Here Comes the Sun
— Joelene Wand

Two months ago, we took a step I’d been apprehensive of since Jude, my now 2.5-year-old son, was diagnosed with Angelman syndrome at 16 months, in April 2024. We started seizure medicine.

Most days, I’m met with kindness and warmth when I’m out with my 2-year-old son, Jude, who lives with Angelman syndrome. Neighbors see us helping Jude with his gait trainer and kneel…

Being a caregiver for someone living with Angelman syndrome demands constant physical, mental, and emotional presence. Recently, we’ve become increasingly vigilant and attentive to the needs of our son, Jude, who’s 2 years…

In the past month, I’ve felt pangs of guilt about several things while caring for my 2-year-old son, Jude, who lives with Angelman syndrome. I feel guilty while helping Jude learn to communicate…

As a caregiver, I understand that raising awareness about Angelman syndrome requires us to proactively educate the public. This can be done via social media or by organizing and participating in advocacy events.

The beginning of a new year is a hopeful and optimistic time. It’s symbolic of a fresh start, providing an opportunity to reflect on the past and embrace the future. Hope can be challenging…

Prior to receiving our son Jude’s diagnosis of Angelman syndrome last April, when he was just 16 months old, we beamed with pride that he was a social butterfly who brought joy to…

In September, my husband and I marked a year since my son Jude, then 9 months old, started early intervention therapy, the standard of treatment for managing speech, movement, and balance disorders…

At 11:12 a.m. on Christmas Eve last year, I sent a text. Our son, Jude, had just turned 1, and over the past four months we’d become increasingly worried that he wasn’t meeting his…

Nothing can prepare you for the beautiful and chaotic roller coaster of raising a child. For a brief moment, we felt as though the path we’d expected to follow went completely off course when…