Brighton girl lives with rare genetic disorder that affects learning | The Argus

Hsin-Yi Lo, Reporter at The Argus notes, "A TEENAGE girl who was told she may never learn to read or write has defied the odds by attending mainstream school and becoming a talented pianist." 

Photo: Lily-Joy Bywaters

Lily-Joy Bywaters, 15, of Brighton, has the rare genetic condition 16p11.2 microdeletion, which means a specific region of chromosome 16 is deleted.

The condition affects learning and ability to process information.
When Lily-Joy turned two, her mother Corinne started to worry about her development...

She was diagnosed when she was seven. Despite her challenges, she has found a love of gymnastics and piano. Mrs Bywaters said: “Lily-Joy is a clever child. She has won 20 medals and two trophies in gymnastics, and is now working towards her Grade 4 piano...

She was diagnosed when she was seven. Despite her challenges, she has found a love of gymnastics and piano. Mrs Bywaters said: “Lily-Joy is a clever child. She has won 20 medals and two trophies in gymnastics, and is now working towards her Grade 4 piano.

“She is attending Patcham High School. She is studying for her GSCEs. She did a mock exam this year.

“While she received average results, this indicates she is on the right track with her studies.

“She has another year to learn to get better results. Her favourite subject is maths – she enjoys subjects that don’t involve much talking.
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Source: The Argus