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Nicole Luongo | What CP Looks Like

Cerebral Palsy Awareness + Education

  • Home
  • About Nicole
    • Press
    • Published Articles
    • Contact
  • Book
  • Go Green for CP
  • Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy
    • SDR FAQS
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  • 911: Where Were You When Poem by Nicole Luongo

    Poetry

    911: Where Were You When

    This 911 poem looks back on the tragedy that occurred in America on September 11, 2001. We will never forget the lives that were lost on that day.

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  • Go Green for CP World CP Day

    Cerebral Palsy

    5 Reasons to Go Green on World CP Day

    Cerebral palsy advocate Nicole Luongo explains five reasons why you should Go Green on World CP Day, which is celebrated annually on October 6.

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  • Poetry

    Begin Again

    Begin Again by Nicole Luongo is an encouraging poem for anyone who feels life has knocked them down too many times.

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  • Nicole Luongo SDR Changes Lives

    Cerebral Palsy

    How SDR Surgery Changed My Life

    Cerebral Palsy advocate Nicole Luongo vlogs about how ‘SDR Changes Lives’ one year after selective dorsal rhizotomy surgery with Dr. T.S. Park on St. Louis, on the cusp of turning 40 years old.

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  • Follow This Success Formula, Achieve Anything!

    Cerebral Palsy

    Follow This Success Formula, Achieve Anything!

    Nicole Luongo shares the success formula she applied after selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery. Follow her simple advice to achieve anything in life. Ability + Motivation + Attitude = The Secret to Success!

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  • Ode to Michael Jackson: The King of Pop

    Poetry

    Ode to Michael Jackson: The King of Pop

    Michael Jackson’s death inspired poet Nicole Luongo to write an ode to The King of Pop. This clever poem will test your knowledge of 21 of his songs. How many of them do you know?

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  • Bike Camp Bravery with Cerebral Palsy

    Cerebral Palsy

    Bike Camp Bravery with Cerebral Palsy

    Cerebral palsy advocate Nicole Luongo vlogs about braving bike camp at 41 years old, after having selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) surgery in 2013. Watch her do what she once thought was impossible.

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Meet Nicole

Welcome! I created What CP Looks Like to raise awareness for cerebral palsy, the most common disability in childhood.

My Today Show Interview with Stephanie Mansour

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FEATURED ON

Nicole Luongo on HuffPost
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Nicole Luongo on Yoocan

whatcplookslike
Today (October 6) is World CP Day @worldcpday.Plea Today (October 6) is World CP Day @worldcpday.Please wear green to help raise awareness for the most common physical disability in childhood, for which there is no cure or federal funding. Thank you to @todayshow and @missmeghanmack for featuring me on their website. *Link in bio.* To learn about my Go Green for CP campaign that’s mentioned in the article, go to my website at https://nicoleluongo.com/go-green-4-cp/. Many links in my bio will take to website and YouTube channel, too! 😉💚💚 #whatCPlookslike #cerebralpalsy #cerebralpalsyawareness #adaptivefitness #fitnessmotivation #fiftyanfabulous #todayshow #starttoday #worldcpday #bucketlist
Sometimes in life, you work towards something FOR Sometimes in life, you work towards something FOR YEARS and one day it FINALLY happens! Today was that day for me. And, I had to wait until I was 50!!! For years, I’ve worked to get National attention for cerebral palsy (CP). My dream is to be interviewed live on the @todayshow…I’m looking at you, @hodakotb). 😉 While that hasn’t happened YET, I’m excited to announce that I was interviewed for a @starttoday_ profile piece that will be published on @todayshow’s WEBSITE next month! Stay tuned! P.S October 6 is @worldcpday so please wear green, and keep your fingers crossed that they announce this on TODAY. I know @alroker has green glasses! 😉 💚💚 💚 ID: Nicole is an Italian woman with straight, dark brown hair. She’s standing in front of a yellow wall. She’s smiling, and she’s wearing hoop earrings and a Kelly green scoop neck top from @kimgravel @bellebykimgravel via @qvc. #whatCPlookslike #todayshow #starttoday #cerebralpalsy #cerebralpalsyawareness #exercise #fitness #bucketlist #representationmatters #girlonfire
When you grow up with a visible disability like ce When you grow up with a visible disability like cerebral palsy, you can’t choose to hide it. Honestly, that’s the first thing people notice about you. For the first 30+ years of my life, people stared at my “funny” walk AND my face because I had horrible acne. And, to add salt to the wound, they (yes, even family) would comment that I’m so pretty if it weren’t for those bumps on my face. Of course I tried to cover them up with makeup, but that doesn’t work when you have a hormonal issue (most likely the case with me). And I tried Proactiv more times than I can remember (it doesn’t work for everyone; the main ingredient Benzoyl Peroxide was making my skin WORSE) along with almost every other acne product on the planet. Later in life, I went to dermatologists, and I tried antibiotics, prescription creams. It was always hit or miss; they didn’t work all the time or 100%. Then one day (I think I was 33; I’m 50 now), I said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! I didn’t want to be on those awful pills anymore. I took a chance and finally ordered an ALL NATURAL spray-on product that I’d read about on the QVC beauty boards. It took awhile, but one simple product (that sadly is no longer available) created by a woman CLEARED MY SKIN! Although I still have two bottles, I don’t use it anymore. I’ll always be grateful for what it did for me. So, here’s a makeup free selfie for anyone who’s ever had to cover up something they wanted to hide. I’m done covering up. I was beautiful with bumps on my face, and I’m beautiful now. So are you! P.S. People dealing with a visual challenge (acne, disability, weight, etc.) KNOW there’s an issue. No need to point out the obvious. 😉 #whatCPlookslike #cerebralpalsy #disabilities #acne #makeupfree #selfie #skincare #fiftyandfabulous #ThursdayThoughts #Pink #Perfect ID: A makeup-free photo of Nicole. She has curly, dark brown hair and she’s wearing a blue tank top.
Here’s what I do when I want to try something I’ve never dine before like interview @mauricebenard (the star of #generalhospital) or get over 100 buildings in 48 states to #GoGreen4CP in 2019. This was filmed with the @uniqu.us FlexiStand. #mondaymotivation #whatCPlookslike #instagramreels
A huge thank you to my sister Laurie for going to A huge thank you to my sister Laurie for going to the @improvkcmo to meet @mauricebenard for me!!!!!!!!!!! @coastalentnyc Check out my interview with Maurice on my What Cerebral Palsy Looks Like YouTube Channel (link in bio) and subscribe to Maurice’s STATE OF MIND channel, too! #bucketlist #kansascity #generalhospital #mauricebernard
Having fun playing with makeup! Brands I used: @b Having fun playing with makeup! Brands I used: @bellebykimgravel (Easy Peasy concealer in Tan, applied as foundation) and Easy Peasy Lemon Squeesy Mineral Foundation in Medium Tan) @doll10beauty (Glass Slipper lipstick) @lauragellerbeauty (Baked Brulee Blush in Berry Creme + Gilded Honey Illuminator @queencosmeticsstore (Enchanted Forest eyeshadows Fairy Godmother + Pixie Dust applied wet) and Wanderlust lipgloss) #whatCPlookslike #makeuplookoftheday #makeup #straighthairdontcare #fiftyandfabulous
Here’s how to make YOGURT in an @Instant Pot wit Here’s how to make YOGURT in an @Instant Pot with just TWO INGREDIENTS: @fairlife milk + @fage yogurt! #whatCPcookslike #yogurt #InstantPot #reelsinstagram #reels
TOMORROW, JULY 25, LIVE AT NOON EST: As Disability TOMORROW, JULY 25, LIVE AT NOON EST: As Disability Pride Month comes to a close, tune into @todayshow Fitness Contributor Stephanie Mansour's (@stepitupwithsteph) FB page to learn more about my fitness journey! If you have CP, you know what a BIG deal this is to be featured as a member of the Today Show’s Start Today community. Our stories (especially adults with CP) rarely get the opportunity to be told, let alone reach such a wide audience. I hope you'll join us. If you can't make it, please watch the replay. And tag someone you think might be interested! 😉 #whatCPlookslike #cerebralpalsy #disabilitypride #disabilitypridemonth #fitnessmotivation #workoutmotivation #starttoday #todayshow #SDRChangesLives #disabilityinclusion #representationmatters ID: A graphic with a pink and red background. At the top white text reads: Meet a Start Today Member! Below, in the center, There’s a picture of Stephanie Mansour. Below the picture white text reads: Join Stephanie Mansour for a live Q&A with one of your fellow walkers. There’s a white divider line, and below it white text reads: Tuesday at 12:00 pm EST
WELCOME!! I'm an author, a published writer, and a WELCOME!! I'm an author, a published writer, and a disability advocate dedicated to raising awareness for cerebral palsy (CP) + selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR), a life-changing surgery for adults (like myself) and children with cerebral palsy (CP). DID YOU KNOW? In 2019, without any contacts, experience, money, or sponsors, I did what no other person, nonprofit, etc. has ever been able to do — secure over 100 #GoGreen4CP lightings in 48 states AND three other countries. I did the same thing on March 25 (National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day), too. The project took six months of non-stop work. It all started with an idea.💡 This is a picture of the Seattle Great Wheel - my FIRST lighting - for World CP Day on October 6, 2018, which was announced live on @king5seattle! Check out the list of lightings at https://nicoleluongo.com/go-green-4-cp/ In 2021, I started a campaign to get the White House to light up in green on March 25 for National Cerebral Palsy Awareness Day. My efforts led to a tweet that has 60K+ views. This sparked a movement, and a Change petition which received 40K+ signatures in less than two months. What's NEXT? The BIG NEWS is that ⬇ ⬇ ⬇ I’ll be interviewed by @todayshow Fitness Contributor Stephanie Mansour (follow her @stepitupwithsteph) LIVE on her FB page on JULY 25 at noon EST. NOTE: The date is subject to change. You’ll learn more about my fitness journey, what I love about our Start Today family + more! #NicoleLuongo #disabilitypridemonth #disabilitypride #disabilityadvocate #whatCPlookslike #cerebralpalsy #cerebralpalsyawareness #SDRChangesLives #representationmatters #disabilityawareness #tbt #ThrowbackThursday #bucketlist #todayshow #starttoday #anythingispossible #seattle #seattlewashington
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