World Cerebral Palsy Day falls on Tuesday, October 6, 2026. This year’s campaign, #UniqueANDUnited, asks for something more specific than awareness. Pick one change you want to see for people with cerebral palsy, say it in public, and tag a local leader, business or community group that has the power to help.
The organizers build the campaign on one number. By their estimate, about 50 million people worldwide live with cerebral palsy, and about 350 million parents, caregivers and family members are directly affected (World CP Day estimates). The 2026 slogan follows from it: “50 million voices. 50 million reasons for change.”
The day began in 2012, started by Cerebral Palsy Alliance in Australia and United Cerebral Palsy in the United States. The organizers say people in more than 100 countries now take part each October 6.
“There are 50 million people with cerebral palsy around the world, each with their own experiences, priorities and ideas about what needs to change.”
— World CP Day 2026 Campaign Action Guide
The three steps
The organizers published a 2026 Campaign Action Guide in September. The ask comes in three steps. Choose one change. Share it, starting with the words “My change is...” and the hashtag #UniqueANDUnited, ideally with a photo or video. Then tag the official public account of someone who could help: a local elected official, an employer, a college, a sports club, a place of worship, a health or rehab service, or a media brand.
Family and friends can join in, choosing a change based on what people with cerebral palsy have told them.
What a change can look like
The guide sorts its examples into two groups. Changes in systems include earlier answers and support for children who may have cerebral palsy, the right health care at every stage of life, access to technology for talking and moving, a real say for people with CP in decisions about their own lives, and official United Nations recognition of the day. Changes in communities cover work, sport, worship, college, and how often people with CP appear in ads and media.
Four levels of effort
- 5 minutes: post a photo, video or a few words about the change and tag someone.
- 15 minutes: write to a local leader, business or group. The guide includes a short letter template.
- 1 hour: meet with that person or group and explain why the change matters.
- 1 day: organize a community event and invite local leaders to listen to people with cerebral palsy.
Privacy rules for posts about children
The guide asks people not to post home addresses, phone numbers, school or therapy locations, or anything that could show where a child can be found. Anyone under 18 is asked to have a parent, guardian or adult ally contact leaders for them, and the official World CP Day accounts will not repost content featuring anyone under 18.
One practical detail for Facebook and Instagram: the guide says to write “cerebral palsy” in full rather than “CP” or “#CP” alone, because Meta’s automated moderation may restrict posts that use the short form.
The push for a UN day
October 6 is marked around the world but is not an official United Nations day. The organizers are collecting email sign ups at worldcpday.org/un to show support for formal recognition. According to the guide, last year’s campaign reached more than 23 million people.
Families with a longer story to tell can also send it to us through our Share Your Story page.
