Resilience Isn't About Overcoming.
It's About Embracing.

Lauren's Story

When Lauren Pires was born, she didn't cry. She couldn't suck to be fed. She couldn't move her limbs. She spent two months in intensive care, went into cardiac arrest, and was baptized shortly after. A nun chaplain told her mother: don't expect miracles.

Lauren was born with Central Core Disease, a rare neuromuscular disorder where some of the mitochondria in her muscle cells is missing. At 10 days old, she had her first muscle biopsy. The doctors didn't think she was going to live, so they didn't put much into the aesthetics of the surgery. She still carries a three-inch scar.

Even though she was born with the condition, Lauren wasn't formally diagnosed until she was 21. It wasn't until her mid-twenties that she learned she has about 33% of the physical strength of the average person. Not 33% less. Just 33%.

Growing up without a diagnosis meant growing up without language for what made her different. She didn't have disability representation around her. She just knew things were harder and she didn't know why. Her school administration planned for her to finish high school in five years. She pushed through in four. People she worked with for years had no idea.

Hiding in Plain Sight

For over 30 years, Lauren hid her disability. She never talked about how she used to worry she'd never be able to drive because it was hard to turn the steering wheel fast enough. Or how when she was running late, it wasn't poor time management. It was fatigue and body pain slowing her down. Instead, people knew her for her love of birthdays, glitter, and saying yay to everything.

What she didn't realize was that hiding who she was took even more energy than the disability itself.

Finding Her Voice

In September 2022, Lauren came across Speaker Slam, North America's largest inspirational speaking competition. She'd been in the audience for over a year, and whenever a speaker with a disability shared their story, something clicked. We can talk about it. I have never thought of doing that before.

The competition theme was Impact. She decided to speak about the impact of her muscle disability. She recorded 17 takes of her speech on a Friday, submitted it, and spent the entire weekend convinced she'd made a terrible mistake. She almost didn't post it.

But she did. And the response changed everything. Messages poured in from every corner of her life: her old driving instructor, elementary school classmates, former coworkers. People she'd known for years who had no idea.

In 2023, Lauren became the #2 Inspirational Speaker of the Year at the Speaker Slam Grand Slam. She left her 11-year career in festivals and events to pursue disability advocacy and speaking full-time.

A Global Community of 1,500

Lauren's neuromuscular specialist once told her she wouldn't find 30 people across Canada with her condition. But when she started speaking publicly, people found her. An 18-year-old girl in Spain who said Lauren was brave to share about their shared disability because she finds it hard to talk about. A 27-year-old woman in Germany who grew up in a small town where anything different was considered weird. A mother in the United States who shared Lauren's speech at a fundraiser for her son's mobility scooter because Lauren illustrated the condition better than she and her son could explain it to family.

There's a Facebook group of about 1,500 people worldwide who have Central Core Disease. After 26 years of not knowing anyone who lived with what she lives with, Lauren found a community who understood.

The Daily Yay

Lauren has been known for saying yay for most of her life. Her Grade 8 yearbook listed her favourite saying as "yay." In her early twenties, someone said to her: life is too short to not have a daily yay. It stuck.

When you're operating with 33% strength, you have to prioritize where your energy goes. The Daily Yay became Lauren's survival strategy. Maybe you saw a cute dog in your elevator. Maybe you finally tried a bakery you'd been wanting to try. Maybe somebody said something that made you laugh. It's about consciously identifying and appreciating something good, even when things are hard. Especially when things are hard. That's when you need it most.

When Lauren would walk 22,000 steps at the music festival she used to work for was sore for a week after, she'd think: yay, I just had 30,000 people dancing and cheering. When she's on a trip with friends and misses whatever they do in the morning while she rests up, she thinks: yay, when they come back, they'll already know how to get everywhere.

The People Behind the Spirit

Lauren credits her mother as the reason she always believed she could do things. Her mom never wanted her to feel limited. She wanted Lauren to try everything. And she'd been telling Lauren to share her story for years. Lauren's response was always the same: What are you so excited about? It's just my life.

When Lauren told her boyfriend about her disability on their second date, she was nervous he'd be scared off. Instead, he was moved. He thanked her for sharing and said it reminded him of his own insecurities that he'd been afraid to talk about. It was a reminder that everyone has something they're afraid to share, whether it's a disability, a family situation, or something else entirely.

Lauren made history as the first Canadian recipient of the "But You LOOK Good" Inspiration Award from the Invisible Disabilities Association, joining past honorees like Wayne Brady and Yolanda Hadid. As Canada's first and only IDA Ambassador, she has raised over $5,000 USD for the nonprofit and led the lighting of 22 monuments across 14 Canadian cities for Rare Disease Day 2026.

Lauren believes resilience isn't about overcoming your challenges. It's about embracing joy, saying yes to life, and showing up as your whole self. Through her speaking, she inspires others to own their story, stand in their truth, and find strength in the unseen.