MEET THE AUTHOR
John W. Quinn is author of the powerful memoir “Someone Like Me – An Unlikely Story of Challenge and Triumph Over Cerebral Palsy.”
Motivational Speaker for Medical Conference – Inclusion, Teamwork, and Disability
Are you seeking a motivational speaker for your medical conference? Learn about John Quinn, who can discuss his story including:
- Being born with cerebral palsy, unable to walk successfully until the age of 4 and forced to wear “special shoes” while undergoing painful physical therapy.
- Not letting his disability stop him from participating in wrestling during high school, although he lost all 72 of his matches.
- Not letting Cerebral Palsy stop him from his dream of a career serving in the Navy, despite knowing that he would need to successfully hide is disability for his entire career, and having to endure continuous pain in performing simple tasks – such as climbing stairs – that non-disabled people did not have to face.
- Overcoming the suicide of his brother, his battle with alcoholism and subsequent recovery.
THE VALUE OF COOPERATION
Growing up in Detroit, in a home with 7 siblings, and only one bathroom, John knows all too well the challenges of working with others. Here, he learned the art of compromise, the advantages of cooperation.
When John entered the Navy, he was able to use many of the life lessons he had learned in his Detroit home, while living in the close confines of a warship comprised of 5500 personnel.
WORKING TOGETHER
As a child born with cerebral palsy, John’s parents knew that for John to be successful he had to overcome the obstacles of his disability. They did not let John use his condition as an excuse.
With the help of his mother and father, John worked tirelessly to strengthen his muscles so that he could walk without the use of his braces. He learned the value of not giving up and settling for less.
WORKING TOWARDS A GOAL
John learned the importance of having a dream, in spite of his disability. As a young boy, John’s dream was to follow his brother’s lead and join the Navy.
He quickly learned that having a dream is not enough. You must be willing to dig deep and work hard to achieve your dream. That setbacks and failures do not negate your dream, in fact they can do the opposite.
When John failed his first attempt to join the Navy, all because of his inability to successfully execute the duck walk, he did not quit. He went home and worked to get stronger, until he could successfully complete the duck walk according to Naval standards for recruits.
HAVE JOHN SPEAK TO YOUR GROUP
Contact John to speak at your next conference or event on the importance of inclusion and team work.
SCHEDULE A ZOOM TALK WITH JOHN
A passionate international speaker who has captivated audiences around the world from students to numerous Fortune 500 companies.
CONTACT JOHN
Have a question or comment for John? Send him a note! Like his Facebook Fan Page, follow him on Twitter, or subscribe to his YouTube Channel.