Here Comes the Sun - a Column by Joelene Wand

There are some things I never expected would become a normal part of parenting. One of the first questions I ask someone who’s been looking after Jude, our 3-year-old son who lives with Angelman syndrome, for an extended period isn’t always, “How was his day?” Sometimes it’s, “Did he…

It’s the middle of winter here in Australia. Runny noses, coughs, and viruses have made their way through households across the country, and ours was no exception. So it wasn’t a surprise when our 3-year-old son, Jude, who lives with Angelman syndrome, recently developed a fever and had a…

It was the day before a long weekend, and we were supposed to leave that afternoon for a family road trip we’d planned six months earlier. Six hours in Jude’s life in April 2026, clockwise from top left: Jude tries on glasses in the morning, is wheeled away in…

These days, when friends and family ask about my 3-year-old son, Jude, who lives with Angelman syndrome, my answer comes easily. I tell them about his sweet, affectionate nature, like how he leans into us for cuddles and loves giving high-fives. I talk about his interests, like his newfound…

Over time, our house has slowly filled with medical equipment for our 3-year-old son, Jude, who lives with Angelman syndrome. Some of it was readily available from local shops, such as soft-play equipment to practice climbing. Some arrived after protracted funding applications following assessments and equipment trials, causing frustration…

Like many people, I usually set a few goals at the start of each year, mostly focused on self-care: exercising regularly, getting outdoors, and taking time off when I need a break. But this year, my thinking has shifted. Instead of focusing on what I wanted to…

When we received our son Jude’s Angelman syndrome diagnosis in April 2024, at just 16 months old, his geneticist warned us that disrupted sleep was to be expected. For many families, sleep disruption is a daily reality of the syndrome. It’s not only exhausting, but also brings the…

After my son, Jude, was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome at 16 months old, I kept hearing the same comment from other seasoned Angelman parents: “Traveling is so much easier when they’re younger.” At the time, I was skeptical. But now that Jude is 3 and has experienced short- and…

Every now and then, I’m reminded that life for my 3-year-old son, Jude, who lives with Angelman syndrome, has unfolded differently from what I imagined. In Jude’s swimming class, I watch his peers advance to higher levels while he stays in the beginner group, as he can’t yet…

After my son, Jude, was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome in April 2024 at 16 months, taking time to focus on my fitness felt like a luxury. Intense emotional processing took over as I cycled through fear, hope, guilt, and exhaustion. Every week was filled with new…