Miracle mile group (from left): Dr. Andra Barton (MYP Principal), Alyssa Phillips, Dr. Janice E. Brunstrom-Hernandez and Westlake Mayor Laura Wheat
Story submitted by Westlake Academy
“Living life to itsbrfullest” is more than just a phrase for Alyssa Phillips, a 16-year-old Westlakebrresident and Academy student living with cerebral palsy (CP). Spreading thebrword about living a full life is her mission. This month, the 10th grader'sbrevent, The Miracle Mile, accomplished that feat. The 1K Family Fun Run &brWalk generated $10,000 for the Alyssa V. Phillips Foundation to further itsbrmission in support of those impacted by CP.
Phillips organized thebrevent not only to raise money and awareness for the cause, but to educatebrpeople about cerebral palsy. She picked October 3 to coincide with World CP Day on October 7. About 30 volunteers helped Alyssa during the event, held atbrWestlake Academy, with 110 people participating in the walk.
“I think she accomplishedbrall she wanted to accomplish,” said Alyssa's mother Michelle Phillips. “It'sbrnot just about the funds, but putting the knowledge out there … Alyssa hasbralways been driven to educate people about this disability.”
Along the walk, there werebreducational signs about CP and posters with stories about others around thebrworld living with disabilities and accomplishing great things.
“She wanted to show thatbrwhatever adversities you face daily with CP, all things are possible,” Phillipsbrsaid. “And she wants to lead the younger generation and inspire them to do asbrmuch as they can.”
One of Alyssa's biggestbrinspirations is her physician, Dr. Janice Brunstrom-Hernandez, a board-certifiedbrpediatric neurologist with a world-class CP clinic in Plano. She founded andbrdirected the Cerebral Palsy Center at St. Louis Children's Hospital and hasbrbeen featured in People magazine, Parade, USA Today, and has appeared on “The Today Show.”
“Dr. Jan” as many familiesbrcall her, has first-hand experience living with cerebral palsy. She was bornbrthree months prematurely and, as a result, has spastic diplegic cerebral palsybrand uses a cane to walk.
“Alyssa has such a bigbrheart,” said Dr. Jan. “She is an advocate to show the world what you can dobreven if you have CP … She really wants to change minds about what it means tobrhave CP, she already figured that out before meeting me.”
Dr. Jan said the biggestbrroadblock isn't the physical inaccessibility, but the minds of able-bodiedbrpeople who pass judgment on those with CP.
“We don't walk or talk likebrthey do and some make judgments on what we feel or think. But we think justbrlike they do, we can learn and enjoy life just like thy do, we just need to bebrgiven the chance,” she said.
As far as being Alyssa'sbr“inspiration,” Dr. Jan said it's the other way around and she wouldn't havebrmissed walking in this event for anything.
“These young people havebrchanged my life,” she said. It's people like Alyssa that teach me that I ambrokay with CP, and that has really helped me heal. I'm happy to give back and dobras much as I can for them.”