Cerebral palsy book aims to inspire people

A Leeds author and blogger has written movingly about her experiences with cerebral palsy in a bid to inspire others.
Ilana Estelle, pictured second from right, with her mum and dad, two sisters and her brother.Ilana Estelle, pictured second from right, with her mum and dad, two sisters and her brother.
Ilana Estelle, pictured second from right, with her mum and dad, two sisters and her brother.

Ilana Estelle, from Alwoodley, has penned ‘Cerebral Palsy: A Story’ to document her struggles and how she overcame them. It is both a memoir and a motivational tool.

The story begins in the 1960s when attitudes to disability were markedly different from what they are today. Ilana, said: “I was born at a time when disability was just not talked about and was, to a certain degree, brushed under the carpet, which is a shame really.”

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Ilana, who has problems with the limbs on the left hand side of her body and foot drop, knew she had difficulties as a child. But her parents, particularly her late father, weren’t keen to talk about it.

Ilana, pictured aged nine, has written about her experiences with disability to help others.Ilana, pictured aged nine, has written about her experiences with disability to help others.
Ilana, pictured aged nine, has written about her experiences with disability to help others.

She added: “My father struggled to cope with insecurities. My disability was something he couldn’t deal with, so I was never told about my disability. Although we didn’t talk about it, for 15 years of my life he religiously took me to hospital every February for my mandatory check up. I understand, and there is no blame.”

It wasn’t until her mum’s death over ten years ago that Ilana, then 46, decided to have an MRI scan. It confirmed she had cerebral palsy. And ten years after that she was diagnosed with autism.

The author, who also has a blog called ‘The CP Diary’, added: “Without my experiences to draw upon for inspiration I couldn’t have done and achieved what I have with my life or with my blog. Without my experiences I would never have become an author, a writer or blogger.

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“Trauma is never OK, but I understand. I’ve always seen my life as a jigsaw puzzle, knowing there was something wrong physically, mentally and emotionally, but not knowing what it was. When I found out about my cerebral palsy and autism it was like finding lots of those missing pieces. Knowing has allowed me to complete a little bit more of the jigsaw.”

Author Ilana Estelle has penned 'Cerebral Palsy: A Story'. It is a memoir and a motivational book.Author Ilana Estelle has penned 'Cerebral Palsy: A Story'. It is a memoir and a motivational book.
Author Ilana Estelle has penned 'Cerebral Palsy: A Story'. It is a memoir and a motivational book.

Another part of the puzzle was her autism. Ilana wasn’t diagnosed with it until she was 56. She said there wasn’t much help out there for adults who haven’t been diagnosed or who don’t know or understand the symptoms. She conducted her own research into the symptoms so she could understand what she had been dealing with mentally and emotionally, and to discover why she struggled to learn in school. She said: “I had to start piecing my mental and emotional disability together and that’s where the autism comes in because it is the other side of my physical disability. It took me a long time to do that and without any help.”

The mum-of two’s book tackles subjects like physical and mental health, and understanding cerebral palsy. It also draws on some of Ilana’s blogs.

She said: “My blogs and my story are based on insightful, intuitive understanding, and also spiritual understanding. There is literally a message in each blog. People will take away a message that will help them understand how to change their own lives. That’s the whole thing about The CP Diary and the book. You don’t go away thinking ‘how do I do that?’ You go away with an understanding of exactly what you need to do about your own lives, experiences, and where you can make the changes. Fundamentally that’s the whole thing about the book, it’s not just a motivational guide for me, it’s a motivational guide that helps other people understand where they can make changes in their own lives.”

BOOK:

Ilana Estelle with her husband Brad at St Andrews.Ilana Estelle with her husband Brad at St Andrews.
Ilana Estelle with her husband Brad at St Andrews.
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Ilana Estelle’s motivational story about her journey with cerebral palsy has garnered some “exceptional reviews”.

The Leeds author said she had received some five star appraisals for ‘Cerebral Palsy: A Story’.

One that really pleased her said: “This book is refreshingly straightforward and tells it like it is. ‘Cerebral Palsy: A Story’ has something for everyone.”

The book which bears the slogan ‘Finding the Calm After the Storm’, was launched in January and was on sale at Waterstones, The Grove in Ilkley and Salts Mill, Saltaire before the coronavirus restrictions began.

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The book is also available online via Amazon Prime in the UK and USA.

Ilana, 57, said: “My book is a collection of reflections arranged in chapters around themes. Some of the chapters unfold my story, while others provide a window on how I have come to terms with events and circumstances, and how my outlook on life is enabling me to move forward.”

The book draws on blogposts from The CP Diary, which Ilana has been writing for ten years to help document her experiences since being diagnosed with cerebral palsy at the age of 46.

‘Cerebral Palsy: A Story’ by Ilana Estelle is published by RedDoor Press. It is out now and costs £9.99.