Originally from Quebec, Nathalie now lives in Warman, Saskatchewan (just 20 min North of Saskatoon).
She works as a research laboratory technician at the University of Saskatchewan and is a mother of two: Paul (9, WS) and Mélina (4).
Nathalie is bilingual. The kids attended english daycare and preschool and attend (will attend) French school. Paul was diagnosed with Williams Syndrome at two years old. The path to diagnosis started with “simple” speech delay. Nathalie wanted to put the blame of the delay on “the bilingual brain needing a little more time to compute both languages so it delays the speech” while crossing her fingers that she wasn’t the one to blame for not having read enough books with him or something.
After starting speech therapy, Paul was referred to the Alvin Buckwold Child Development Centre and with only one meeting the doctor knew and sent us for blood for the FISH test. Bingo! Results were in and it was Williams Syndrome.
Since then she and the family have learned a lot and have all grown stronger. Nathalie says “There are ups and downs but that smile (you know THE one) gives you a boost to pass the next life hurdle.”