Using two head switches, a communication device, and a deeply creative imagination, Chelsea brings her voice to life through art.
Chelsea was just six months old when she first came to the Glenrose Rehabilitation Hospital. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Chelsea spent her life finding ways to express herself. As a non-verbal communicator, support from the Glenrose’s I CAN Centre for Assistive Technology has guided her along that journey, evolving with her as she’s grown.
From picture symbols to the system she uses today, Chelsea now communicates using two head switches — small, adaptive buttons she activates with head movements — to control her augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device.
Using a method called switch scanning, Chelsea moves through letters and words on a screen selecting what she wants to say. With a keyboard and word prediction, she is able to build full sentences and deliver speeches.
Speaking on her I CAN Centre team, she shares:
“They help me access the tools I need, explore new possibilities, and keep growing,” she shares. “Communication isn’t something we do alone — it’s something we build together.”
But Chelsea’s story is not only about communication, it’s about what she has done with it.
Through AAC camps, international book clubs, podcasts, and community work, she supports people of all ages who rely on this form of communication
“A lot of people think we’re just talking robots,” she says. “But there’s a real person behind the voice.”
Her advocacy is shaped, in part, by her own experiences, but also by her hopes for others. When her dad was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, it deepened her commitment to communication access. She began thinking not just about her own voice, but about how to ensure others never lose theirs.
That same curiosity and drive led her to explore emerging technologies like brain-computer interface (BCI) and to begin creating new ways of expressing herself.
Creativity has always been a part of Chelsea’s world.
That’s when Chelsea had the idea to layer her poetry over her paintings, bringing together two parts of herself in a single piece. She calls it “poetry meets paint.”
Through this, Noggin Art by Chelsea was born — a reflection of her creativity, perspective, and the many ways she continues to express herself.
For the Courage Gala, Chelsea created a piece using BCI, inspired by the Glenrose. Deep blues, representing courage, are touched by streaks of gold, speaking to the triumph and strength it takes to move through something difficult. Layered within it is a poem:
Courage: Dark To Dawn
Chain of thoughts shifting dark to dawn. 
Out of a forged voice speaks the heart.
Under kind guidance blooms the hope.
Rising floods now swell the doubts.
Again, their words steady the heart.
Gentle hands restore the courage.
Every possibility grows the dream.
Through her art, Chelsea shows that courage can take shape in ways we can see, feel, and share.
To bid on Chelsea’s artwork, along with other curated items for the Courage Gala, visit: https://m.elevateauctions.com/CourageGala.
