"Honestly, what inspired me to talk about dyslexia the way that I have, is because I really want to change the narrative around the diagnosis. Even referring to it as a diagnosis I feel does a disservice to the brilliance of some of the most fantastic minds that we have.
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How do we inspire things to be done in a different way? It's not a one size, one solution fits all model. And I think that really needs to be talked about.
"I was very lucky that when I was first told that I had dyslexia, not one person around me ever made me feel like it was a 'lesser than' scenario. It was always about moving forward, it was always about what you could do. Never about what you can't.
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I think that having dyslexia and reflecting on where I am right now in my career path, and also as an older person looking back, it definitely has allowed me to look at things in a new way and come up with solutions. I always describe it like being able to think in a circle. Yes, my spelling is appalling, and I wish that I could do something about that. But luckily, spellcheck has sorted that out for me."
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"Homeschooling, that was definitely not my forte! Not going to lie. Sadly, I can't blame that on dyslexia. But I've felt very lucky to have had the chance to work with my bonus son (Wolfie) over the course of the school closures. It was a huge learning curve for all of us."
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Giovanna: Before you were told you had dyslexia aged seven, what was that run-up in school like?
"I remember feeling really confused – an overwhelming sense of, 'Why does this all feel a little bit muddled? Why do I feel like these words on the page are just a bunch of… What is going on here? What am I expected to do with this?' Maybe it's a personality trait, but I don't like feeling muddled.
"And I think that mentality really led my parents and others on an age of discovery. I'm very lucky that I had some fantastic teachers that were aware of different diagnoses and different practices that we could work towards.
"But that feeling of confusion, feeling a little bit like you're the odd one out… I remember one teacher, I'd be looking at the words trying to formulate them in front of me, and I just looked at her with these big eyes to say, 'What am I supposed to do?' And her response was, 'The words are not written on my face.' And I'm thinking, 'Well, I don't know what they're doing on the page either!'
"I think it was quite an empowering thing actually, between the age of seven and 11, really figuring out what you could and couldn't do. I actually think it's been the making of some of my best decision-makings."
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I was thinking about this as well, that if any child, any bonus son, or future babies that are on their way, are lucky enough to be diagnosed with dyslexia, I feel incredibly grateful to have tools such as the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity to be able to tap into, to give them that extra support. I think it's really important for every parent, that they feel they are not alone in this.
"My husband's also dyslexic so we'll see whether we're having this conversation in a couple of months' time with a new baby in the house, but I really see it as a gift. And I think life is about the moments, it's the challenges that make you.
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"Young people nowadays are dealing with so much information, whether it's from social media or other platforms, that adding a dyslexic diagnosis can be a real challenge. So, if we can do even one thing to make sure that they don't feel different, that's when all the good things can really happen. We can make sure that no child feels like they are alone."