Julie Staley with an Overview of Cerebral Palsy My name is Julie Staley, and I spent the majority of my career as a reporter.

In 2002, I won the United Cerebral Palsys Outstanding Community Partner Award as a result of the investigative reporting I did on the disorder. Many people have heard of cerebral palsy, but not everyone knows what exactly it is. In fact, it is dicult to provide a succinct denition of cerebral palsy because, in fact, the term covers a group of motor conditions that lead to physical disability through impact on the brain and nervous system. The disorder aects functions including hearing, seeing, thinking, learning, and moving. It is caused by brain damage that occurs during the development of a childs brain, typically while the baby is still in the womb, but it can happen any time during the rst two years of a childs life. Sadly, there is no cure. Treatment is conducted in order to help people with cerebral palsy function as independently as possible. About the author: Julie Staley has retired from professional journalism and works on a freelance basis. She also heads the Henry M. Staley Charitable Foundation.