Telling Our Stories

July 29, 2015

*We have reached out to both our students and adult residents who call Latham Centers home and have asked them to tell us their stories. They’ve courageously battled through medical and familial issues to be where they are today and they tell the stories of what makes them happiest while others will tell you about their journey through  medical diagnoses like PWS. These stories tell the truth behind what it means to have special needs from our incredibly respected residents and we thank every resident for sharing and every staffer for listening. To respect the privacy of our individuals, we have changed their names.

Molly:
My Life with PWS

My name is Molly and I am 21 years old with PWS. I live at Latham Centers in Brewster, MA on Cape Cod. PWS has limited my ability to live at home due to its symptoms.

I haven’t always had PWS. When I was seven years old I was diagnosed with a brain tumor. The tumor affects my pituitary gland and hypothalamus. Other important parts of my brain that tell me when I should and shouldn’t be hungry were damaged also, thus giving me acquired PWS like symptoms. One of the symptoms of PWS is feeling hungry just after eating a meal or snack, and always having an urge to eat. Being at Latham has really helped me learn what a healthy lifestyle is, what coping skills I can use to control my urges, and most importantly, helping me reconnect with my family and friends.