Marie-Soleil Labelle becomes the first official RADLD spokesperson

Sophie Demers

 

Seventeen year old race car driver Marie-Soleil “Sunny” Labelle from Gatineau has been announced as the first official spokesperson for Raising Awareness for Developmental Language Disorder (RADLD). RADLD’s mission is to raise awareness for Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), a disorder that affects 1 in 4 people.
“Sunny is a highly driven individual who has succeeded despite the many challenges that often come with a DLD diagnosis,” said Lisa Archibald, Associate Professor in the School of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Western Ontario and RADLD international committee member. “There’s no better partner to help increase international awareness of this often invisible condition. She will be an inspiration to many young DLD individuals in the coming years and we are so very proud to welcome Sunny as our first official RADLD Spokesperson”.
According to RADLD, individuals with DLD are six times more likely to suffer from anxiety and three times more likely to have depression. They are also more likely to struggle with reading, spelling and mathematics.
“At First, I started crying when my parents told me I had DLD but after a few months, I accepted it. And I was able to say, well I have DLD without complaining or being sad,” said Labelle. “In racing, now that everyone knows I have DLD, I feel different and special!”
Labelle started her racing journey in 2018 and is now the youngest female driver in the Nissan Sentra Cup. She’s part of the Musée Gilles-Villeneuve Racing Team and will be participating in the 2022 Nissan Sentra Cup for the third year in a row. Labelle has reached speeds of 210km/h.
Labelle is currently studying mechanical engineering and computer technology at the University of Ottawa. Her ultimate goal is to be Chief Engineer in Formula 1.
She is also an ambassador for Make-A-Wish Children’s Dreams Canada. To date she has raised $10,000. Marie-Soleil is also a spokesperson for the Regroupement Langage Québec (RLQ), a non-profit organization promotes better understanding of DLD by implementing assistance services and developing tools for their nine regional organizations.
Photo: Marie-soleil Labelle