AACPDM Podcast

We go back to the Archives of the AACPDM Village to hear from Past President Dr. Peter Rosenbaum. Hear about how he got his start, his hopes for future and the impact of working with families. A research partner family member shared the following reflection that stood with Peter, 'you have textbooks, we have stories'. Please reach out to [email protected] to make suggestions or to let us know how you're enjoying the podcast. Thanks for listening!

This episode profiles the work of Dr. Courtney Streur, the recipient of the 2024 AACPDM Research Grant (https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/grants). Dr. Streur's grant was titled "Advancing the understanding of reproductive health of women with cerebral palsy: preliminary evidence to tailor a novel, online reproductive health educational intervention ("Ability for Life") to adolescent girls with cerebral palsy" and the product of this work includes https://abilityforlife.org.

A conversation was started in 2022 for a Symposium offered at the Annual Meeting entitled "Inspiring and Supporting Women in AACPDM to Become Leaders". Then Dr. Joline Brandenburg assembled a panel of speakers that included Diane Damiano, PhD, PT, Maureen O’Donnell, MD MSc FRCP(C), Deborah Gaebler-Spira, MD, Eileen Fowler, PhD, PT, Sarah Winter, MD, Susan Sienko, PhD, Darcy Fehlings, MD MSc FRCP(C), and Jilda Vargus-Adams, MD. Today Joline joins once again with Deb, Maureen and Sarah to discuss topics relevant to women aspiring to leadership in our academy.In the updates, we also noted:The membership renewal period is open for 2026: https://www.aacpdm.org/membershipAwards that will be open for nominations soon: https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/annual-awardsResearch Grant deadline coming up soon! https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/grantsAnnual meeting prospectus is available: https://www.aacpdm.org/events/2026/supporters-exhibitorsCall for nominations for open positions on the board: https://www.aacpdm.org/events/current-news/call-for-nominations---open

Today have the first of our Fireside Chat series -- a chance to learn more about the Academy and the people who lead it. Act 1: we talk with Bill Oppenheim, current Historian for the Board of Directors and discuss some of the historical challenges that brought about our creation of investment funds. Act 2: Current treasurer Mike Healy and secretary Angela Shierk discuss their roles around Academy finances and policies. Act 3: Research chair Sam Nemanich discusses this year's mentored research grant call. https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/grantsPlease send your comments and questions to [email protected]; our next Fireside Chat will be in a few weeks!

March 25 is Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day every year. This year we celebrate 20 years of this nationally recognized day of awareness and advocacy.

Now open for registration -- the 2026 Spring Symposium! https://www.aacpdm.org/events/2026-spring-symposium Learn everything we know about muscle in cerebral palsy from basic science through clinical translation. Today's main interview is with Dr. Charlene Butler, President of AACPDM in 1995. Her passion for evidence based medicine and the importance of mobility access is evident in this conversation with Jen Lyman. Write to us at [email protected] to let us know your comments, questions and ideas. Next week is a Fireside Chat with our Secretary Angela Shierk and Treasurer Michael Healy -- so it's the perfect time to pose a question!

In this episode we highlight the contributions and career of Dr. Helen Horstmann, Orthopedic Surgeon and President of AACPDM in 1994. She shares stories of friendship, career growth, and how she balanced family in her roles. Enjoy this conversation!Other notes from the show:You can catch up on several topic areas presented at the Oceania Academy Biennial meeting at https://researchworks.net. The team put together a large number of interviews and discussions on topics that were included in keynotes, education sessions, and talks. https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/ecourses/2026-spina-bifida-ecourse The Spina Bifida eCourse is available through the end of the month. Learn more about the Myelomeningocele Functional Classification (MMFC) from Drs. Vineeta Swaroop, Jill Larson, and Ana-Marie Rojas. Don't forget to renew or join to take full advantage of all member benefits!

We are so lucky to have an interview in this episode of Duncan Wyeth, completed by Dr. Ed Hurvitz. Duncan and Ed discuss life, sports, advocacy, work and the power of inclusion in sports. Since 2000, the academy has had an award named after Duncan (https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/annual-awards/duncan-wyeth-award). This award is presented to an individual who demonstrates outstanding participation in or promotion of sports and recreation and serves as a role model for people with disabilities. The award is named after Mr. Duncan Wyeth for his passion for life and for encouraging people with disabilities of all ages to pursue interests and dreams based on their abilities and not to be limited by their disabilities. Duncan is an active advocate in his local community, nationally and internationally. His enthusiasm for life, sports, and recreation is contagious and inspirational.We also have a chance to hear commentary from Director at Large Gavin Colquitt. Gavin has been both an active member of the Adaptive Sports and Recreation Committee and now Special Interest Group, and now serves as liaison to that committee. The AACPDM wishes Duncan a very happy 80th birthday! Thank you for sharing your story and for all of your advocacy.

We are grateful to have a chance to speak with Dr. Matthew Amadeo, one of the Technology SIG contributors to the education session at the 2025 annual meeting. In this episode, he chats with Theresa Moulton about 2 of the articles that were discussed during that session. Lim O, Kim Y, Park C. Preliminary Effects of Extended Reality-Based Rehabilitation on Gross Motor Function, Balance, and Psychosocial Health in Children with Cerebral Palsy. Bioengineering (Basel). 2025 Jul 18;12(7):779. doi: 10.3390/bioengineering12070779. PMID: 40722471; PMCID: PMC12293000. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12293000/K. A. Ingraham et al., "Quantifying Joystick Interactions and Movement Patterns of Toddlers With Disabilities Using Powered Mobility With an Instrumented Explorer Mini," in IEEE Transactions on Neural Systems and Rehabilitation Engineering, vol. 33, pp. 431-440, 2025, doi: 10.1109/TNSRE.2025.3528454 https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10839087

Today we catch up with leadership from the Technology Special Interest Group, or “SIG”. Drs. Anna McCormick and Sally Evans share context for how the SIG came to be. Dr. Hana Alazem is this year's Chair of the SIG and shares exciting plans ahead for the year. You can learn more about SIGs and. how to join on our website: https://www.aacpdm.org/about-us/aacpdm-special-interest-groups-sigs. We'd love to hear from you! Write to [email protected] to share your ideas, ask questions, and give feedback about the podcast.

In this replay from the AACPDM Village, we join past Community Council Chair Jen Lyman interviewing Past President Dr. Jim Gage. Commentary is also provided by Past Presidents Sarah Winter and Tom Novacheck. The Village of the AACPDM was a project of the Diamond Jubilee meeting. Contributors to the project included: 2021 Scientific co-chairs Anna McCormick and Julie Sees; Communications committee representatives Kristie Bjornson, Ginny Paleg, and Sruthi Thomas; Historian Bill Oppenheim; Past President Deb Gaebler, Producer Gregory Tilton and Host Jen Lyman; supported by AACPDM staff (Tamara Wagester, Erin Freimark, Erin Brewster). Also mentioned in this podcast are AACPDM membership, https://www.aacpdm.org/membership, and the eCourse on the Myelomeningocele Functional Classification (MMFC) led by Drs. Vineeta T. Swaroop, MD, Jill E. Larson, MD, and Ana-Marie Rojas, MD. https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/ecourses/2026-spina-bifida-ecourseDo you have a question or wish to make a comment on the podcast? In the coming episodes we'll be hosting some 'Fireside Chats' - a way to learn more about the functioning of the academy, and get to know some of the leaders and staff that support the mission. Email us your questions/comments to [email protected] -- in text or send a short audio message that we can play on the podcast!

In today’s show, Director at Large Caitlin Cassidy discusses two journal articles with members of the Lifespan Care Committee: Prue Morgan, Majula Manikandan, and Cristina Sarmiento. https://www.aacpdm.org/publications/lifespan-journal-digestThe Lifespan Committee identified 10 great articles in 2025, listed below. The full list of references identified in 2025 is below.Andreopoulou G, Meharry JB, Jagadamma KC, van der Linden ML. Physical activity and exercise interventions in adults with cerebral palsy: a systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. Disabil Rehabil. 2025 May;47(9):2170-2184. van Rijssen IM, Gorter JW, Visser-Meily JM, Konijnenbelt M, van Driel M, van Drunen MG, Verschuren O. The 24-hour physical activities in adults with cerebral palsy and their adherence to the 24-hour movement guideline. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 2025 May 1;106(5):696-703.Trinh A, Fremion E, Bhathena S, Munns CF, Morgan P, Whitney DG, Gillick B, Zacharin M, Fehlings D, Vincent AJ, Milat F. Prevalence of and risk factors for osteoporosis and fragility fracture in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2025 May;67(5):563-571. Sarmiento CA, Gannotti M, Cohen J, Hurvitz E. Priority setting for multicenter research among adults with cerebral palsy: a qualitative study. Disabil Rehabil. 2025 Oct;47(20):5307-5318. Ryan JM, Burke J, Byrne R, Capellari E, Harvey A, O'Connell NE, Omichinski D, Rodby-Bousquet E, Peterson M; Adult CP Clinical Practice Guideline Working Group. Pain in adults with cerebral palsy: A systematic review. Dev Med Child Neurol. 2025 Jul;67(7):854-874. van Rijssen IM, Gorter JW, Visser-Meily JMA, Sommers-Spijkerman M, Konijnenbelt M, van Driel M, Verschuren O. Sleep and physical activity: the experiences of adults with cerebral palsy and recommendations for clinical practice. Disabil Rehabil. 2025 Nov;47(23):6189-6197.Bailes AF, Noritz GH, Wyeth DO, Lucas EJ, Bates EB, Azizi H, Sarmiento CA, Thorpe DE, Nichols SA, Kreschmer J, Wisniewski S, Gannotti M. Multi-center improvement in screening for pain that affects activities in adults with cerebral palsy. Disabil Health J. 2025 Oct;18(4):101911. Petranovich CL, Sarmiento CA, Glaros C, Friedman H, Brenner LA, Dorsey Holliman B. A qualitative study of the social and emotional needs of adults with cerebral palsy: "it's a terrible gap". Disabil Rehabil. 2025 Dec;47(25):6655-6662. Esterley M, Krach LE, Pederson K, et al. Fall experiences of ambulatory children and adults with cerebral palsy: A qualitative study using thematic content analysis. Dev Med Child Neurol. Published online August 21, 2025.Smith, K. J., Burke, J., Lawrence, R., Oputa, E., & Bailey, R. (2025). The experience of cerebral palsy stigma amongst adults living in the UK and Ireland: A qualitative co-designed project. PLOS ONE, 20(9), e0331562.

In this replay from the AACPDM Village, we join past Community Council Chair Jen Lyman interviewing trailblazer Dr. Murray Goldstein. Commentary is also provided by Past President and 2025 Lifetime Achievement Award Winner Eileen Fowler. The Village of the AACPDM was a project of the Diamond Jubilee meeting. Contributors to the project included: 2021 Scientific co-chairs Anna McCormick and Julie Sees; Communications committee representatives Kristie Bjornson, Ginny Paleg, and Sruthi Thomas; Historian Bill Oppenheim; Past President Deb Gaebler, Producer Gregory Tilton and Host Jen Lyman; supported by AACPDM staff (Tamara Wagester, Erin Freimark, Erin Brewster). Also mentioned in this podcast are the AACPDM Research Grants: https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/grants, and the eCourse on the Myelomeningocele Functional Classification (MMFC) led by Drs. Vineeta T. Swaroop, MD, Jill E. Larson, MD, and Ana-Marie Rojas, MD. https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/ecourses/2026-spina-bifida-ecourse

This is the first of the podcasts where we’ll highlight and preview this year's 80th Annual Meeting. Vice President Kristie Bjornson discusses Abstract Submissions for the meeting, her chosen theme, and some of the science she and her team are excited to include in programming. Specific details about the formatting of abstracts and scoring rubrics are available at the following link: https://www.aacpdm.org/events/2026/abstract-submissionAbstracts are due January 31 at 11:59PM EST – we look forward to learning more about your work! #AACPDM2026

In this replay from the AACPDM Village, we join past Community Council Chair Jen Lyman interviewing Dr. Alfred Scherzer. Dr. Scherzer served as President of the AACPDM in 1986 and was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011. He was the Historian from 2009 to 2019. He also was Chair of the International Affairs Committee (1986-1990) and Chair of the Advocacy Committee (1990-1994). The Village of the AACPDM was a project of the Diamond Jubilee meeting. Contributors to the project included: 2021 Scientific co-chairs Anna McCormick and Julie Sees; Communications committee representatives Kristie Bjornson, Ginny Paleg, and Sruthi Thomas; Historian Bill Oppenheim; Past President Deb Gaebler, Producer Gregory Tilton and Host Jen Lyman; supported by AACPDM staff (Tamara Wagester, Erin Freimark, Erin Brewster).

Catch up with and get to know Academy leadership! Past President Laurie Glader and Director at Large Jeremy Bauer kick off the podcasting series discussing a variety of topics and share some mentorship opportunities. Mentorship opportunities:Advisor program: https://www.aacpdm.org/get-involved/advisor-programEmerging Leaders: https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/emerging-leaders-programMentorship program in collaboration with Cerebral Palsy Foundation: https://www.cerebralpalsyfoundation.org/healthcare-mentorship-program/Link to Podcasts we loved working with for #AACPDM2025:Research Works: https://researchworks.net/Cerebral Palsy Health: https://cpresource.org/media/podcasts/cerebral-palsy-health-jen-lymanPedsOrtho Podcast: https://www.posnacademy.org/channel/Peds+Ortho+Podcast/116705041Complex Care Journal Club: https://www.openpediatrics.org/complexcarejournalclubpodcast Parálisis Cerebral Respuestas (Cerebral Palsy Answers): https://www.azucenagarcia.com/podcastRegister for the Mental Health e-Course: https://www.aacpdm.org/professional-opportunities/ecourses/20252026-lifespan-ecourseContact us at [email protected]

In this special teaser episode, Theresa Moulton walks through the origin story of the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine (AACPDM). Our six founding members are physicians Bronson Crothers (Neurology), Winthrop Phelps (Orthopedics), Temple Fay (Neurosurgery), Meyer Perlstein (Pediatrics), George Deaver (Rehabilitation Medicine), and Earl Carlson (Internal Medicine). They were brought together by Jayne Shover in 1964, initially as the National Cerebral Palsy Advisory Council and later as the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy. This episode launches our 80th year celebration, thanks for listening!Online references:https://www.aacpdm.org/about-us/history https://www.aacpdm.org/enewsletter/2021/01/#article3 https://www.aacpdm.org/enewsletter/2018/05/ https://www.aacpdm.org/enewsletter/2017/12/ Cover art photo of Jayne Shover from https://www.pibetaphi.org/PiBetaPhi/media/History/6%20Arrow%20Archive/Arrow%20PDFs/1970-1979/v88n4-Summer-1972.pdf Learn more about AACPDM membership: https://www.aacxpdm.org/membership/benefits

Voices heard include:Susan SienkoRobert ChristopherHelen HorstmannMichael AlexanderPeter RosenbaumCharlene ButlerTheresa Sukal-MoultonFirst episode coming soon! Learn more at AACPDM.org