Meet Jackie, the voice behind “Polly Can Do”
Jackie (they/she) was watching Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, as they often did before school, when she saw a character who uses leg braces to help her walk.
As a child with cerebral palsy, Jackie rarely saw kids like them on TV.
“It was the first time I really saw representation of having a disability in a good way. And in a really accurate way, too,” Jackie says.
The 17-year-old has come full circle since that moment. As the voice of the title character in Polly Can Do, a new TVOkids Original cartoon following the adventures of a child with cerebral palsy, Jackie is a role model that kids with disabilities can see themselves represented in.
Disability representation is good for kids of all abilities, Jackie adds, because it helps normalize and destigmatize disability. In Polly Can Do, Polly finds ways to have fun at the park with her friends, and together, they make sure everyone is included.
Before making their TV debut, Jackie found their passion for disability inclusion as a Holland Bloorview client and ambassador. Jackie first came to Holland Bloorview at three years old after being diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Before coming to the hospital, Jackie experienced pain and tightness in her legs and she tripped and fell often. Pretty in pink and decorated with Barbies, Jackie’s first pair of ankle foot orthoses (AFOs) helped them straighten their legs while walking.
Every three years, Jackie comes to Holland Bloorview for new AFOs – and they were able to access a wheelchair through the hospital’s seating clinic. These devices help Jackie in their everyday life, like traveling for longer distances which can sometimes be painful, she says.
Jackie says the hospital helped shape their confidence and see her disability as an important part of her identity. After finding a passion for standing up against ableism, Jackie joined the hospital’s Capes for Kids, Dear Everybody and Imagine Everybody campaigns.
“Ableism is an issue that we really need to address,” Jackie says. “Holland Bloorview has helped me feel involved in combatting ableism. Without Holland Bloorview, I probably wouldn't be who I am today.”
Not only is Jackie the voice of Polly, they’re also one of the many Holland Bloorview clients who helped shape Polly Can Do. By sharing their personal stories and lived experiences, a focus group of Holland Bloorview clients helped to make sure cerebral palsy was represented accurately. Holland Bloorview disability experts also reviewed scripts and gave guidance on inclusive language and representation of mobility aids.
“I felt comfort in knowing disability was being represented authentically,” Jackie says. “If you're trying to write kids with disabilities, the best source of information you're going to get is kids with disabilities.
While Jackie hopes people of all abilities find something meaningful in the show, they also want kids with disabilities to feel as happy as they did after seeing a character like her on tv – and feel confident about who they are.
As for Jackie’s future, she hopes to continue lending their voice to more television shows and movies – and work at one of her favourite places, Holland Bloorview.
Polly Can Do will be available to stream on the TVOkids YouTube, Smart TV app and TVOkids.com on March 25 at 11 am ET before making its broadcast premiere on TVO on April 8 at 7:10 am ET.
