Cassie More, left, and Skylar More, right, have both been diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD. (Shelley More)
Skylar and Cassie More are sisters from the same birth mother who were adopted 12 years ago alongside their brother Jacob. All three children were diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD, which is estimated to affect one per cent of Canadians — about 130,000 people in Ontario. Skylar and Cassie agreed to write about what FASD is like in their own words.
Skylar, age 18:
I’m Sky and I am living with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. You can’t see it and I can fool you for a bit, but once you get to know me, you will see it.
I got FASD because my birth mom drank alcohol when I was in her tummy. I don’t blame her, she just didn’t know. She was 16 years old and didn’t really know my birth dad. She was on her own, and did the best she could. Her mom and dad did a lot of drinking, so she did, too.
The Children’s Aid Society took me and my younger sister from her when I was four after our apartment caught on fire and we were home alone. I lived in a foster home for a couple years with nine other people before my mom and dad adopted me and my sister.
Skylar More says she can hide having FASD at first, but that it eventually reveals itself. (Shelley More)
School has always been hard. I was tested in Grade 1 and in Grade 3 because I wasn’t learning how to read and do math. My school gave me extra help and eventually I learned how to read.
When I got to Grade 9, things got bad. I couldn’t handle all the drama and I started running away. I was hanging out with kids who weren’t good for me and the police got involved. Eventually, my mom, dad and I went to the right doctors and we figured out I had FASD.
I changed schools and got involved with my local 4-H club. My mom and dad got me the help I needed, my new school figured out what I needed to learn, and my Beef Club leaders kept pushing me to do better and not let me make excuses.
Life is better now. I graduated from high school last year, have a part-time job with a boss who appreciates how hard I work, got my driver’s licence after lots and lots of practise, and have gone to the Royal Fair the last three years showing my cows. I am trying to get into college to learn how to work with animals.
Skylar More shows off her prize-winning cow, Wendy, at the 2017 Toronto Royal Fair. (Shelley More)