Heading back to the classroom can be an exciting, and anxious, time for many kids. For those with physical disabilities, particularly those transitioning to a new school, it can be a time of stress and uncertainty. 

What will the other kids say about my wheelchair? Will they wonder why I have a walker next to my desk and why I wear special braces on my legs? What if I’m the only kid in the class with a disability? 

Desiree Da Costa (pictured above left) has cerebral palsy (CP) and works at Holland Bloorview as client services facilitator. She knows exactly what this feels like. It’s why she wrote a children’s book—All About Me—to help demystify her disability in the classroom and to inspire other children with CP to use the book as a teaching tool for those with, and without, the physical disability.

Fun fact: Her inspiration for the book came during her time as a Grade 1 student at Holland Bloorview’s onsite school where all of the kids penned their own All About Me booklets to share with their new schools.

Watch the coverage on Global News Morning.

By Erin Pooley