We speak with two guests: Michaela, who goes by “Chaeli” (pronounced “kay-lee”), and her mom, Zelda Mycroft. Chaeli was diagnosed with cerebral palsy when she was 11 months old — and has spent every day since living a life that defies expectation.
Chaeli’s Campaign for herself and others
Chaeli’s lived her entire life in a wheelchair. But that hasn’t stopped her from completing ultramarathons, climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, and competing in international dance competitions.
Her achievements serve many purposes, including:
- Raising funds and awareness for the work of her nonprofit, the Chaeli Campaign. What began as a small effort by schoolgirls (the oldest among them was 12 years old) grew exponentially. Today Chaeli’s group provides the funds for therapy or assistive devices for thousands of children.
- She’s changing the conversation about what it means to be “disabled.” A great quote from the organization is: physical or intellectual impairment is self-evident and can be dealt with, but “disability” is created by the way society responds to the impairment.
The Chaeli Campaign began in her home country of South Africa. But the organization is growing quickly, and recently established a Foundation in the U.S.
