues a career in writing, and as an author. Her original autobiography was called Geri, which was then republished in 2011 as I’m Walking as Straight as I Can. Her new autobiography has received the 2012 Gold Award by the Independent Publishers. Besides this, she is currently a contributing writer for the Ability Magazine.
Whether it is through her writing, comedy or the motivational talks that she gives, Gerri has always been a proud advocate for people with special needs. When she gives motivational talks, she presents her personal experiences to help people better understand this topic and to clear certain misconceptions that some may have. Through her activism, she always seeks to empower and make people with special needs realize that their disability is not equal to inability. Geri has also won many awards such as the Independent Living Legacy Award, and the 2013 UCP Life Without Limits Award for being a role model for millions in her mission to promote inclusion.
This amazing woman shows that CP not only stands for Cerebral Palsy but also stands for “Capable Person”. So throughout this month, let’s celebrate Geri and other amazing people with CP who make this world more beautiful!
https://gerijewell.com/bio/
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