General News

Booklore to feature author with cerebral palsy’s debut book, ‘Beyond the Chair’

September 25, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Paula Brown

A Shelburne-based author is inviting readers to “roll” with him as he shares his experiences of growing up with a physical disability in his debut book.

Mark Rodgers, a 21-year-old Shelburne resident, has self-published a children’s book titled “Beyond the Chair,” which details his experience with cerebral palsy and going through life with a disability.

Rodgers was born with cerebral palsy (CP), a neurological condition that can present as issues with muscle tone, posture, and movement. CP is the result of damage to the brain during fetal development or another developmental disability that affects the way the brain develops.

Rodgers started writing “Beyond the Chair” in 2024 and published the book in late June as part of his final project with the Youth Entrepreneur Program created by local educator Suzette Daley.

Speaking with the Citizen, Rodgers said he was inspired to use his own experiences in the hopes of raising awareness for people with disabilities.

“People always think it’s so hard being disabled, and I wanted to show people that it’s not such a hard thing,” Rodgers told the Citizen.

Through the 25-page book, Rodgers reflects on the physical and emotional barriers he faced, not only from the world around him, but from within, and how he navigated those barriers with resilience and determination.

He also touches on the pivotal role various relationships have had on him, finding success on his own terms, from dedicated teachers to friendships and the unwavering support of family.

“I share my story about growing up with cerebral palsy from each stage of my life,” said Rodgers.

While “Beyond the Chair” will mean something different to each reader, Rodgers hopes to share one specific message with the audience.

“Living with a disability is not so hard. We can do things just like normal people, if we put our minds to it; it may just be in a different way,” concluded Rodgers.

Rodgers will be hosting an author meet and greet at Booklore in Orangeville on Oct. 21, where he will be doing a reading from his book and selling physical copies.

Rodgers’ book “Beyond the Chair” is available for purchase on Amazon.

Readers Comments (0)