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First Cerebral Palsy Conference Held to Inspire and Inform

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

CINCINNATI – Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and United Cerebral Palsy's Aaron W. Perlman Center will host the first Cerebral Palsy Conference from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Saturday, March 18 in the Cincinnati Children's Fifth Third Bank Auditorium.

The conference will be the first of its kind in Cincinnati and is themed, "Cerebral Palsy: Focusing on Independence and Hope." It will offer families and professionals an opportunity to learn about advances in medicine, nutrition, general health, cerebral palsy issues in schools, assistive technology and much more.

Amy Clawson, parent coordinator in the Family Resource Center at Cincinnati Children's and a mother of a son with cerebral palsy, said, "I want the people who come to the conference to find information and be encouraged in regards to cerebral palsy. I also want attendees to continue helping people who live with CP be as independent as possible."

The conference will feature doctors and cerebral palsy specialists from the Aaron W. Perlman Center, Cincinnati Children's and Columbus Children's Hospital.

The keynote speaker will be Janice Brunstrom, MD, of St. Louis Children's Hospital. She said, "My mission is to radically change the future for patients with Cerebral Palsy. I want every child to grow up dreaming their own dreams and pursuing their own goals."

Dr. Brunstrom is director of the Pediatric Neurology Cerebral Palsy Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital and an assistant professor in the Departments of Neurology, Pediatrics and Cell Biology at Washington University. She is a pediatric neurologist, a scientist, an outspoken advocate, a mother and a woman with cerebral palsy. She founded the Pediatric Neurology Cerebral Palsy Center in June of 1998 and, along with her team, has developed a comprehensive approach to treating patients with cerebral palsy. The center has 2,000 patients from around the world. "I challenge people to change their perceptions and raise their expectations so that they, like I, can dare to believe in miracles," she said.

"This is a long overdue conference for our area," said Linda Wnek, director of the Aaron W. Perlman Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital. "Both Cincinnati Children's and United Cerebral Palsy have a long-standing commitment to supporting those with Cerebral Palsy and the annual conference is a significant step towards conveying that commitment to our community."

About Cincinnati Children's

Cincinnati Children's is a 423-bed institution devoted to bringing the world the joy of healthier kids. Cincinnati Children's is dedicated to transforming the way health care is delivered by providing care that is timely, efficient, effective, family-centered, equitable and safe. It ranks third nationally among all pediatric centers in research grants from the National Institutes of Health. The Cincinnati Children's vision is to be the leader in improving child health.

About United Cerebral Palsy

For more than 55 years, United Cerebral Palsy / UCP has been committed to change and progress for persons with disabilities.

The national organization and its nationwide network of affiliates strive to ensure the inclusion of persons with disabilities in every facet of society -- from the Web to the workplace, from the classroom to the community.

United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cincinnati is a leading resource in the region, with a vision of "life without limits" for those with disabilities.