Man with Cerebral Palsy Offers Advice to Teens

Born with cerebral palsy that has limited his movement throughout his life, 25-year-old Cleveland, OH resident Zachary Fenell is telling teenagers who have been afflicted with similar birth injuries to not be self-conscious and shy because of their disabilities

“Don't be embarrassed. Embrace your disability,” he said, according to the Newburns Sun Journal. “And go find people who are experiencing what you are experiencing.”

Fenell was born with a mild case of cerebral palsy that left him with a limp, poor hand-eye coordination, and trouble balancing. While he can walk, his disabilities keep him from driving a car. To further complicate things, an operation he underwent at the age of 13 to correct Schuermann’s disease left him with temporary paralysis in his right leg. While the paralysis subsided, the leg has been weakened ever since

In high school he had to walk around with a cane, which he said led to him feeling embarrassed and attempting to hide his cerebral palsy from classmates. However, after graduating and while he was preparing for Notre Dame College, Fenell decided to become less self-conscious about his disabilities and open up more to those around him.

“I looked at college as a second chance to be open about it,” he said. “My first year, I was actively looking for openings to disclose my disability.”

He found that those around him were often not deterred by his cerebral palsy, and that students and professors were eager to accept him as he was. Now 25, Fenell has tried to stick with that mindset as a freelance writer about subjects ranging from the Cleveland Indians to disability-related content. In an effort to spread the knowledge he’s learned about living with cerebral palsy, he has also written a book titled “Off Balanced” that encourages teens with disabilities who are having trouble fitting in.

If you or a loved one has a child that suffered a birth injury that can be attributed to medical error, there may be legal options at your disposal. Call Sokolove Law today to learn more about pursuing a cerebral palsy lawsuit. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.

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