Latest news with #cerebralpalsy
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Kathy has terminal cancer and cares for her son with a profound disability. At a crisis point, his NDIS funding ran out
Next to the bed Steven Rieger spends most his life in is a framed print that says: 'This is my happy place.' For him, it is – his small room on the eastern outskirts of Melbourne is covered in Collingwood paraphernalia and basked in warm light. Steven, 37, needs round-the-clock care. He lives with cerebral palsy, is nonverbal and suffers from seizures – natural light can trigger them so he spends almost all of his time in his room. His parents are both in their 70s – his father Rodger has had several strokes and is partly deaf. His mother, Kathy, who has cared for him most of his life, is dying – her breast cancer has metastasised, spreading to her bones and brain. In March, the family lost their national disability insurance scheme (NDIS) funding, and Steven's paid carers felt obliged to work for free – the family could not cope by themselves. They had been overspending on their plan, but the family say they were underfunded for their care needs. When the money ran out they panicked. Steven's sister Kylie started a GoFundMe and Kathy rang their local member of parliament, Julian Hill. They have now been put on a plan that provides 10 hours of care a day, but they need more. 'It was almost three weeks where there was no funding,' Kathy says. 'The carers that do look after Steven were nice enough to still come in here, but they weren't getting paid. They were doing their normal shifts but without pay.' Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Advocates say participants have become collateral damage as the NDIS goes through massive changes, with many plans expiring and reviews dragging on. They say crucial funding is not getting where it needs to go. In January, Kathy had started preparing everything for the annual review of Steven's plan. As she was getting sicker she knew they needed to be funded for 15 hours of care a day. 'It was very stressful for me,' she says. 'I was getting things organised … and hoping the funding wouldn't run out, but it did. 'We started calling NDIS a few weeks before this funding was going to run out, and they said it wouldn't run out. They said they would escalate [the case] every time.' The family say they now owe around $15,000 to carers for the three weeks of work. Twice a day, Steven is lifted into a chair and fed through a drip. El Gibbs, CEO of the Disability Advocates Network Australia, says the NDIS is delaying plan renewals for so long, people run out of personal funds. 'We had a meeting a few weeks ago, and all our members reported a 50% or more increase in their waiting list for help with AAT [administrative appeals tribunal] appeals, where people with disability and their families are fighting for the support that they need,' Gibbs says. Under the changes, NDIS plans are meant to automatically continue if the review has not taken place yet. Because the Riegers were asking to increase Steven's care hours, their plan ran out. The last quarterly reports show an increase in participants taking their review decision to the AAT, with the number of new cases as a proportion of active participants increasing from 0.66% in the March 2023 quarter to 1.05% in the March 2025 quarter. Gibbs says the delays mean people in crisis are falling through the cracks, as is the case for the Riegers – Steven's funding running out while Kathy is dying worsens the family's situation. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion 'Our disability support system has to be able to meet them where they are,' Gibbs says. 'If a family goes through a crisis, and informal supports aren't there any more then, of course, the NDIS needs to step in and do it quickly and make sure a terrible situation isn't made harder.' Gibbs says vulnerable families should not be accruing debt to get the right care and the massive reforms to the NDIS need to be more clearly communicated. 'At the moment, the changes are often rushed and harsh, and the communication about them isn't clear to people with disability, to families, to support coordinators,' she says. 'So it is really hard for everyone to understand what is happening and to have a clear pathway about what comes next.' A spokesperson for the National Disability Insurance Agency said its priority was 'ensuring every participant, like Steven, has access to the disability-related supports they require'. 'The agency continues to work with Steven and his parents regarding his future needs. 'When a participant's circumstances change a request for an early plan reassessment can be requested. The agency cannot make decisions to change a participant's plan without being provided appropriate evidence.' Jenny McAllister, the minister for the NDIS, was contacted for comment. An occupational therapist report to possibly increase Steven's care to 15 hours a day is set for three weeks' time, but Kathy is struggling. 'I physically can't care for Steven any more,' she says. 'With extremely high needs like Steven's, there shouldn't be a review in their plan. They're not going to get better. There's no change. 'They're not going to wake up one day and go, 'Oh, hi Mum, I'm all good. I'm going to work now.''
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Special needs teen expands the world of karate
BAY COUNTY, Fla. (WMBB) – The 38th Panhandle Championship was held Saturday at North Bay Haven Charter Academy, where more than 130 athletes competed, among the competitors was 13-year-old Jerry Simmons, a young martial artist diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The event was hosted by Grand Master Jimmy Croley and Barbara Croley, who have spent nearly 56 years building a karate community in Bay County. Thirteen-year-old Jerry Simmons has been training for nearly five years at the Croleys' Yoshukai dojo, where he has become known not only for his technique but also for his determination. 'He's 100 percent all the time. And he loves karate,' Jimmy Croley said. 'He used to wear braces on his legs and couldn't walk up the stairs to the dojo,' Barbara Croley said. 'After about six weeks of karate, he went back to the doctor, they took the braces off, now he goes up and down like it's nothing.' The improvement in Jerry's physical abilities has been seen as remarkable by those close to him. 'As a mother, it's been a true blessing,' said Candy Simmons, Jerry's mother. 'His confidence has grown, and his muscles have gotten stronger. Karate has changed his life.' According to the Mayo Clinic, cerebral palsy can impact muscle growth, reflexes, and coordination. Karate, with its focus on controlled movement, balance, and breathwork, has long been used as a tool to build physical and emotional strength. At the Croleys' dojo, inclusion has been emphasized. Students with a wide range of physical and developmental disabilities, including cerebral palsy, ADHD, visual impairments, and mobility limitations, have been welcomed and trained. 'You can learn at any age and with any disability,' Barbara Croley said. 'Jerry is living proof.' Outside of karate, Jerry has taken part in horseback riding and cycling. His growth has also been supported by Square Pegs Learning Center and The Arc of the Bay, where additional life skills and community engagement opportunities have been provided. Through martial arts and the support of his community, a path of confidence and independence continues to be paved for Jerry, and for many others who stepped onto the mat this weekend. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Health
- South China Morning Post
Disabled Chinese man achieves Harvard master's degree, thanks to mum's unwavering support
A Chinese man with cerebral palsy who was unloved by his father and bullied by classmates made it through the prestigious universities of Peking and Harvard thanks to his mother's unwavering support. Ding Zheng, 37, and his mother Zou Hongyan, 62, from central China's Hubei province, have moved many people online with their story. Zou said Ding was diagnosed with cerebral palsy due to medical malpractice during his birth in 1988 A doctor and Ding's father advised Zou to give up the baby while he was in a critical condition. Zou refused, saying she would 'fight them to the death if anyone removed his tubes'. Devoted mother Zou Hongyan has never given up on her highly talented son Ding Zheng. Photo: ifeng 'I am his mother. I took such good care of him when I was pregnant. I would never give up,' Zou recalled.
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Friday briefing: The inequality in disability support: what my son gets, and what others can't afford
Good morning. Last weekend, I wrote for the Guardian's Saturday magazine about my two-year-old son, Max, who has cerebral palsy. The piece tried to explain some of the ways Max has changed how I look at the world. But it only really had one line about anyone other than us: 'I feel queasy when I think about all the things we can afford to do that so many parents like us simply cannot.' In fact, that feeling has nagged at me over the last two years, as my wife, Ruth, and I do everything we possibly can for Max – helped to an incalculable degree by our socioeconomic advantages. Today's newsletter, with Katie Ghose, chief executive of the charity KIDS and vice-chair of the Disabled Children's Partnership, a coalition of more than 120 organisations working in the same area, is about what Max gets, and what another child just like him might not. If you're a parent of a disabled child struggling to get the services they need, I'd love to hear from you about your experience – just hit reply to this email. Here are the headlines. Trade | The UK is on the brink of signing a £1.6bn trade agreement with Gulf states, amid warnings from rights groups that the deal makes no concrete provisions on human rights, modern slavery or the environment. The UK has said it hopes the deal will eventually add an extra £8.6bn a year to trade by 2035. Israel-Gaza war | Israel has agreed to a US ceasefire proposal for Gaza, the White House has said, and Hamas said it was reviewing the plan although its terms did not meet the group's demands. A draft seen by Reuters proposed a 60-day ceasefire and the release of 28 Israeli hostages – alive and dead – in the first week. UK news | A man has been charged with multiple offences after a car ploughed into a crowd at the end of Liverpool football club's Premier League victory parade. Paul Doyle, 53, was charged with offences including causing grievous bodily harm with intent and was remanded in custody. UK politics | Keir Starmer has described Nigel Farage and Reform as the main challengers to his Labour government, saying the Conservatives are 'sliding into the abyss'. At an event in St Helens, Starmer accused Reform of 'completely unfunded spending' commitments that he said were 'Liz Truss 2.0'. Trump tariffs | The Trump administration is racing to halt a major blow to the president's sweeping tariffs after a US court ruled they 'exceed any authority granted to the president'. On Thursday, an appeals court agreed to a temporary pause in the decision pending an appeal hearing. Ruth and I have good jobs, and own our own home; we have also had help from our families with the unexpected costs of the last two years. But even for a family like us, the financial burden of Max's disability has been shockingly heavy. For those without our advantages, the so-called 'disability price tag' is completely life-changing: the charity Scope estimated in 2024 that disabled households need an additional £1,010 a month to have the same standard of living as their typical peers, and spend an average of 67% of household income after housing on costs relating to disability. That isn't for the 'nice-to-have' (but actually crucial) stuff like extra physio or additional equipment that we're able to pay for, but the absolute basics. Here's how that breaks down for Max – and for other kids who aren't so lucky. NHS community services | Postcode lottery in provision We live in Hackney in London, where NHS community services are relatively well resourced. Max had access to physiotherapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy within weeks of coming home from hospital, and while there have occasionally been issues, the local provider has been consistent, capable, and responsive. That is crucial when the first two years are the greatest window of opportunity to maximise function for later in life – which is why we and a lot of other families in comparable circumstances pay for private physio as well. But I heard from one family with a child in a similar situation who were told that their waiting time for physio would be more than a year, and who were left in dire financial straits by paying for private provision instead. Last month, Maddison Reading, whose daughter Keeley does not speak, is autistic and has ADHD, told the Times of their 18-month wait for a speech and language therapist, and two-and-a-half year wait to see an occupational therapist. And these are not exceptional cases. 'It is a true postcode lottery across all sorts of services,' Katie Ghose said. 'It's horrendous. You might have a two-year-old waiting half their life before they get their foot in the door for the help they need.' Data on the disparity in different areas is patchy – but the Disabled Children's Partnership has dug up some striking examples. In Devon, the local integrated care board (ICB) reports 1,721 children waiting between one and two years for speech and language services; in Cornwall, not a single child waited that long. In Birmingham and Solihull, 8,213 children with special educational needs or a disability waited between one and two years to see a community paediatrician, often the gatekeeper for other services; in Wolverhampton, there were none. A freedom of information request by Autistica found that waits for autism diagnosis varied widely between different ICBs, from 129 days in Dorset to more than five years for children who needed a multi-disciplinary assessment in Kent. And in 2021, a report by the Education Policy Institute found that children living in the most disadvantaged parts of the country were less likely to be formally recognised as having special educational needs and disabilities – suggesting a 'rationing of support' in areas of high need. Equipment | Why it's often expensive to be able to save money Max is now getting big enough that he needs a supportive stroller, a kind of interim solution for toddlers who need postural support before they're big enough for a wheelchair proper. Max trialled the one offered by the NHS, but it was so heavy and cumbersome as to be deeply impractical. Instead, the NHS offered us a £2,500 voucher to use as we liked – which is amazing, and means that we will be able to get Max a model that weighs half as much for just over £1,000. Even this is a pretty painful additional cost, obviously – and there are accessories to pay for, too. But it's also utterly out of reach for many other children. There are all kinds of other examples of the multiplying benefits of having resources. Max has just been approved for NHS funding to cover an Eyegaze device that he's learning to use to communicate, sparing us from trying to find £10,000 – but he might not have been approved if we hadn't been able to afford the hefty cost of a three-month loan to develop his skills, and a wonderful private speech and language therapist because the local NHS services couldn't provide someone who knew the technology. 'This kind of practical equipment is a lifeline for families,' Ghose said. 'But there are huge differences in families' abilities to get their hands on it. To begin with, there's how you know where to go to get it. There's the lottery of whether your health visitor puts you in touch with the right services. And there are brilliant charities that can help with funding – but for a lot of people, the time to do the research just isn't available.' Respite and support | Inadequate provision puts pressure on relationships Ruth and I both have decently paid jobs with employers who are flexible about accommodating the extra parenting pressures that come with a disability. That fact, plus a crucial assist from the bank of mum and dad, means that we were able to hire a brilliant one-to-one nanny/carer for Max, who puts him through his physiotherapy paces every day while we're busy with our Very Important Typing. Even in our leafy neighbourhood, the provision of decent nursery care for children with disabilities is pretty dismal, and if that was our only option, we probably wouldn't be able to work full-time. For many other parents, there's no choice at all: 40% of SEND parents leave their jobs, and one in three reduce their hours, blaming a lack of local authority help and school support, or inflexible employers. Of course, if you give up work to look after a disabled child, that is likely to come at a real cost to your own wellbeing – which means you would benefit hugely from the short-break respite care which is supposed to be available. That, too, is very variable: freedom of information requests by the Disabled Children's Partnership to local authorities found that whereas almost all short breaks could accommodate children whose SEND needs were related to sensory issues or communication, that fell to 67% when the child was in a wheelchair, 53% if they needed a hoist to get into bed or the bath, and 16% if they needed an oxygen supply. 'Every day we hear about people giving up their careers and suffering severe financial strain as a result,' Ghose said. 'Families suffer mental health strain because they haven't been supported to support their disabled child.' That leads to huge pressure on relationships: a 2023 report by the Disabled Children's Partnership found that 38% of parents of a disabled child had suffered relationship breakdown in the previous year. Intangible advantages | The impact of 'cultural capital' Quite soon after Max's injury, Ruth and I started to research the leading neurologists in the NHS specialising in cerebral palsy in children. We asked around a bit and identified two highly credentialed experts working in London hospitals; it wasn't much more difficult to work out their email addresses, which weren't publicly listed. We sent them carefully worded messages, and followed up politely but persistently. Before long, we had appointments with both of them, even though they weren't part of Max's original care team. All of this cost nothing financially. But it required what we might think of as cultural and social capital in spades: the knowledge of how to navigate systems and institutions that might seem reflexive to a middle class family but is unattainable for lots of other people. It also took time – which we have more of than many others, partly because of the support described above. The same pattern is replicated in lots of other areas: persuasively filling out the tortuous disability living allowance form, prodding our local services to get the help Max is entitled to, persuading the council to do something about the dismal provision for disabled kids at our local playground, and a million other advantages I probably didn't even notice. 'It's present in so many different things,' Ghose said. 'Let's say you have a single mother who is very sleep deprived, and may have poor mental health: she can see her child is developing differently from her friend's child, but she just doesn't have the time or the bandwidth to do the research you need to navigate the system. When resources are so tight, it's the children whose mums and dads can't do the chasing who will be put to the bottom of the pile.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion There isn't very good data available on how disabled children's life chances vary according to their parents' backgrounds – but all of the above suggests that the impact will be vast. 'If disabled children have their needs met at the earliest opportunity and there are people thinking with ambition about their future, that makes the world of difference,' Ghose said. 'But for children left on waiting lists for years, or whose parents' have a bureaucratic mountain to climb, things can go very badly wrong.' Disposable barbecues are a simple solution for when the sun's out and you're desperate to grill. But with children injured, wildlife slaughtered, and forests ravaged, Sam Wollaston asks whether its time to ban them. Aamna Raynor Winn's brilliant memoir of her epic walk along the 630-mile South West Coast Path with her husband, Winn, The Salt Path, is now being made into a film. She and Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, the stars, tell Ryan Gilbey about the delicate process of adapting a story about two people 'carrying their trauma on their back'. Archie The Lords watchdog has launched an investigation into the Earl of Shrewsbury's 'erroneous' travel claims. He is the fifth peer to face an inquiry after the Guardian's jaw-dropping investigation. Aamna As you will have heard, death comes to us all – but we aren't generally that interested in thinking about it. Katie Camero has a fascinating, and quietly moving, piece for Well Actually about what really happens at the end, and why understanding it might help us make our peace with the inevitable. Archie I know her as the wonderfully wicked Morticia Addams, but Oscar winner Anjelica Huston has played a number of brilliant roles over the years. It's hard to disagree with Anne Billson's top 10 ranking. Aamna Cricket | Jacob Bethell starred with a quickfire 82 from 53 balls as England made 400 and bowled West Indies out for 162 in the first one-day international. The result marked a winning start for Harry Brook's reign as captain. French Open | Jack Draper was made to fight but claimed the last five games in a row to complete a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 victory over Gaël Monfils. Coco Gauff beat Tereza Valentova 6-2, 6-4 to also reach the third round. Novak Djokovic beat Corentin Moutet 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 to advance. British No 1 Katie Boulter was comprehensively beaten 6-1, 6-3 by Madison Keys, while Cameron Norrie set up an all-British third-round tie against Jacob Fearnley. Football | Chelsea are set to sign Liam Delap after activating the Ipswich striker's £30m release clause. The club are plotting further key additions as they seek to help Enzo Maresca's young side build on qualifying for the Champions League and their triumph in the Conference League. The Guardian leads with 'Protests as ministers prepare to sign 'values-free' Gulf states deal'. Trade matters in the Financial Times as well: 'Trump vows to fight on in trade war after court rules tariff blitz is illegal'. 'The end of the world is Nige!' – Metro after Keir Starmer says the real threat isn't the Tories any more. 'Hermer: Calls to quit ECHR like rise of Nazism' is the top story in the Telegraph, while the i paper has 'PIP disability claimants in key Labour areas 'at greatest risk of welfare cuts''. 'Kemi blasts 'race to the bottom' on welfare handouts' – that's the Daily Mail wherein the Conservative leader doesn't want child benefits expanded. 'NHS rolls out world-first cancer test' reports the Express. 'Seven charges' says the Mirror as the Liverpool parade accused is due in court. Our critics' roundup of the best things to watch, read, play and listen to right now TVDept. Q | ★★★★☆ After his arrogance results in the death of a young uniformed officer and leaves his partner paralysed, a detective – played by Matthew Goode, the 'blackly shining centrepiece' – is placed on long-term leave. On his return, he's assigned to lead a cold-case department buried in a dank basement in this 'fantastically well, and rigorously, done' adaptation of Danish crime novelist Jussi Adler-Olsen's bestselling series. With a sharp script and standout performances across the board, this harrowing treat is well worth tuning into. Lucy Mangan BookAftertaste by Daria Lavelle An amalgamation of hypermodern satire, slushy romance, and savvy cultural allusion, Aftertaste follows Kostya, a New York dishwasher with a bizarre gift: he can taste other people's food memories. As he rises through New York City's haute restaurantine scene, a ghostly encounter leads him to Maura, a goth psychic who diagnoses his affliction as clairgustance, which allows him to taste the favourite foods of the departed. Imaginative, poignant, and laced with Anthony Bourdain-style bullishness, this genre-blending debut is as smart as it is strange. Suzi Feay Music Miley Cyrus: Something Beautiful | ★★★☆☆The 32-year-old pop star has described her ninth studio album as 'an attempt to medicate somewhat of a sick culture through music', one filled with 'healing sound properties' designed to 'impact frequencies in your body that make you vibrate at a different level'. While the eclectic and disjointed album does not meet those lofty goals – it's all about as psychedelic as a baked potato and there's no concept holding it all together – Something Beautiful is still all very well-written and well-made, a varied succession of good vehicles for Cyrus's powerfully raspy voice. Alexis Petridis A bit of good news to remind you that the world's not all bad The first new reservoirs in England in over 30 years are set to be built. Environment minister Steve Reed has designated two new reservoir projects in East Anglia and Lincolnshire as 'nationally significant' and ordered their construction to proceed. Anglian Water plans to build the Lincolnshire reservoir, which would supply 500,000 homes, by 2040. In partnership with Cambridge Water, it also proposes the Fens reservoir, with a capacity to deliver water to 250,000 homes and with a target date of 2036. The projects will secure water resources in some of England's most water-stressed areas and would unlock stalled housing developments that have been delayed due to insufficient water supply. And finally, the Guardian's puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until Monday. Quick crossword Cryptic crossword Wordiply
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gen Zers who are actually happy are saying yes to religion and family — and no to social media
Many of the kids are not alright — though some are. According to the 2025 World Happiness Report, Americans ages 18 to 29 ranked 62nd amongst the 140 countries surveyed in terms of self-reported well-being and life satisfaction —far below all US adults, who ranked 24th in the most recent report. But a small segment of young Americans are bucking the trend and finding happiness. The Post spoke with several, and they all noted that limiting their time on Instagram, TikTok and the like was crucial to their mental well-being. The average Zoomer spends three quarters of their day consuming content. 'Social media in and of itself is a very negative and toxic place,' Kevin Alexander, a self-described happy 28-year-old from Southern Florida, told The Post. 'I don't use it that much.' Alexander has suffered from cerebral palsy since birth and uses crutches for mobility. His disability taught him that 'comparison is the thief of joy' early on, so he's always avoided social media, which he believes has been key. 'I happen to be physically disabled, so I tend to look more for positive things, because I've certainly dealt with a host of negativity in my life through operations, through stigma, through a lot of things,' he explained. Alexander, who recently got his master's degree in history and is working on an essay collection while applying to PhD programs, also credits his intellectual pursuits for his positive outlook. 'I read a lot, and I try to stay inside in my own head more than listen to the external noise,' he said. 'I'm just so in my books and in my writing that I can get lost to the world for several hours of the day at a time.' Ben Feinblum, a 20-year-old sophomore studying business at Georgia Tech, believes social media is bringing his generation down and credits his positive outlook to restricting his use of it. 'Social media makes people very comfortable being alone, and even when they are hanging out with people they're on their phones and texting people that aren't even there,' the New Rochelle native said. Feinblum turns off notifications on apps, such as Instagram, that aren't essential, and he and his friends have created rituals to stay in the moment while hanging out. 'My friends will be very conscious of who's on their phone and call them out,' he said. 'We stack up our phones on the table, and whoever picks theirs up first is the one to pay the tip for dinner.' Sarah-Elisabeth Ellison, an unusually upbeat 20-year-old sophomore at Samford University in Alabama, also makes efforts to rein in her social media use when she feels it getting out of hand. 'I can kind of take authority and say, you know what, Instagram, Snapchat, or TikTok is really affecting me. I've got to delete it for a week or two or whatever,' she said. She also avoids 'bed rotting' — a wallowing form of self care beloved by Zoomers — in favor of healthier pursuits. 'Instead, [I say] I'm gonna go take a walk outside. I'm going to read a book,' she said. 'I think sometimes you need to escape whatever your situation is, and I think reading is the greatest resource.' Daily journaling has also been proved helpful to Ellison, who dealt with anxiety in her teens. 'Just getting my thoughts out and getting to stretch those writing legs has always brought a boost to my serotonin,' she said. 'I try to get down five things I'm grateful for.' Nearly all of the happy Zoomers The Post spoke with cited their religion as a major reason for their contentment. 'Something that has always influenced me is growing up with a dad that's a pastor,' Ellison said. 'My faith has ebbed and flowed and changed a lot as I've grown up, but it's always been consistently there for me to fall back on.' For Alexander, his Christian faith has helped him frame his disability in a positive manner. 'The fact that I'm still here 28 years later makes me believe that God has me here for a reason,' he said. 'I have physical limitations, but He spared my ability to speak, to think, and to write effectively. The idea that I'm here for a purpose keeps me from falling into the generational nihilism.' Fay Dubinsky, 28 of Boca, Florida, credits Judaism with providing her with a sense of community and meaning. 'I grew up Jewish and religious, and I think that's probably one of the reasons that I'm not depressed or anxious,' she said. 'I have so much meaning in my life, and that's not typical for my generation.' Dubinsky, who works as a therapist, also says her choice to get married early, at age 25, and start a family soon after has given her more purpose. She has a nearly 2-year-old son and is 7-months-pregnant. 'I take time for myself, but so much of my day is to help others, to take care of my family, to take care of my baby,' she said. 'I think the number one problem in my generation is a lack of meaning. People my age, their life is about them, and serving themselves, and always seeking out more pleasure.'
