A man with cerebral palsy is accomplishing something few would think possible for someone in his condition: learning karate.

Aaron Timmons, a 29-year-old man in the U.K., found karate by accident. Though he had been a fan of Japanese anime, most notably Dragon Ball Z, Timmons was not looking for karate lessons. He just happened to take a trip with his sister while she searched for boxing lessons. While sitting and watching her train, he heard noises coming from another class that attracted his attention. Going over to watch the karate students, he decided to ask for instruction.

“Disability or not, the criteria is still the same,” said Timothy Hill, Timmons’ instructor. “He’s not coming in here being pampered and just getting a belt. When he’s on the floor, he’s just like (everyone else).”

Timmons just attained his first belt rank beyond the standard white. He is immensely proud of the new red belt he earned.

Timmons’ mother, Beth Todaro, expressed her surprise at his accomplishment. “I had no idea that the discipline of karate could be such that a person with disabilities could master it,” she said. “Because of his core issues, he’s always physically fighting to keep his balance.”

Timmons has every reason to be proud. Not everyone could do what he has done, with or without cerebral palsy.

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Lily Gordon, a six-year-old girl with cerebral palsy, is taking her first steps after travelling from her home in England to go through surgery in the U.S.

Her parents, Joanne and David, were watching television a year ago when they saw the story of a boy with cerebral palsy who had travelled to the U.S. for pioneering Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery. That the little boy was able to walk again was enough to motivate the family to try for the same surgery.

Through months of hard work and fundraising the family managed to gather 70,000 pounds to pay for their trip to The Children’s Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

“It was just by the off-chance we had seen the programme, and if we had not heard about it we may never have gone along that road,” said Joanne.

With her return home, Lily is going through rigorous physiotherapy three times a week. This comes after her four hour surgery in the states and another tendon lengthening surgery.

“Some people may expect her to be walking fully by now, but it is things like her sitting on the sofa on her own and the fact we can leave her to sit on a chair whereas before she would have just fallen off it. We can see as the weeks so on she is getting stronger,” said Joanne.

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A Long Beach, California cerebral palsy sufferer had his Christmas wish filled by the Long Beach Junior Concert Band with the gift of a drum.

22-year-old Nelson Miles might suffer from cerebral palsy and high-level autism, but “when he air drums, his disability goes away,” said his mother, Tuesday Miles.

When Nelson turned 16, the band showed up at his birthday party. “They’ve been in his life ever since,” said Tuesday. “He knows every move, every song.”

Tuesday told reporters that the band has taken him in, and said that Nelson memorizes every single step in a drum routine and meticulously repeats it.

Nelson owns 100 drum sticks, and plays in the air all the time, according to his mother. She knew what he needed for Christmas.

When Tuesday posted on Facebook that she wanted a used drum to buy for her son, the band leaped at the opportunity to help. They raised the money and bought the drum for him, showing up the day after Christmas at his house with the gift.

“He loves the band,” said Don Koegle, a supporter of the band. “He’s kind of been a fixture. He loves the drums, and we’re glad we’re able to do this for him.”

Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – cerebral palsy lawyer

Two children from Katy, Texas, will now be able to communicate with family and friends, thanks to a special Christmas gift from the Katy Police Officers Association.

The organization presented Logan Cook, 3, and Kameron Martinez, 14, each with an iPad 2 with Proloque2Go, software that provides communication solutions for people who have difficulty speaking.

The funding for the gifts came from officers of the Katy Police Department, members of the Katy Fire Department and other community contributors.

With cerebral palsy, dystonia, nystagmus, spasticity, epilepsy and exotropia, as well as a benign brain tumor, Logan Cook has a lot to overcome.

“He has full intellect and comprehension, but because of his brain damage form the CP, he can’t talk,” said his mother.

At speech therapy class, Logan is able to communicate using an iPad, but when he gets home, things can be frustrating. With an iPad of his own, that will change.

Kameron Martinez, with cerebral palsy, wants to communicate with people, she just has trouble doing so.

“She’s a very social girl – very outgoing, and she likes to say, ‘hi’ to people,” her father said. “They’ve just always had a hard time understanding her, and this will really help with that.”

It is easy to take for granted our ability to communicate. Giving the gift of communication to these two children is bound to make their lives much fuller.

Cappolino Dodd Krebs LLP – cerebral palsy lawyers