Invisible disabilities
Lucie Gallant says children can accomplish anything despite challenges
SHERBROOKE, P.E.I. – This year’s Easter Seals ambassador wants people to know disabilities are not always easy to spot.
“Something I was feeling a little uncomfortable with was people thinking, ‘well, you don't look disabled,’ because there are multiple disabilities that you can see,” Lucie, 10, said in an interview with Saltwire at her home.
“But I am someone who only has invisible disabilities, and I want people to know that you can’t see all these disabilities. You don't have to see something about someone for them to be disabled.”
Lucie, the daughter of Christopher and Melissa Gallant, has autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The Grade 5 student at Ècole-sur-mer in Summerside takes medication for ADHD, but because there is no medication for autism, she can find it challenging to focus.
She also follows a specific diet of plain food. Lucie eats fruits and vegetables, Jane’s Pub Style Chicken Strips and loves her mom’s homemade pizza.
However, she hates ketchup, mustard and relish and anything she said has a strong taste.
In addition, Lucie is obsessed with Stuffies and plush toys, taking one to school with her every day. She calls them her comfort items.
She has also experienced social and cognitive challenges but is excited to help increase awareness and neurodiversity and the power of optimism with her motto: “With a positive mind you can do extraordinary things.”
P.E.I. TRADITION
Lucie will be sharing her message as the 43rd P.E.I. tradition kicks off April 24, visiting close to 60 schools across the province in six days.
Helen Chapman, executive director of Easter Seals P.E.I., is thrilled to have Lucie as this year’s Easter Seals ambassador.
“Lucie has truly embraced this day and the once-in-alifetime ambassador experience,” Chapman said in a recent news release.
Lucie, who encourages everyone to donate, knows the size of the role she is taking on.
“I do feel honoured to be autistic and I do feel very glad about it because autism was thought incredibly rare in girls and it’s nice to bring some awareness to it,” said Lucie, who is also the province’s first-ever bilingual ambassador.
Her mom, Melissa, said showing children can have
disabilities that are not seen is the kind of message her family wants to convey on the school tour.
“I think of the opportunities that Lucie has had through organizations such as the Easter Seals Society or the Autism Society of P.E.I. If it wasn’t for these organizations and those opportunities there is lots of things that we wouldn’t necessarily be able to participate in,” Melissa said. “We hope we can raise some awareness and understanding of these things, (that) you can’t always see everything.”
Christopher said he is extremely proud of everything Lucie has fought through to become the young bright girl that she is.
“In a lot of ways, she is very mature for her age,” Christopher said. “She has a little bit of an understanding of herself and what it means to be the ambassador and spreading awareness of disabilities that aren’t so obvious.”
‘SHE KNEW BEFORE WE KNEW’
Melissa said it has been a long journey for the family, learning about Lucie’s disabilities.
“You don’t know what you don't know, and you adjust as you go,” Melissa said.
“For a couple of years, we encouraged her to leave the plushies behind and it wasn’t until we listened to her, and we learned about autism and learned about Lucie’s specific needs and preferences that we started to understand why these things are so important to her.”
The couple’s five-yearold son, Jackson – Lucie’s younger brother – has also just been assessed to see if he is on the autism spectrum. They are awaiting the results.
For Lucie, she said she knew something was different about her a year before she was diagnosed. She was reading a book about autism in the kitchen one day and a light went off.
“She said, ‘I wondered about that because it sounded like exactly what I go through.’ She knew before we knew,” Melissa said.
Melissa said the medication also helps to control Lucie’s emotions and reactions, but it does not regulate how the brain has developed.
“She does a lot of things lots of adults would love to be able to accomplish, and as parents of her we hope she will be proud and confident and be comfortable to advocate for herself,” Melissa said.
“She is one of the most thoughtful and kind-hearted people that I know. She has a huge heart.”