A Mother’s Love brings the DIR® Floortime™ Conference to Cape Town

Mathematical whiz and Investment Banker Tarren is proud mom to Ross age 11 and Jessica age 4. Beautiful Jessica is one of only 40 documented cases in the world, of children with ROHHAD syndrome (Rapid-onset Obesity with Hypothalamic Dysfunction, Hypoventilation and Autonomic Dysregulation), a potentially life-threatening and incurable disease.

Kerry Wallace, an occupational therapist from Polkaspot Early Intervention Centre has been working with Jessica and recommended that Tarren get in touch with Rosemary White, a specialist OT who was in Australia at the time.

As Jessica’s health prevented her from travelling to Australia, Tarren arranged for Rosemary to come to South Africa. Rosemary will also be presenting the DIR® Floortime™ Conference focusing on children with challenges in relating and communicating, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, in association with Polkaspot.

I’d been working with the team at Polkaspot and had heard about little Jessica, and Tarren’s incredible spirit and generosity that is making it possible to present the Floortime conference to other parents and professionals.

I knew Tarren was juggling a high-powered executive career with being a wife and mom as well as taking care of a child with severe special needs.
Seeking medical support for Jessica’s illness has been hugely challenging. With so few documented cases of ROHHAD there are very few doctors who have been able to correctly diagnose her condition and prescribe supportive treatment.

I was looking forward to meeting Tarren in person, as I’d been inspired by her story, and wanted to share it to inspire other women to Get their Glow On, no matter how difficult the circumstances.

Tarren is a whirlwind of energy, motivation and brilliance. In between everything else that she’s holding together, she’s now also applying her mathematical genius to helping the medical profession to learn more about ROHHAD.
She’s in constant communication with the parents and doctors of the other 39 ROHHAD children, and is compiling a database and collating their medical records using graphs and charts to illustrate the similarities of how the disease presents.

No stranger to dealing with adversity, Tarren suffered a breakdown at the age of 27.

“When I woke up in hospital I made a pact with God and told him he had two weeks to show me a reason to live, that was bigger than me. Exactly two weeks to the day, I discovered I was pregnant.

I knew then that I had to make a decent life for myself and my child, and where was the best place to make money? Investment banking. I started as a secretary and was lucky to work for two bosses who recognised my abilities and encouraged me to grow. Those guys came in every morning at 5am to teach me about finance and investments.
Preparation and planning are the most important things you can do for your life.”

Before long Tarren became a highly successful alternative securities trader and went on to become Chief Operating Officer of a top-performing division of the bank.
Tarren deals with her stress with “coffee, cigarettes and tattoos, and I love a good head-banging session in the mosh-pit!”.

“My passion is maths, calculations and formulas. I believe that everything is as it’s meant to be in its perfect time.
Children inspire me – their honesty and integrity. I am most grateful for my children. The biggest gift a mother can have is to like her children, not just to love them.”

Tarren’s message to the world is spirited and generous.

“Share your shit. How much crap can one life accumulate? Give it away.” :)

It’s due to this wonderful energy that parents, therapists and children are able to benefit from the expertise of Rosemary White at the Floortime conference taking place in Cape Town next week.

For More Info and Bookings for the DIR® Floortime™ Conference click here.

email  info@polkaspot.co.za or call 021  422 1756

Date: 22 to 26 November 2010

Venue: Herzlia High School Auditorium, Goldschmidt Avenue, Vredehoek, Cape Town
Theme: Children with challenges in relating and communicating, including Autism Spectrum Disorders