Welcome to Cerebral Palsy Strong!
My name is Katy (Fetters) Gaastra & I started CPstrong in 2017 after I outgrew TeenCP, an early iteration of this fast-growing community of young adults with CP.
Through CPstrong, I aim to continue to host a place to share stories about our collective experiences with cerebral palsy and build out a network for support and belonging. We all have so much to learn from and offer each other in the disability community. I hope we continue to offer support to our peers through our stories and connections that we make here.
I’m encouraged by people who celebrate disability in all of its realness. I’m in awe of those who are moved to speak and act — who educate and share their challenges and reflections on CP so that others can learn and grow. I hope we continue to recognize that we are free to share our stories to show the world what disability looks like and feels like. May we share our stories in solidarity with the disability community and connect with the millions of people like us in our world.
For those who have ever been doubted or made to feel small or less than on the basis of their disability. . . trust that our stories are important and worth telling. Let’s remind ourselves that we’re the ones in control of our own narrative. We are #CPStrong.
Learn how to share your story on our social media here
Our Mission
To help young adults with cerebral palsy (CP) make connections, find a sense of belonging, and build community with one another as we navigate adulthood with a physical disability.
We do that by:
-Featuring stories of real-life people with CP—which works to promote positive, more accurate representation of disabled lives in the media as well as foster a shared experience.
-Organizing community-led events that celebrate coming together and creating space for discussing challenges and opportunities that are important to the disability community
-Fostering awareness, education, and understanding around disability, CP Awareness Month, World CP Day and more.
wearing the ExoSym
10 Things:
I am an identical twin (born at 27 weeks, she does not have CP)
I have left hemiplegic CP
The device I wear is called an ExoSym
I am married to an amazing man who took me on an adventure of a lifetime — we camped/hiked/drove through most of South America in 2017 in a Toyota Land Cruiser. We traveled over 7,000 miles in 5 months.
My parents met while my dad was a body builder at Gold’s Gym in Venice, CA. They both led a successful career in health & fitness.
I love being close to the ocean; the outdoors & open spaces
I once biked and kayaked my way down the Florida Keys with Project Athena Foundation
I am a proud alum of Soka University of America
I hold an MA in Media & Public Engagement from The University of Colorado, Boulder
I work as the Digital Engagement Manager at Cerebral Palsy Alliance Research Foundation (CPARF) where we work to fund life-changing CP research. Follow us on Instagram.
Contact me: katy@cerebralpalsystrong.com