Helen's update (2025)​

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It's interesting to read this piece from a decade ago and reflect on what has changed since then. I'm proud to say that Mac went on to Victoria University after finishing high school where he completed a Bachelor of Design majoring in Design for Social Innovation despite the challenges Covid brought. He lives independently in Wellington and works as a swim teacher. He is about to embark on his next adventure after winning a position as a camp counsellor in Vermont. Health-wise, he came off seizure medications when he was 16 and has been seizure free since. This meant he could achieve the dream of gaining his full drivers license. He does now have kidney involvement and is on sirolimus to manage this. 

After feeling like my career had taken a back seat due to my caring responsibilities, I did eventually get back into teaching and believe my experiences with TSC have made me a more empathetic teacher. Now with a near empty nest, I am embarking on a career change by building on my experiences as a parent of a child with TSC, TSC advocate and my career in education by training to be a Genetic Counsellor.  So far, I'm loving the course and looking forward to the next chapter in our lives.