Tag: Monday 6 October

Campaign shows Cerebral Palsy is not for the weak 

WORLD CEREBRAL PALSY DAY – MONDAY 6th OCTOBER 2025

Launching for World Cerebral Palsy Day, ‘More Than Palsy’ – created by DUDE Milan in collaboration with award-winning Scottish poet Jack Hunter – highlights the fighting spirit of people living with cerebral palsy.

It is thought that between 17-50 million people globally live with cerebral palsy, and it remains an underrepresented and neglected disability. 1 in 400 births in Scotland result in a diagnosis of cerebral palsy. To raise global awareness of the condition and drive donations, Italian charity Fight the Stroke, in partnership with Cerebral Palsy Scotland, has launched the campaign More Than Palsy. 

Launched in advance of World Cerebral Palsy Day on 6 October, More Than Palsy was created by DUDE Milan in collaboration with Scottish actor, playwright and cerebral palsy advocate Jack Hunter, who is living with cerebral palsy himself.

Inspired by Hunter’s slam poem –“You’ve Got to be Ballsy to have Cerebral Palsy” – the campaign paints an authentic picture of the challenges faced by the cerebral palsy community through their own stories: a stark reminder that life with cerebral palsy is not for the weak – it takes strength to be a disabled person in a non-disabled world.  

Watch the 30s clip here: More Than Palsy – SHORT ENG no sub

Watch the full film here: More Than Palsy – LONG SUB ENG

At the heart of the campaign is a two-minute documentary-style film which powerfully conveys the small yet incessant challenges that make up the daily life of a person with cerebral palsy – from the physical frustration at tying one’s shoelaces or trying to use a tampon, to the mental hardship of being bullied.

Raw, powerful and bold, the film aims to both inspire people who have been living with cerebral palsy for years, as well inform future new parents about the existence of this condition and the support that cerebral palsy organisations can offer.

Cerebral Palsy Scotland are the only dedicated cerebral palsy charity in Scotland. Their specialist physiotherapy, speech and language, and psychological therapy services make an incredible difference to the lives of the people they work with.

Students to Join Politicians and Medical Experts in Sold Out Debate on Assisted Dying

The Edinburgh Union will host its second debate on Monday (6 October), with a panel of politicians and medical experts debating the motion: This House Welcomes the Legalisation of Assisted Dying.

The debate will feature Kenneth Gibson MSP representing the case for assisted dying. He will be opposite Dr Fiona MacCormick, the Scotland Representative for the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland (APM) and Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, representing the case against. 

Two student speakers will also join the debate, taking opposing sides on the motion and bringing the perspectives of Edinburgh’s student body directly into the discussion. 

This second event follows the success of the Edinburgh Union’s first debate on Scottish Independence last month, in which a panel of senior Scottish politicians debated to a full audience. This week’s debate is set to be a similar hit, with all 100 tickets selling out in just 4 hours. 

The debate takes place just months after the Scottish assisted dying bill passed its first vote in Holyrood in May this year.

Founded in 2025, the Edinburgh Union, which is part of the Edinburgh Political Union, is the University of Edinburgh’s newest debating society. It seeks to provide an apolitical platform dedicated to open dialogue.

With political and social conversations growing increasingly polarised, the Union’s mission is to develop  an environment where ideas can be challenged constructively and where participants from all backgrounds feel empowered to engage in discussion.

This semester, the Union will host fortnightly debates in Edinburgh’s iconic Rainy Hall at New College, bringing together speakers from across the political spectrum. Upcoming motions include This House Regrets Brexit and This House Believes Traditional Masculinity is Damaging to Men and Society.

Each debate will offer audience members, comprising students and academics from across Edinburgh with the opportunity to debate and challenge guest speakers from across the political spectrum. 

As stated by Founder Finn Tyson: “The Edinburgh Union seeks to spark open dialogue in the capital city of Scotland.

“We want to give students and staff the chance to engage in-person with big ideas, challenge perspectives, and form their own views through reasoned debate – all in a way that reflects the diversity and voice of Scotland’s student population.

“ One of modern Britain’s most profound ethical, legal and personal questions is the legalisation of assisted dying. Despite fierce opposition Scotland, England and Wales stand on the brink of legalisation. This highly controversial issue is rooted in decades of public discourse, poignant personal stories, and evolving legislative efforts.