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Teen with cerebral palsy is an inspiration to others with YouTube channel

"I never say I can’t do it. I say: ‘How can we figure this out?’”

At first glance, Reagan Bischoff appears to be an average 13-year-old.

A vibrant 8th grader, Reagan loves to play the trumpet, hang out with her best friend, and has played lacrosse since the 1st grade.

Reagan, though, is far from average. When she was 2 months old, she underwent brain surgery. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy — a disorder that occurs when the developing brain is damaged during pregnancy, birth or shortly after birth.

Cerebral palsy affects people in different ways, but most commonly impacts muscle control, coordination, tone, reflex, posture and balance. For Reagan, her diagnosis limits the use of the left side of her body, including her left hand.

The teenager refuses to let her treatable but incurable condition stop her from chasing her dreams.

"Living with cerebral palsy is a big difference from living without it," Reagan told TODAY co-host Craig Melvin. "You won't be able to do certain things, like cut fruit or button jeans. I always had a hard time doing those things, until I found certain tools. I never say I can't do it. I say: 'How can we figure this out?'"

Danielle Bischoff, Reagan's mom, told Craig she is "absolutely" proud of her daughter's grit and determination.

"Reagan really works hard," the proud mom said. "There's a lot of things that we throw her way. We don't ever let her say no."

In addition to succeeding on the lacrosse field and enjoying her teenage years, Reagan is on a mission to inspire young people who have similar disabilities. Her message: "Simply go for it."

Last year, Reagan created a YouTube channel titled "Throw Leftie" to spread awareness and help other young people with disabilities feel seen.

"At school, I get asked: 'What is wrong with your hand? Why do you have this?'" Reagan explained. "It sometimes is uncomfortable, when people are looking at me a lot. So I actually named my channel 'Throw Leftie' because my coaches were always yelling at me 'throw leftie, throw leftie' and I couldn’t."

Reagan told Craig that she would "always get so frustrated" with herself, so one day she just "figured it out."

"When I got the ball, I had to switch to my left side," she added. "I threw a perfect pass to my teammate and I had an assist. I was really happy. So that’s why it’s called 'Throw Leftie.'"

In her YouTube videos, Reagan shows the world how she dries her hair, ties her shoelaces and cuts apple slices. She says her goal is to "help other kids figure things out" and to "be more positive and more confident with themselves.

In 2022, Reagan was named one of People's "Girls Changing The World" and was honored by the Virginia-based non-profit "Brain Injury Services," where she has received support.

Craig also had a little surprise for Reagan, to honor the work she is doing to make teens like her feel seen: A special message from Reagan's favorite lacrosse player, Taylor Moreno, who helped the University of North Carolina win their third national title in 2022 and is currently playing for Athletes Unlimited.

"I can only imagine the pressure of being a goalkeeper in your situation," Moreno told Reagan in a special message. "To see the work that you've put in, being as young as you are and the things that you've already accomplished, is an inspiration."

Moreno also sent Reagan a signed Athletes Unlimited jersey and some brand new Nike goalie gloves.

Like any teenager and avid fan-girl, Reagan was thrilled.

"Keep changing the world," Craig told the teen.

For more information about Reagan, you can visit her YouTube Channel here.

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