Claudia
About Me
Claudia is a passionate woman who has always had a beautiful natural smile. She is originally from the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Canada. She holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology and is bilingual. During her active professional years, she worked as a French-as-a-second-language instructor. She is passionate about traveling and animal welfare.
Diagnostic Journey
At around the age of two, her grandmother noticed that Claudia’s sitting posture was somewhat unusual and recommended that her parents seek medical advice. Over the following years, her gait became noticeably different and somewhat jerky. At first, doctors believed that she had cerebral palsy. However, at the age of eight, she was diagnosed with ARSACS. Claudia never allowed ARSACS to define her or hold her back. She pursued her education and remained professionally active. Since her mid-thirties, she has used a walker for mobility, and since her mid-forties, she has used a wheelchair for longer distances.
Message to the Community
Claudia has always been an ambitious woman. However, over the years, ARSACS has gradually caught up with her. She has never accepted her condition as something that should limit her or define her. Until her mid-thirties, she was able to largely put the disease out of her mind and carry on with her life. Today, spending most of her time sitting at home often makes her feel disheartened. Unfortunately, many of her days are difficult, both physically and emotionally.
Message to Those Unfamiliar with ARSACS
Claudia wants people to understand that ARSACS can be a cruel disease. When patients are young, they can often lead an almost normal life and pursue their favorite activities and passions. But as time moves on, and although progression varies among patients, Claudia hopes people understand the challenges that come with losing abilities. She hopes those who learn about ARSACS will join the fight to find a cure.
Hope for the Future of ARSACS
Claudia has great expectations for the ARSACS foundations in Canada and the United States. She hopes not only for a treatment that could slow or stop the progression of ARSACS but ultimately for a complete cure. Claudia also has great hopes for scientific efforts to advance research toward a future without ARSACS.