Hey everyone, I’m 17 year old Summer Dean from Norwich, and i’m so proud to announce, I am the Very First Junior Ambassador for ADHD UK. The struggles of living with ADHD can begin so early in life, making it important to advocate for the younger generation.

My story started before my ADHD diagnosis at 14, I faced significant challenges in school, including bullying from those who didn’t understand me. Eventually, I was homeschooled at 16 after moving between different schools, mostly working online from home. This left me feeling isolated and without much of a social life, this is a feeling I wouldn’t wish on anyone.

It was clear a diagnosis would be critical for accessing the additional support I needed. The lengthy wait times on the NHS forced us to seek this privately. The difficulties in obtaining funding for home schooling and missed educational opportunities, were setbacks that have only strengthened my determination to succeed and support others further.

The disappointment of missing out on social school events everyone should be experiencing such as prom, friendships and wanting to find a focus were among the multiple reasons I then turned to pageantry, which has been an incredibly rewarding and confidence-building experience and i am eternally grateful for the platform it has given me to speak out about ADHD, support others and help with numerous charitable causes.

As a Junior ADHD UK Ambassador, I aim to host events for younger individuals, creating a supportive space to learn about the condition. If I positively change one person’s life, my journey will forever be worthwhile.