Jan 19 2025 67 mins 1
In this week’s episode, Lauren and Rina chat with museum curator and researcher Cat Troiano. Cat is mother to two young daughters, Stella (4) and Petra (almost 3). Stella has 5p minus syndrome, also known as Cri du Chat syndrome. Growing up in a multilingual family with a strong focus on language and linguistics, Cat’s perspective was profoundly transformed by her fight to meet Stella’s communication needs. This thought-provoking conversation delves into Cat’s journey, the challenges she faced and how she advocated to ensure Stella could more easily interact with the world around her.
Content Warnings
Very strong Language warning
Diagnosis
Guest Biography
Cat lives in London with her husband, Giorgio, and their two daughters Stella and Petra. Cat works as Curator of Photography at the V&A, and Giorgio manages the design team at a lighting manufacturing company. Professionally, Cat comes from a research background, curating exhibitions and publishing or presenting regularly about photography in its historical and contemporary environments. She has significant experience working in complex institutions, and expertise in institutional policy and practice in the cultural sector. Incidentally, this armed her with a skill set that has proven particularly useful in advocating for Stella – who was born with a rare genetic syndrome – and navigating the paperwork, systems and therapies that help her thrive. Catherine has always been interested in language and linguistics, and she is forever grateful to Stella for upending her world view about language and communication.
Useful resources
- fivepminus.org - 5p- Society. This is the American group (the biggest one) relating to the syndrome
- Documentary by parent to child with 5p- A sweet mini-doc a filmmaker (also parent to CdCS child) made for a benefit concert in 2012.
- Raising a rare girl book - Heather Lanier's book 'Raising a Rare Girl' that Cat mentioned.
- Therarelife.ep-166-nonspeaking-child-longing-to-access-their-inner-world-give-them-medical-autonomy-w-suzi-boubion - Podcast episode referenced by Cat in which Suzy Boubion talks about her non-speaking child.
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