Cerebral palsy’s impact on a person’s day-to-day life is not confined to their health. It impacts their social opportunities, their careers, and their feelings about themselves. In this way, cerebral palsy presents those parties diagnosed with it with a unique set of challenges to navigate daily.
With that range of challenges in mind, Birth Injury Lawyers Group offers its Cerebral Palsy Scholarship to students fighting to pursue secondary education despite their symptoms. In the 2022/2023 academic year, the firm is proud to offer $2,500 in financial support to Eve Cowens of Florida Southwest State College.
An Essay Tackling an Entire Life
It takes skill to elaborate on the average life in a limited word count. Eve Cowens wields this ability with skill. Her scholarship essay speaks of her cerebral palsy diagnosis, alongside other health concerns, with sharp pathos. Her story of the litany of medical challenges she and her family have faced over the years particularly resonated with the Birth Injury Lawyers Group.
Specifically, Eve’s essay elaborates on the difficulty of contending with a cerebral palsy diagnosis on top of her premature birth and developing mental health conditions. Throughout this commentary, she discusses her family’s dedication to her success and the means to which they had to go to ensure her long-term health.
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Overcoming the Obstacle of “Othering”
On the surface, Eve’s essay tells a story of her cerebral palsy diagnosis and the determination required to come to live alongside it. In the center of this aside conversation, however, is a commentary on “othering.”
Eve speaks to both the reaction to her condition she received from her peers and to the internal battle that reaction forced her to undertake. Eve’s essay does not suggest that this battle is over but rather acknowledges how the social reaction to cerebral palsy and similar conditions can place additional obstacles on a diagnosee’s road to healthy living.
Specifically, Eve elaborates on her own changing view of her condition and what steps brought her to the point where she is today, as a burgeoning adult. Where stereotypes within her community of peers and commentary from fellow students drove her to hide her condition, she has since begun to better reckon with the labels of society and her perception of herself.
Sharing Her Story
Most poignantly, Eve states that she wants to share her story and journey to give hope to mothers of premature babies. Mothers contending with the shock of having a child earlier than anticipated can look to Eve’s story and realize that their child has not only the opportunity to survive but to thrive.
Eve’s essay further offers insight into the challenges that students with cerebral palsy may face on a social and physical level. As such, her essay offers those students a chance to explore possible solutions to their problems – as well as the reassurance that they’re not alone.
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Eve’s Ambitions for the Future
Eve’s vibrancy isn’t confined to her essay. When asked about finding balance in her day-to-day life, she elaborates on the friendships she’s forged and her foundational bond with her family. She also elaborates on her desire to continue volunteering and traveling, despite the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Eve speaks enthusiastically about her conservatory work with the Conservancy of SWFL, where she works alongside other wildlife rehabilitators to heal wild animals who have been orphaned or injured. Her volunteer work with the organization has hit a roadblock since the onset of the pandemic, but she states that she looks forward to returning to it as soon as is safely possible.
What’s more, Eve cites her passion for psychology as the driving force behind her explorations of her own mental health and dedication to her education. She intends, upon her graduation, to pursue a master’s in counseling. Before she goes to graduate school, she wants to work as a psychometrist, assisting parties with mood disorders, depression, anxiety, and autism.
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Gratitude in Spades
Now that she has received the $2,500 in financial support from Birth Injury Lawyers Group, Even intends to use her additional funds to help contend with tuition, books, room and board, and additional expenses affiliated with her education. This award, she says, offers her parents some relief while limiting the financial stress she has to contend with while attending class.
In the questionnaire she answered after receiving her scholarship, Eve states that she is grateful to the Birth Injury Lawyers Group team for providing her with support. She also takes a moment to highlight the efforts of her doctors at Golisano Children’s Hospital in Fort Myers.
The efforts of these parties, according to Eve, not only facilitated her survival. They also continue to contribute to her personal growth.
Previous Birth Injury Cerebral Palsy Scholarship Winners
Eve joins previous scholarship winner, Matthew Williams, as a recipient of the birth injury cerebral palsy scholarship. Both students had to have a GPA of 2.5 or higher to be considered for the scholarship, along with their diagnosis of cerebral palsy and acceptance at an accredited university in the United States.
The essay prompt for the birth injury cerebral palsy scholarship remains unchanged from year to year. Parents and students interested in applying for this financial support are encouraged to consider the ways cerebral palsy has affected a student’s educational goal before bringing together the documents required for the submission of the application.
Learn more about the scholarship application’s requirements by reading the Birth Injury Cerebral Palsy Scholarship terms and conditions.
Birth Injury Lawyers Group Looks Forward to Eve Cowens’ Continued Academic Success
Birth Injury Lawyers Group couldn’t be happier to supply Eve Cowens and her family with $2,500 to dedicate towards Eve’s continued academic success. The firm was moved by Eve’s compelling and heartfelt essay and looks forward to keeping in touch as she pursues her bachelor’s degree in psychology.
Students interested in pursuing the birth injury lawyer group cerebral palsy scholarship in the 2023/2024 academic year can begin compiling their essays today. The deadline for application submissions is June 16th, 2023. Applicants are expected to submit their related materials through the Birth Injury Lawyers Group website.
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