MY STRUGGLE AND STRENGTH ON WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY 2025 IN B&H
World Cerebral Palsy (CP) Day, OCTOBER 6, is not just a date on the calendar for me. It is a day when my challenges, achievements, and hopes join a global movement. In 2025, the theme “UNIQUE AND UNITED” strikes at the very core of my experience living with cerebral palsy here, in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is, in essence, a story about me as a unique individual and my call for urgent, united action.
MY UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
Life with CP has taught me that I am, above all, UNIQUE. My cerebral palsy manifests differently than it does in another person; my muscles, my balance, even my way of thinking, are shaped in a way that is solely my own. I dislike being grouped with other persons with disabilities without recognition of my individuality. I am not merely a “person with a disability”; I am a person who loves soccer and basketball, who has their own dreams, frustrations, and ambitions.
Here, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, this recognition of UNIQUENESS is often absent. People, unfortunately, see my hemiparetic gait or my slow hand first, and only then my intelligence or my willpower. The fight for inclusion for me is therefore not just about installing a ramp; it is about changing the look in the eyes of neighbors and officials. I want October 6th to be a day when my talents and potential are recognized and valued, not just my need for assistance.
MY CALL FOR THE STATE TO UNITE
My life in Bosnia and Herzegovina is a constant struggle against obstacles that don’t only stem from my body. Architectural barriers remind me daily that many spaces “are not for me.” But what frustrates me most is the division within the system. My access to essential therapy, rehabilitation, and assistive technology often depends on which canton or entity I live in, which is unjustified and disheartening.
That is why the message “UNITED” is crucial for us. We cannot allow administrative lines to divide us in the fight for basic human rights. My message on World CP Day 2025 is: WE MUST UNITE! Parents, associations, experts, but also politicians and legislators, must act as one. We must urgently standardize the benchmarks for care and access across the country.
I want us to unite in the fight against STIGMA, that invisible wall that sometimes isolates me more than any staircase. I want my story to be shared and to become part of a larger, UNITED voice that will finally compel just laws on inclusive education and employment.
OUR SHARED FUTURE
World Cerebral Palsy Day is a day of pride and defiance for me. It is an opportunity to step out of the shadows and say: “I AM HERE!” I live with CP, but I am an active member of society.
Therefore, on October 6, 2025, I will raise my voice. Not just as an individual asking for help, but as part of a UNIQUE community demanding UNITED support from the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our goal is not just to survive; our goal is to thrive. I hope that my country, united in solidarity, will finally recognize the full potential and dignity of all of us living with cerebral palsy.
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