IL HR0643

Nearly one million people in the United States live with cerebral palsy, a group of neurological disorders affecting motor and developmental skills caused by brain damage or abnormal brain development during gestation, birth, or shortly thereafter.

Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in children, affecting approximately 1 in 345 children in the United States; 75% of individuals with cerebral palsy also have one or more developmental disabilities including epilepsy, intellectual disability, autism, or visual impairment.

National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month was established in 2006 by Reaching for the Stars (RFTS), a non-profit educational advocacy group, and is observed annually in March with a designated awareness day on March 25th.

The observance provides educational opportunities for the public to learn about cerebral palsy and encourages inclusive practices toward individuals living with the condition.

Designates March 2024 as Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month in the State of Illinois.