For this week's Neuro Note assignment, I watched Miss You Can Do It, a documentary detailing the Miss You Can Do It pageant. This pageant was founded by former Miss Iowa 2008, Abbey Curran. Abbey was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at two years old, and despite her challenges, she was the first woman with a disability to compete in the Miss USA pageant. Abbey was told that every victory is meant to inspire the next person, and she wanted to use her victory in the pageant world to inspire other women with disabilities.
Abbey Curran founded the Miss You Can Do It pageant to create a safe environment for girls with disabilities to feel beautiful and meet other people with disabilities. Several of the contestants came from small towns and did not have many friends that could relate to them, so competing in the pageant exposed the contestants to other individuals with similar challenges.
This documentary shared the accounts of several families and children with disabilities. One of the most highlighted disabilities was cerebral palsy. Cerebral Palsy is an acquired brain injury that affects individuals on a spectrum with some more involved than others. Abbey's CP is relatively mild compared to some of the other contestants in the pageant. She has been able to walk independently since the age of four. One contestant, who ended up winning the pageant, was diagnosed with cerebral palsy and walked using a posterior walker and mentioned her dream of walking independently without the use of adaptive equipment. This little girl's family said that seeing Abbey Curran walk without a device inspired their daughter and showed her that people with CP CAN walk without devices. For this particular girl, the mother discussed her hypertonicity which caused her daughter to constantly cross midline with her arms and legs especially in ambulation.
Watching this documentary solidified my knowledge of neurological disorders covered in this class. I was able to gain a deeper understanding of several disorders including cerebral palsy. It showed people with differing levels of involvement of cerebral palsy and gave me more insight on how different this acquired brain injury can look on several individuals. The families of these young girls with cerebral palsy advocated for the abilities of their daughters. They continuously stressed that their children were very intelligent and mainly struggled with motor skills. A common challenge among these children with CP was a lack of independence in daily activities. One mother discussed how her daughter struggled the most with accepting that she may need help in activities due to her diagnosis. Her daughter understands the demands of tying her shoes, however, most times, she needs help due to her motor challenges.
I have met people with cerebral palsy through my involvement with organizations like Best Buddies, however, this was a disorder that I did not have much knowledge on. This documentary reinforced what I have read and learned about CP in OT school and gave personal accounts of what life is like with this disorder. I chose to watch this documentary for several reasons. The main reason I chose to watch it was to gain more insight on cerebral palsy, but I also volunteered at a pageant designed for individuals with disabilities while in college. I felt personally connected to the message of the documentary through my involvement with organizations that support individuals with disabilities.
I highly recommend that others watch this documentary! It was recommended to me by a classmate that also used this documentary for a Neuro Note assignment. It was a sweet, uplifting, and enjoyable way to learn more about several disabilities including acquired brain injuries.
Davis, R., Anderson, J., Westervelt, C. (Producers) & Davis, R. (2013). Miss You Can Do It [Motion Picture]. United States: HBO.
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