Empowering Radio Shows with Shirley Cheng, Blind, Disabled Author, Poet

Author and poet Shirley Cheng (http://www.shirleycheng.com) will be heard on three radio shows in March to share with the world her remarkable life and achievements despite being blind and physically disabled.

(PRWEB) March 2, 2006 -- Author and poet Shirley Cheng (http://www.shirleycheng.com) will be heard on three radio shows in March to share with the world her remarkable life and achievements despite being blind and physically disabled.

Tune in to WBNW 1120AM or WPLM 1390AM on Saturday, March 4 at noon EST to hear Shirley's interview on The Brass Ring® radio show with host, producer Gina Ghioldi, the founder and President of The Law Office of Gina M. Ghioldi, P.C..

Shirley will be interviewed on Lillian's SpeakOut! on March 8. The podcast recording will be available for listening soon afterwards at

http://lilliandme.libsyn.com

Shirley will be a guest on The Donna Seebo Show on KKNW 1150 AM on March 14 from 11:00 a.m. to noon EST (8:00-9:00 a.m. PST). This program is streamed on the Internet live at http://www.1150KKNW.com

so people can listen to it from anywhere in the world.

Are you having a bad day? Then meet Shirley Cheng, A.K.A. the modern Helen Keller.

"Although I'm blind, I can see far and wide; even though I'm disabled, I can climb high mountains," says Shirley Cheng.

This is the kind of spirit and attitude that has allowed her to go for the gold medal and accomplish her life's passions, including writing and publishing three books by the age of twenty-one after she lost her eyesight, doing math and chemistry in her head without Braille or vision, and finishing the entire elementary school with merely 180 days of attendance (and on the first day, she didn't know English).

"I'm not disabled, I'm ultra-abled." --Shirley Cheng.

Shirley was a guest on Full Power Living radio show with host Ilene Dillon on January 31, 2006 for one hour. Listen to the interview at http://www.worldtalkradio.com/archive.asp?aid=5981

Shirley tied for 1st place in the second Annual Be the Star You Are!™ Writing Contest. She appeared live on the nationally syndicated radio program, Be the Star You Are!, with host Cynthia Brian on Wednesday, January 11. Listen to the interview and Cynthia reading her essay at http://www.worldtalkradio.com/archive.asp?aid=5870

Click on the second segment.

Shirley's winning entry, entitled The Jewel from Heavenly Father, is dedicated to her beloved mother Juliet Cheng.

Shirley spoke about her goals as an advocate for people with disabilities and parental rights On Disability News and Views with host Monica meshenko. Her twenty-minute segment is located at http://www.disabilitynewsradio.com and click on "Past Shows" for the January 8, 2006 episode.

All of these shows, along with other shows, are linked to from Shirley's website, http://www.shirleycheng.com

Shirley Cheng (b. 1983) is a miracle survivor of her multiple physical disabilities but more so of pitfalls in American medical and school systems, including her mother's custody case with doctor in 1990 that gained international attention and support, which she had detailed in her 700-page autobiography, The Revelation of a Star's Endless Shine: A Young Woman's Autobiography of a 20-Year Tale of Trials & Tribulations. The book covers topics such as parental and patient rights, false medical reports from doctor and psychologists, education, and disability matters.

"Shirley Cheng has an inspiring story to tell in The Revelation of a Star's Endless Shine. How can we not be in awe of her? She suffered through the pain and disability of severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and subsequent blindness. She suffered through a senseless custody fight at the hands of meddling social services personnel. She suffered through inconsistent medical care. She remained fearless and positive through it all, going on to maintain a 3.9 grade point average in high school; unable to complete all of her high school courses, she subsequently passed her GED test with an exceptionally high score. Shirley and her tirelessly compassionate mother Juliet Cheng have been miracle workers, and one cannot help but think that has been their calling," wrote Malcolm R. Campbell, Campbell Editorial Services.

"Why is it possible in America, the land of the free, that a parent cannot disagree with a doctor's recommendation for treatment? Shirley Cheng offers a look into her world providing disturbing truths about America's medical and school systems. Shirley's unique way of writing further provides readers with a window to her intelligence, insight, and nature. Her matter-of-fact, original style and ability to prove a point is powerful. A disturbing, and enlightening read. Authentic, honest, and profound. Will change reader's outlook," wrote Christina Francine for Midwest Book Review.

Shirley's story is not just the accounts of one disabled individual--it is an eye opener. "By uniting our power, we can turn our country into a true nation run by the people for the people!" declared Shirley.

Shirley Cheng (b. 1983), a blind and physically disabled author and poet of three books, was diagnosed with severe juvenile rheumatoid arthritis at only eleven months old. Due to years of hospitalization, she received no schooling until age eleven. Having achieved grade level in all areas after merely 180 days in a special education class in elementary school, she was transferred to a regular sixth grade class in middle school. Unfortunately, Shirley lost her eyesight at the age of seventeen. After a successful eye surgery, she hopes to earn five science doctorates from Harvard University.

Shirley is also an advocate of parental rights in children's medical care, students with special needs, and people with disabilities, and has the vision of a better America for both parents and children. She is a victim and miracle survivor of not only her painful disease but more so of serious faults in American medical system, including two custody cases her mother, Juliet Cheng, had battled and won after disagreeing with doctors' recommended treatments, one of which lasted for five months in 1990 in Connecticut that made international headlines on major media, like The New York Times and The Associated Press, and gained the support of Katharine Hepburn and Connie Chung. Juliet and her lawyer, George Athanson-a former mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, for eleven years-appeared on CBS This Morning with Paula Zahn. Shirley is also the victim of abusive behavior and mistreatment from one-to-one aides for years while attending public schools. Using her new voice as an adult, Shirley now fights to protect today's parents and children and the future of America. She hopes to bring awareness to the public with her 700-page autobiography, The Revelation of a Star's Endless Shine: A Young Woman's Autobiography of a 20-Year Tale of Trials & Tribulations.

Shirley Cheng is the author of Daring Quests of Mystics (ISBN: 1-4116-5664-4), written at the age of twenty. Her autobiography, The Revelation of a Star's Endless Shine: A Young Woman's Autobiography of a 20-Year Tale of Trials and Tribulations (ISBN: 1-4116-1860-2), written at age twenty, was self-published at age twenty-one, as well as Dance with Your Heart: Tales and Poems That the Heart Tells (ISBN: 1-4116-1858-0), an anthology of inspirational and fantasy short stories and poems she had written between the ages of twelve and twenty-one. She had been published twice before her writing career. One of her short stories, Mary Miller, the Elusive Lady, was published by the Poughkeepsie Journal in 1997 as an Honorable Mention for a writing contest, and a poem, The Colors of the Rainbow, was published in Celebrate! New York Young Poets Speak Out in 1999.

Visit her website at http://www.shirleycheng.com

Shirley has appeared on Stu Taylor on Business, The Dr. Maxine Thompson Show, A Story to Tell on Global Talk Radio, and will be scheduled for more radio appearances. She was featured on World Journal, the largest national Chinese daily newspaper in North America.

Shirley is available for interviews, book signings, speaking engagements, and other book and inspiration-related events.

To learn more about Shirley and her three books, visit her site at http://www.shirleycheng.com

Media Contact:

Shirley Cheng

Phone: 775-667-9451

Fax: 775-766-8667

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