No Half Measures

What does it really mean to grow up with cerebral palsy-not only physically, but mentally, socially and emotionally?

Born with left-sided cerebral palsy following a traumatic birth, Burt Rickman grew up learning that many of life's simplest tasks would demand more effort, thought and determination from him than anyone else could see.

In No Half Measures, Burt shares the honest story of his first eighteen years-from delayed development, painful treatments and battles for support to exclusion at school, bullying, declining mental health and the pressure of trying to fit into a world that was not designed with him in mind.

But this is not simply a story about limitation.

It is also about the family members who fought for him, the teachers and professionals who recognised his potential, the friendships that gave him somewhere to belong, and the experiences that slowly changed how he viewed himself.

Through sport, work, education and repeated acts of perseverance, Burt began to understand that cerebral palsy did not have to determine what his life could become.

Written with honesty, humour and hard-earned perspective, No Half Measures reveals the invisible effort behind everyday movement and the emotional weight that can exist behind an apparently mild disability. It challenges assumptions about inclusion, independence and what disabled young people can achieve when they are given the right support, belief and opportunity.

This book is for young people who want to feel understood, parents searching for hope, and teachers, coaches and healthcare professionals who want to understand the person beyond the diagnosis.

Above all, No Half Measures is a story about turning difference into determination-and beginning to build purpose from the challenges you never chose.