Ashely and Melissa are adorable identical twins – social, affectionate, and a source of pride for parents Dianne and Dan Blue and little sister Lauren.
Born with a very rare gene deletion called Dravet Syndrome, the twins have a neurodevelopment disorder characterized by hard-to-control seizures and developmental delays.
While the disorder prevents the girls from being verbal or functioning to a level where they can care for themselves, Ashley and Melissa are thriving. This is thanks to a loving family, a network of support, and the help of the Centre’s therapists and programs, which the family has drawn on since the girls were 18 months old.
A recent and exciting milestone was Ashley and Melissa’s entrance into kindergarten at their elementary school – an achievement that seemed in the far distance during the first year of the twins’ lives, when they were experiencing seizures up to a hundred times a day.
Diane describes the Centre’s support over the years as “tremendous,” saying it has been there for the family as they navigated therapy processes and prepared for transitions. It has enabled both parents to appreciate and celebrate the wonder and joy of the twins as they grow.
According to Diane, “We are happy for who Ashley and Melissa are, not who we want them to be …they are so wonderful, so happy, and such good girls – we enjoy and take all of that in.”