April 4, 2014 at 3:53 p.m.
Northwoods men want to educate others about cerebral palsy
Northwoods men want to educate others about cerebral palsy
By Kayla Thomason-
Last month was Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. In recognition of the occasion, two local men are reaching out to the public to promote a better understanding of the disorder.
"I wanted people to be aware of cerebral palsy because people with CP have muscle spasms and some (people) with CP can't talk and I wanted to talk for them," said Jacob Probst.
Probst's CP is severe enough that he needs to use a wheelchair but that doesn't stop him from enjoying life.
Cerebral palsy is a central motor dysfunction that affects muscle tone, movement and posture due to a permanent, non-progressive defect or lesion of the immature brain. It is not genetic or an infectious disease, therefore it is not contagious, according to www.cerebralpalsy.com.
"Some people are mean to people that have CP and it's hard for people that have CP," said CP sufferer Brian Voss. Some people with CP have been bullied while others think that CP is contagious, or that people who have it have a mental disability, and that is not the case.
"You can't catch cerebral palsy because it's more neurological," Probst said.
CP is caused by damage to the motor control centers of the developing brain and can occur during pregnancy, birth, or after birth until about age 3. Babies born with severe CP will often display an irregular posture such as being very floppy or very stiff, according to www.cerebralpalsy.com.
"You can't lump everybody with cerebral palsy in one big basket," said Kathleen Silbernagel, job development director at Headwaters.
There are different types and varying degrees of CP and they affect individuals differently. CP tends to affect one side of the body and some people have minor difficulties with movement and speech while others may need to use a wheelchair or can hardly verbalize.
"Jake and I have a hard time with mobility," Voss said. His CP isn't as severe as Probst's. He doesn't need a wheelchair or any other form of aid to walk.
Traversing the snowy, icy Northwoods isn't easy on anyone and for those who use a wheelchair travel it is extremely difficult.
"I think something that people in the community aren't necessarily aware of is even if you have handicap entrances they may have such a narrow path that something like Jake's wheelchair doesn't fit or somebody with a walker can't get through anyway," Silbernagel said.
There are medications to treat the symptoms, but there is no cure for CP. Doctors can help through speech and physical therapy and some of the wheelchairs are fitted with instruments to help with posture.
"We just kind of want people to know that people with cerebral palsy are in this community and they go out in the community, they do things, Brian has done a couple of internships with (broadcast media) where [he] has done some filming of sports," Silbernagel said.
Some people with CP take soft skills classes and employability classes. In the classes they learn how to write a resume, fill out applications and more.
Probst looks for jobs that don't require two hands since he has one hand that works really well. His ultimate goal is to be a deejay.
Voss and Probst are active in Headwater's internal newspaper. They wrote an article on CP for Cerebral Palsy Month.
Another thing Voss and Probst enjoy is football, despite the fact they like different teams. They enjoy going back and forth on the topic.
Both men said they enjoy life and they don't let anything, including CP, limit them.
"If I could change anything in my life it would not be to not have CP, but to have my brother Josh still be alive," Probst said. "I would like to thank God for my family and friends."
Kayla Breese may be reached at kayla@ rivernewsonline.com.
Comments:
You must login to comment.