Support and Assist Individuals with
cerebral palsy

In 2025, Rana Espiritu Nasrazadani, a member of the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy (OFCP), was named one of WXN’s Top 100: Canada’s Most Powerful Women. The award recognizes her impactful work advancing accessibility, human rights, and education across Canada. As an advocate, educator, public speaker, and policy advisor, Rana brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work in disability rights. She holds a BA (Honours) in Human Rights and Equity Studies and a Master of Public Policy, Administration and Law from York University. Her advocacy has been featured in outlets including CBC and The Toronto Star. Rana is also a sought-after speaker who has presented at numerous advocacy events across Ontario. For Rana, lived experience is central to how she understands accessibility issues. Rather than viewing the topic as an abstract policy debate, she approaches her work as something that is deeply felt in her everyday life. The barriers she has encountered have shaped her understanding of where systems fall short and where power imbalances exist. A key principle guiding Rana’s work is her strength-based approach to disability advocacy. She emphasizes that people with disabilities are not problems to be fixed, but experts in their own lives whose perspectives are essential to creating better systems. In practice, this means focusing on empowerment and recognizing the knowledge, leadership, and insight that come from people with disabilities. This perspective closely reflects the values of the OFCP, as we work to support people with cerebral palsy by committing to independence, inclusion, choice and full integration. Indeed, throughout her career, Rana has seen firsthand how her experiences can shape meaningful change. As a member of Ontario’s Kindergarten–Grade 12 Education Standards Development Committee, she contributed to a comprehensive report recommending improvements to accessibility in student experience. She also collaborated with the Postsecondary Standards Development Committee to address barriers students with disabilities face when transitioning to higher education. At the institutional level, she has worked with architects on the design of York University’s Markham Campus to strengthen the accessibility of the physical environment from the earliest stages of planning. As Rana puts it, "Being part of those early conversations demonstrated how much more effective accessibility becomes when it is built in from the start rather than added later and left as an afterthought." Rana's message resonates strongly with OFCP’s mission to empower people with cerebral palsy so that they can live with dignity. By listening to and learning from our members' experiences, we ensure that the principles of dignity and choice are a constant in the lives of people with cerebral palsy all over the province.  You can help make this work possible. By donating to the OFCP today or participating in the OFCP 50/50 Lottery, you are directly supporting programs, services, and initiatives that improve the lives of individuals with cerebral palsy and their families. Click here to donate.

It is with profound sadness that the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy shares the passing of our dear friend, mentor, advisor, and champion, Cathy Samuelson, who passed away peacefully on June 30, 2026.