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United Cerebral Palsy Conference Aims to Create Believable Hope
UCP Affiliates and supporters come together
to help redefine the future of people with disabilities

June 26, 2008

(Washington, DC) – A future where disability transitions into capabilities through better technology and a redefined health care system was the focus of this year's Believable Hope Conference. Members of the disability community, business and community leaders, healthcare professionals and UCP affiliates gathered together June 18- 21 in DC to discuss what the future holds for people with disabilities.

"In the next 25 years there is going to be 4-7 times an advancement on science, the equivalent of someone in the 1880s planning for the lives of today," said Newt Gingrich, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and founder of the Center for Health Transformation. As key note speaker, Gingrich presented his vision of a better health care system, underscoring the need to view the future of healthcare in the next 25 years as an investment rather than an expense.

The highlight of the Believable Hope Conference was the development of social networking platforms to extend the reach of the UCP mission. Centered around The Future of Caregiving virtual game, an online simulation for people to experience lives as caregivers over the next decade and beyond, conference participants had the opportunity to share their personal experiences about being a caregiver, which will be used to create the scenarios that will be presented to players when the game officially launches this fall.

UCP and AARP are partnering on this game, with the anticipated net result of players in the alternate reality universe envisioning solutions to health care issues that are beyond the scope of current programs and services.

"The essence of the UCP mission is to eliminate all barriers so people with disabilities can live life without limits," said Stephen Bennett, President & CEO of United Cerebral Palsy. "We are all part of that process, and focusing on trends in healthcare and care giving, which affect everyone, will help our society become fully inclusive for people with disabilities."

For more information about the 2008 Believable Conference, visit www.ucp.org/conference.

About United Cerebral Palsy

United Cerebral Palsy is one of the nation's leading organizations serving and advocating for more than 54 million Americans with disabilities. Most UCP consumers are people with disabilities other than cerebral palsy. Through its nationwide network, United Cerebral Palsy offers services to individuals families and communities such as job training and placement, physical therapy, individual and family support, early intervention, social and recreation programs, community living, state and local referrals, and instruction on how to use technology to perform everyday tasks. For more information, visit www.ucp.org

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