The Michael Calderin Show: featuring Miss Iowa USA 2008 Abbey Curran!!

Abbey Curran was crowned Miss Iowa USA 2008. Born with Cerebral palsy, she became the first person dealing with a special challenge throughout her life to compete in the prestigious Miss USA competition. 

Abbey Curran is founder of Miss You Can Do It, a pageant for girls with disabilities who range in age from 5 to 28. Now in its 14th year, the pageant has been incredibly successful in bringing Abbey's basic message to its contestants and their families: that any journey, great or small, begins with two words: "I'll try."

The Miss You Can Do It pageant remains a unique, annual event that imbues its young contestants with joy, confidence and pride. It's so successful that, in 2013, HBO made a beautiful documentary about it (titled Miss You Can Do It) in which Abbey is prominently featured. 

Abbey graduated from Saint Ambrose University with a bachelor's degree in Communications. She spent the last year in nursing school. In recent years, she's given motivational speeches at dozens of venues and events, from fundraising banquets for United Cerebral Palsy to colleges and schools throughout the country.

Abbey has appeared on many TV shows, among them The Early Show, The Ellen Show, Katie with Katie Couric, Inside Edition, Access Hollywood, Extra, Fox and Friends, Fox News and CNN Headline News. She has also been featured in stories in also had an exclusive feature story in People and Vogue.

In 2011, she was honored by the distinguished Susan G. Komen Foundation, which named her "Leader of the Future" and "Most Inspirational Woman in America."  

Last year HarperCollins published Abbey's autobiography, The Courage to Compete.

Abbey currently lives in Chicago where she is working as a medical sales rep.