To celebrate International Women’s Day 2022, we’re shining a light on a growing number of tenatious young DLD women who are sharing their experiences with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). DLD is a hidden but common condition that affects 1 in 14 people.
Ellen Dormer
Ellen says that she was happy when she was told she had DLD as it gave her a name for her struggles.
“When I went online and watched videos of other people with DLD I cried happy tears as I realised that I wasn’t alone anymore. I knew then that I was OK and I am not that different. I really want people to understand what it is like growing up in a place without a voice and how they can help. Everyone deserves a fair chance.“
“Despite all its challenges, I believe DLD has made me brave, resilient and strong and I see things other people don’t in conversations – such as non-verbal cues. I want to make life easier for people with DLD to have a voice so there is a higher expectation of what we can achieve and that those with DLD are not written off or underestimated. I strongly believe that all people with DLD need is time, patience and adjustments.”
In 2021, Ellen was awarded a Giving Voice UK Award for outstanding working on Raising Awareness of Developmental Language Disorder and its impact in a sustained way.
Check out Ellen’s awesome website here: https://sites.google.com/view/thisisdld/about-me
Ellen has also created a short video about DLD watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvTfbHKlDeE
Shelbi Ann - @DLD Why Can't you see me
With 352 followers on Instagram and growing, plus a YouTube and TikTok account, Shelbi’s ability to give the general public a taste of life with DLD & Dyslexia is not only educational but highly entertaining.
Shelbi has also written a number of poems and produced many videos sharing her experiences. Watch this space! We know Shelbi has many more exciting projects in the pipeline.
You can see Shelbi’s incredible videos via her instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/dldwhycantyouseeme/
Siena
In 2021, Siena shared her story with the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) in Australia to show that people with DLD are gaining access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
We know many DLD families in Australia are now including a link to her story when applying to the NDIS. We still have much work to do in this space but this was a good first step.
Siena is a passionate dancer and she’s keen to pursue a future in the arts now that she has completed high school. We’ll keep you posted on what this talented young woman achieves next.
You can read Siena’s NDIS article here: https://www.ndis.gov.au/stories/7139-siena-proves-dld-no-barrier-graduating-high-school
Sunny - Marie-Soleil Labelle
Marie-Soleil Labelle is a young racing car driver from Quebec who has Developmental Language Disorder and she is proudly raising the profile of DLD globally.
Sunny wants to help young and old living with DLD like her. Her strength of character combined with her resilience and her desire to succeed made her an inspiring spokesperson for Developmental Language Disorder Awareness Day in 2021.
“You must know that I had to face many obstacles to succeed in school and achieve many of my dreams. One of the things that helped me the most is finding a passion. This passion became so important in my life that it motivated me during difficult times.”
Head to Sunny’s website to learn more about her driving career and advocacy work: https://mariesoleillabelle.com/
Do you know a young woman with DLD that we should include in this article?
If you know of an outstanding young DLD woman that is doing great things please email us at connect@thedldproject.com. We’d love to see this piece continue to grow and reflect the incredible efforts of these impressive young women.
