Girl With CP Treats Herself with Karate

A 14-year-old girl with cerebral palsy is improving her flexibility, strength and mobility by practicing karate.

The young fighter, Marilyn Sanchez got her yellow belt in karate in less than two months. It usually takes most students about three months to reach that landmark.

“She started standing out right away in the beginning and excelling at a rather quick rate,” said Marilyn's sensei Dean Marberger.

As a result of her karate practice, Marilyn is now able to move the limbs on the right side of her body much more aptly than she ever could before. The karate exercises have served as a type of therapy for cerebral palsy, and Marilyn has noticed it.

“So I could make my hand strong, my right hand more strength,” Marilyn said.

Shihan Luis Gonzales said, “I've been noticing that her arm actually it could never extend out a couple inches. Now it extends all the way out.”

Marilyn now does punches, kicks, jumping jacks, and she runs with the rest of her karate classmates, and even outpaces some of them.

“The other day she was running around the whole training area and she was passing some of the other kids, which was very impressive,” said Gonzales. “Marilyn's got big goals. She actually wants to be a boxer. And those who know her say she's already got the heart of a fighter.”

Dean said, “Hard to keep her down. Good girl. If she wants it she'll probably do it.”

Marilyn says that for now, she is happy pursuing her karate goals, which include obtaining a black belt.

“My goal is to get my hand stronger and maybe try to finish all the belts, something like that,” Marilyn said.

If your child has cerebral palsy, contact a cerebral palsy attorney to learn about your child's rights.