Living Beyond Disability: Personal Stories from People with Disabilities

Mallerie Badgett

 

(pictured left to right: Maggie Graham, Kristina Heuman, Mallerie Badgett)

 

Mallerie was born with cerebral palsy. When she was about three or four years old, she traded her crutches for a wheelchair. Shortly after, Mallerie began participating in sports and fitness at the Lakeshore Foundation recreation and education center. Today her favorite sports include basketball and track. She recently picked up rugby and hopes to play full-time soon.

 

Now, at 23 years old, she is finishing her bachelor’s degree in recreation at Birmingham’s Jefferson State Community College. Mallerie hopes to work for the Lakeshore Foundation someday.

 

More information about living with disabilities:

•CDC’s work in Disability and Health www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disabilityandhealth/index.html

•Lakeshore Foundation www.lakeshore.org

•United Nations International Day of Persons with Disabilities (December 3) www.un.org/disabilities/default.asp?id=111

•CDC Video: Bernard Baker - “What’s Disability to Me?” www.cdc.gov/NCBDDD/video/bernard/index.html

•CDC Feature Article: “People with Disabilities: Living Healthy” www.cdc.gov/Features/Disabilities/

•CDC Feature Article: “Twentieth Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)” www.cdc.gov/Features/ADAAnniversary/

 

 

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