Images Captured by Luxe Photography
Meet Noah. This four-year-old Tiny Light loves preschool and his friends, Toy Story, and his little brother Liam. He is gentle and kind and loves to be cuddled. Noah is strong and determined. We see this through all of the fighting that has already been required of him. Not fair, but necessary. And all with his mother by his side.
On his second birthday, Noah was diagnosed with Autism. He had not been developing appropriate language skills and was not displaying normal behaviours. His mom was almost seven months pregnant with his younger brother, and this news was absolutely devastating for her. She feared never hearing the words ‘I love you’ and worried that she would never connect with Noah the way that parents usually connect with children.
One year later, it was like a bomb dropped. Noah was diagnosed with leukemia. He had been suffering fevers and cold symptoms. Still, nothing could have prepared his family for this diagnosis. Noah was still not able to fully communicate, so his mother did what she could to explain that he was ill and that his doctors wanted to help him. It wasn’t easy. Chemotherapy intensified all of the autistic behaviours. His tantrums, stimming, aggression, and sensory sensitivities all suddenly quadrupled.
Noah’s mom maintains a positive attitude. “I believe that children with Autism are here to teach us all something and they will if we just listen.” She is confident that if her autistic son can fight and beat leukemia, then any child has the ability to fight their illness as well. “It’s not easy, but it can be done.” While it still can be hard for Noah to let her know what he needs, his vocabulary has improved. When his mother feels fears and insecurities, she looks to his warm smile, which is all the inspiration she needs.
On his second birthday, Noah was diagnosed with Autism. He had not been developing appropriate language skills and was not displaying normal behaviours. His mom was almost seven months pregnant with his younger brother, and this news was absolutely devastating for her. She feared never hearing the words ‘I love you’ and worried that she would never connect with Noah the way that parents usually connect with children.
One year later, it was like a bomb dropped. Noah was diagnosed with leukemia. He had been suffering fevers and cold symptoms. Still, nothing could have prepared his family for this diagnosis. Noah was still not able to fully communicate, so his mother did what she could to explain that he was ill and that his doctors wanted to help him. It wasn’t easy. Chemotherapy intensified all of the autistic behaviours. His tantrums, stimming, aggression, and sensory sensitivities all suddenly quadrupled.
Noah’s mom maintains a positive attitude. “I believe that children with Autism are here to teach us all something and they will if we just listen.” She is confident that if her autistic son can fight and beat leukemia, then any child has the ability to fight their illness as well. “It’s not easy, but it can be done.” While it still can be hard for Noah to let her know what he needs, his vocabulary has improved. When his mother feels fears and insecurities, she looks to his warm smile, which is all the inspiration she needs.
Story by Angela Stephen-Dewhurst
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