A Sibling Story: Natalie and Adam by Mary Dufton
For board member and long-time supporter Natalie Clydesdale, hydrocephalus has always been part of her family’s story. Her younger brother Adam, now 29, was born with the condition. His journey surgeries starting at just four months old, countless hospital stays, and the resilience he has shown through it all has shaped Natalie’s life in profound ways. […]
Mélanie Héroux: Athlete and Advocate for the Voiceless by Mary Dufton
Mélanie Héroux, who was born with hydrocephalus, is a tireless advocate for people with disabilities as well as a Special Olympics athlete. She is currently preparing for the 2026 Special Olympics National Games, which will be held in Medicine Hat. The 42-year-old, who was born in Timmins, competes in swimming, bowling and volleyball. Mélanie currently […]
Alexandra Rego’s Journey to Self-Acceptance and Wellness By Mary Dufton
Alexandra Rego, who was born with spina bifida, and hydrocephalus, channeled her lived experience and love of children into training in early childhood education. She has an educational assistance diploma, specializing in children with disabilities and teaching and learning strategies. She was also able to work with children and teenagers through her many co-op experiences. […]
The Healing Power of Song: Danny’s Story by Mary Dufton
Danny Martin-Poitras had a good, unremarkable life. He enjoyed the outdoors, athletic activities, had a job with the Quebec Ministry of Transportation and was happily married with a young son. Everything changed in 2018 when he had two traumatic brain injuries which resulted in hydrocephalus and further medical complications. Danny explains, “The first one was […]
The Challenges of Caregiving: A Family’s Story by Mary Dufton
Like many adult children, Kyle became a caregiver to his aging parents, Gary and Marilyn. To complicate matters, Gary was misdiagnosed for 15 years until the year before he died in 2025 at the age of 83. This is a story of the impact of hydrocephalus on one family, their challenges, and how they coped. […]
Cheryl Ebenal: Living life by her own rules by Mary Dufton
Cheryl Ebenal, who originates from Maidstone, Saskatchewan, learned early on that she would not let her disability dictate her life or what she chose to do with it. One of six children, Cheryl was born with spina bifida and was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in her twenties. She grew up on a farm in rural Saskatchewan […]
Katrina Beddoe: The Importance of Personal Values By Mary Dufton
Ottawa native Katrina Beddoe values her faith, friendships and family life. Born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus, Katrina, 36, lives with her parents and has an older sister. Her favourite past times are sewing and watching television. She likes the British house-hunting reality television show, “Escape to the Country,” which she admits she watches too […]
Nathania Simowibowo: Volunteer; Activist and Mentor By Mary Dufton
Although just 25 years old, Nathania Simowibowo has numerous accomplishments in academics, career, disability awareness initiatives and volunteer work. She is also musically and artistically inclined. The Kitchener-Waterloo resident has congenital hydrocephalus. She works as an educator for recreation and school programs and lives with her parents, younger sister and a pet cockapoo named Max. […]