I Advocate...Geri Jewell

 ...Cerebral Palsy International Research Foundation. CPIRF is dedicated to funding research and educational activities directly relevant to discovering the cause, finding the cure, and developing evidence-based care for those with cerebral palsy. Since 1955, CPIRF has contributed more than $40 million in research grants to support approximately 500 research projects in the biomedical and clinical sciences and in bioengineering. The foundation has provided guidance, funds, and other resources to research programs in the United States, the Middle East, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Greece. CPIRF also contributes to national and international meetings and organizes scientific workshops designed to identify research opportunities and provide state-of-the-art knowledge concerning CP prevention, cure, and care. CPIRF.org

...online Scrabble. If you’re going to have addiction issues, Scrabble is pretty harmless. Seriously, let’s say Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan craved only Scrabble and not alcohol, drugs, or sex. Then their lives would be a lot less complex, their vocabularies would improve, and they’d be better spellers! Their worst offense would be cheating by using online dictionaries.
Hasbro.com/Scrabble

...Trader Joe’s Macaroni and Cheese. My doctor isn’t too fond of the cholesterol, but hey, it’s not going to kill me! Roller skating could kill me, Dancing With the Stars could kill me, my own cooking could kill me, but Trader Joe’s Mac and Cheese is just a little cheesy indulgence. TraderJoes.com

...Converse tennis shoes. Why? Because I can’t wear heels. Besides, some people tend to look down at my feet to avoid eye contact, so I want them to have something fun to look at. Come to think of it, I love tennis shoes that light up when you walk, but I can’t find them in adult sizes. It pisses me off, because the way I walk, it could be quite a light show onstage. Converse.com

...holistic health care. Insurance companies should cover preventive and alternative medicine, such as the use of the hyperbaric chamber and acupuncture. Unfortunately, people who have to live with chronic pain are pawns for the greedy, monopolistic pharmaceutical companies. “Safer” and “healthier” are not even considered an option.

...snaps, zippers, and magnets. CP and buttons are not a good match, especially if they’re little buttons! Do you have any idea how long it takes me to button and unbutton a blouse? I have also lost more buttons over the years, and I never was too fond of the phrase, “You’re as cute as a button!” I don’t think I’ve ever seen a cute button — not even a cute buttonhole.