Chapter 42
Green is a versatile color. It’s the fourth color in the Rainbow (ROY G BIV). It is also used to celebrate Dr. Suess’ birthday this month (think Green Eggs & Ham), not to mention St. Patrick’s Day.
There is another event that utilizes green during the month of March that does not get that much attention but is no less important. March has been designated as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and green is the color chosen to represent it.
This time of year, I normally take to Facebook and make this post: Happy Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. Let’s all stand up and celebrate!...er…wait… never mind. Most people take the post in the spirit it is intended, poking fun at myself and showing that it’s ok to laugh WITH, NOT AT, a disabled person without fear of offending them.
According to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and Research Foundation, 1 in 345 people are affected with some form of Cerebral Palsy and I’m willing to bet that no two people are affected in exactly the same way. Some people can stand and walk without assistance. Others are more severe, but we all have something to offer the world. That’s a good reason to wear green, as a conversation starter. As a person of Irish descent who also has Cerebral Palsy and is a big fan of Theodore Geisel aka Dr. Suess, I have plenty of reasons to wear green this month.
But what about Gabe? He doesn’t have CP and he is certainly not Irish. I’m pretty sure Gabe would eat Green Eggs & Ham because Gabe eats everything whether he is supposed to or not. Gabe also makes people turn green with envy though. There are 4 pages of bullet points on the American Kennel Club website that outline the breed standard for Chessies. Gabe matches every single one. I don’t need one of those doggie DNA tests to tell what breed Gabe is.
There is another event that utilizes green during the month of March that does not get that much attention but is no less important. March has been designated as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month and green is the color chosen to represent it.
This time of year, I normally take to Facebook and make this post: Happy Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month. Let’s all stand up and celebrate!...er…wait… never mind. Most people take the post in the spirit it is intended, poking fun at myself and showing that it’s ok to laugh WITH, NOT AT, a disabled person without fear of offending them.
According to the Cerebral Palsy Alliance and Research Foundation, 1 in 345 people are affected with some form of Cerebral Palsy and I’m willing to bet that no two people are affected in exactly the same way. Some people can stand and walk without assistance. Others are more severe, but we all have something to offer the world. That’s a good reason to wear green, as a conversation starter. As a person of Irish descent who also has Cerebral Palsy and is a big fan of Theodore Geisel aka Dr. Suess, I have plenty of reasons to wear green this month.
But what about Gabe? He doesn’t have CP and he is certainly not Irish. I’m pretty sure Gabe would eat Green Eggs & Ham because Gabe eats everything whether he is supposed to or not. Gabe also makes people turn green with envy though. There are 4 pages of bullet points on the American Kennel Club website that outline the breed standard for Chessies. Gabe matches every single one. I don’t need one of those doggie DNA tests to tell what breed Gabe is.
