Let Your Story Unfold - by Hannah Lugat

Hi, my name is Hannah Lugat, and I was diagnosed with Turner syndrome (TS) at 13 years old. I had always had learning disabilities with math and some autistic traits. I had always thought I needed extra help in school, and that was that. It wasn’t until I met an astute doctor for my 13 year old well visit that she had me tested to rule out possibilities for my not having reached my 12 year old growth spurt like the rest of my peers.

I remember reading the symptoms of TS online after testing and being sad thinking I had it. To be honest, it wasn’t until about a year after my official diagnosed that I stopped feeling different in a bad way due to my diagnosis. I was able to reach out to the TS community through local events and quickly realized I was not alone. I even realized how special we all are because only 2% of TS babies survive to birth!

I was able to go through high school and college with this confidence, and now I am a paraprofessional at a high school helping kids who are just like I was! I will soon graduate school with a master’s degree in social work to further my career in helping people. My advice to individuals who may be newly diagnosed or young and future parents who may have received a diagnosis is this: It is not always easy having TS. There are a lot of things to deal with including heart issues, feeling different because of height, and even early menopause and infertility.

But no matter what, you are not alone, even though we are all unique, there is someone who has a similar story and is willing to listen to you. When you are comfortable talking about your diagnoses, I recommend doing so. You will come to realize you are different in the best way and you share a unique bond with the TS community that no one else does. Also, advocate for yourself at the doctors, you know yourself better than anyone and many doctors do not even know about TS, you are the teacher! By teaching and advocating, you will help yourself and others.

Finally, you write you story - not anyone else’s or anything you see online! If you feel bleak, grow, and wait as your own story unfolds! It will be beautiful!