Healing, Hope, and History
Honoring the Women Physicians of the CP Community
February 3rd is National Women Physicians Day, observed on the birthday of Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. It is a day that marks progress, honors perseverance, and recognizes the women who broke barriers—and continue to do so—across the medical field.
At Cerebral Palsy Positive (CPP), this day carries special meaning.
For individuals with cerebral palsy, parents, and caregivers, the CP journey is often shaped by the physicians encountered along the way. The right doctor does more than diagnose or treat symptoms. They see the whole person. They listen when concerns are minimized. They question outdated assumptions. And they advocate for possibility when others focus solely on limitations.
Today, we honor women physicians whose work has fundamentally shaped how cerebral palsy is understood, treated, and lived with.
The Foundation Layers
Progress does not happen in isolation—it is built on the courage and commitment of those who came before.
One such pioneer is Dr. Lydia Eudora Ashburne Evans, whose legacy remains deeply rooted in the CP community. Dr. Ashburne Evans established the first United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) affiliate in the Chicago area at a time when developmental disabilities were poorly understood and severely under-resourced.
Her work extended beyond opening a facility. She helped build a model of community-based care and advocacy, ensuring families had access to support, information, and connection when few systems existed. She didn’t wait for permission—she responded to need, and in doing so, laid groundwork that still matters today.
Challenging the Narrative
As understanding of cerebral palsy evolved, progress accelerated because women in medicine dared to challenge long-held assumptions.
We honor the late Dr. Karen Pape, a neonatologist and clinical neuroscientist whose work fundamentally shifted how CP recovery and potential were viewed. At a time when outcomes were often framed with pessimism, Dr. Pape championed neuroplasticity—the brain’s ability to change and adapt.
Her message was powerful and transformative: it is never too late for the brain to learn. That belief reshaped treatment approaches and offered renewed hope to families who had long been told to expect less.
Leading in the Present, Shaping the Future
Today, women physicians continue to advance cerebral palsy care through research, clinical practice, and lived experience.
We celebrate leaders like Dr. Janice E. Brunstrom-Hernandez, a pediatric neurologist who also lives with cerebral palsy. Her perspective is both clinical and personal, bringing authenticity and accountability to her work. Through her advocacy for comprehensive, high-expectations care, she has empowered young people with CP to define their own paths—not be defined by outdated expectations.
We also recognize contemporary physician-scientists such as Dr. Bhooma Aravamuthan and Dr. Cristina Sarmiento. Through cutting-edge research in neurodevelopment, genetics, and rehabilitation, their work addresses complex questions about cerebral palsy—work that is critical not only for managing CP today, but for improving outcomes and quality of life in the future.
A Word of Gratitude
National Women Physicians Day is more than a moment of recognition—it is a chance to pause and say thank you.
To the women physicians named here, and to every woman doctor working quietly in clinics, hospitals, research labs, and communities: your work matters. Your persistence matters. Your belief in patients matters.
To those who are part of the cerebral palsy journey—individuals, families, and caregivers—you know firsthand the difference a physician can make when they truly see you.
At CPP, we see these women. We honor their contributions. And we are deeply grateful for the care, courage, and commitment they bring to the CP community—every day.
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