WHAT ARE YOU STUDYING AND/OR WHAT ARE YOUR PROFESSIONAL AMBITIONS?
I am currently studying aircraft maintenance at the École nationale d’aérotechnique in Longueuil, Quebec. I also work part-time at RONA.
WHAT ARE YOUR PASSIONS, INTERESTS, AND HOBBIES?
I have a big passion for coin collecting, vintage and antique stuff, aviation, mysteries, investigations, reading, and history. Until 2019, I was also a competitive speed skater at the provincial level. Since joining CHILD-BRIGHT in 2019, I’ve also developed a passion for brain-based disability advocacy and research.
CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH BRAIN-BASED DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES?
I have four brain-based disabilities: epilepsy, autism, dyslexia, and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I also have low-frequency (reverse-slope) hearing loss. I had my first big seizure when I was 10 years old and received my epilepsy diagnosis then, but I was only diagnosed with autism, dyslexia, and ADHD in the summer of 2019, when I was 16.
My autism is the disability that impacts me the most. For example, as a child, I had speech delays but now, as an adult, I have caught up and even speak too much sometimes. My autism also has the benefit of giving me intense interests and passions. It also gives me excellent memory skills for things related to my passions, good hands-on learning, and an ability to recognize patterns, especially ones that others don’t notice or see.
I love to read whenever I’m not busy with school. My dyslexia affects my reading; text will shift from two to three dimensions and go blurry depending on the size, font, and colour. Occasionally, I’ll switch words around but won’t realize it until later. Due to this, reading strains my eyes, but I love it anyways!
Why did you want to get involved with CHILD-BRIGHT?
I like sharing my experiences and advocating for others who have disabilities like me. I also love research related to brain-based disabilities, especially work that helps promote change. I want to help make daily life easier for people with disabilities like me, so they don’t have to go through the same difficulties I did.