Celebrities Who Have Opened Up About Raising Children With a Disability

Parenting is difficult enough, but raising a child with a disability can magnify these challenges, Providing care and assistance can take a mental and physical toll on not just parents, but the entire family. Feelings of worry, guilt, anxiety, uncertainty, and even anger can add to the strain. The combination of emotional, financial, and practical pressures parents undergo can make them feel isolated, particularly when they are also faced with a lack of information and support from medical providers and the community as a whole.

When celebrities come forward about their own disabled children, it is important for two reasons. One, it helps raise public awareness about the disability itself which can lead to increased funding for research, and two, it helps other parents feel less alone. Here are some stories of famous parents and how they have handled the struggles of raising special needs children.

Sylvester Stallone

One of the earliest celebrities to open up about their child’s disability was Sylvester Stallone, who addressed his son Seargoh’s autism for a 1985 cover story in People magazine. In 1990s, Stallone filmed a PSA about autism stating, “Imagine your child has autism; mine does.”

Holly Robinson Peete

Stallone isn’t the only parent to address children who are on the spectrum. In 2007, actress Holly Robinson Peete shared her son RJ’s autism even though her husband Rodney worried that it might limit RJ’s “possibilities in life.” It had the opposite effect, opening up a dialogue with other parents sharing the same struggles.

Laura San Giacomo

Actress Laura San Giacamo understands that the world does not often embrace those with disabilities, but instead shuns them. Her son Mason has cerebral palsy and Giacomo lamented the lack of a “constructive or positive view of disability” in the world. However, she also added that instead of seeing it as a loss, she chooses to view it as “the greatest gift.”

Victoria Beckham

Going public about a special needs child can also lead to positive changes about the way they and their families are treated. This was the case in 2006 when Victoria Beckham yelled at paparazzi for using flash photography when taking a photo of her four-year-old son Romeo at the airport. She told the press that Romeo has epilepsy and explained that the flashing could trigger a seizure. Splash News eventually put a moratorium on photographing Romeo or the Beckham family when they were all together, stating “No photo is worth putting a child’s life in danger.”

Greg Grunberg

Actor Greg Grunberg and his wife Elizabeth faced a frightening prospect for their son Jake when his severe epilepsy escalated to a point where he was having 200 seizures a day. Jake underwent brain surgery to address the issue and has since recovered, taking medication to control the seizures. Grunberg discussed the situation on The Doctors, stating that everyone wants the best for their kids and with something out of control like seizures, you want to do something. “How can I make an impact in this community?” Grunberg asked, adding that “talking about it is what we need to do.”

Although their money and notoriety may set them apart from other parents with special needs children, celebrities still want their children to be seen as people first, despite any disabilities they may have. They want what every parent does: for their children to not be defined by their disabilities so that everyone can realize just how lucky they are to have these children in their lives.

Share Lawyers Is A Disability Law Firm That Cares

If your disability claim has been denied, contact the long-term disability lawyers at Share Lawyers. Our experienced team of long-term disability lawyers can help. At Share Lawyers, we have experience in disability law and will help you understand your options and figure out what to do next. Our sole focus is to ensure that you get the disability benefits you need and we will advocate on your behalf to ensure that happens. Remember we provide you with a free consultation so you can assess your options.

Denied your long term disability claim?

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A note from our long term disability lawyers

Taking a medical leave from work is not an easy decision to make. Concerns about providing for yourself and your family and keeping your job may cause you to want to push through your pain, but this won’t make your problems go away. Stopping work is often the smartest decision for your long term health and well-being, and your disability benefits are there to provide you with financial support until you can return to work.

If you have made the tough decision to stop working and apply for your short term disability or long term disability benefits, you may feel overwhelmed by the process and have questions that your employer and your insurance company are not able or willing to answer. Share is There to see you through and answer your questions.

Our Disability law firm knows what you have been going through

We understand that things have not been easy for you over the last little while. Your health has been suffering, you are unable to work, and now your insurance company, who was supposed to be there in your time of need, has decided they will not pay your disability benefits or respect your disability claim. These benefits exist to provide you with the financial support you need so that you can focus on your health and rebuilding your life. It is unfortunate that your insurance company has not lived up to its promise. If your disability claim has been denied, we will fight to get you the benefits you are entitled to. Our disability lawyers have helped thousands of Canadians get their long term disability benefits over the past 35 years, and we can help you too.

Our experienced disability lawyers can fight back on your behalf

Share Lawyers believes that every client who is dealing with a disability claim deserves superior personal service. To achieve that goal, we have developed our team of experienced, compassionate, and caring long term disability lawyers, law clerks, and administrative staff to meet all of your needs. Our team of experienced long term disability, life insurance, employment, and critical illness insurance lawyers have made successful claims against many insurance companies, third-party administrators and employers.

If you are unable to work, your disability benefits should be there to provide you with the financial support you need. While your insurance company may be focused on finding ways to avoid paying your claim, our focus is on what is in your best interest. When Share Lawyers gets involved, you have an entire team of lawyers that are there to support you and to fight for what is yours.

Our disability claim lawyers fight for your disability insurance claim by relying on our many years of experience to apply the best strategic planning and approach in each case, using the latest technology available. Experience matters, and with Share Lawyers, you are in the best hands with 35 years of success on your side.

In this video, we explain the role of a long term disability lawyer and how we can support you when you have been denied your long term disability benefits.