Lorie’s Story: Motherhood, Redefined

Fourteen years after becoming a mother for the first time, Lorie found herself beginning again, this time with a very different journey ahead.

Lorie immigrated to Canada 6 years ago from the Philippines. With her eldest already navigating adolescence, she was suddenly back in the early years, learning how to support a child whose needs were different from what she had experienced before.

When her youngest was diagnosed with autism, it brought both clarity and uncertainty, with one lingering question: how can I best support them?

Where Support Becomes Connection

Lorie had experience, patience, and resilience on her side, but this path required her to see parenting through an entirely new lens.

Over time, she began to build routines that worked for her child, seek out resources, and connect with others who understood her experience. That’s when she discovered the At Home in Canada programs offered by Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre in North Battlefords, Saskatchewan.

“The program was like a step-by-step guide to learn how to teach my little one.”

Beyond the tools and strategies, what stayed with Lorie most were the moments of connection – with her child, and with her Home Visitor, Renata: “I was bonding with my child, but also with the person teaching me.”

Lorie’s story reminds us that motherhood does not follow a single path, and that even years later, it can invite us to grow in new and unexpected ways alongside our children.

From Local Support to National Impact

Behind every story like Lorie’s is a network of support that makes this journey possible.

Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre has started offering our programs at the end of 2025 and the team has already supported 8 families, thanks to the efforts of its Coordinator, Feriel Djebbar, and two dedicated Home Visitors, Melodie and Renata.

As a national organization, Mothers Matter Canada is dedicated to supporting our network of over 55 program-delivery partners across the country, especially those in rural communities, like North Battlefords, by offering ongoing training through our Professional Development Program. 

That’s why we’ve been partnering with Autism Canada since 2024 to equip Coordinators and Home Visitors with the tools they need to support the families enrolled in our At Home in Canada programs

This year, they’ve also helped us create visual supports for every book in our HIPPY curriculum and offered additional training sessions on how to best utilize the visual supports – a training which the Battlefords Immigration Resource Centre’s team has attended, ensuring families like Lorie’s are supported.

Since 2024, 194 Home Visitors and Coordinators have been trained thanks to our partnership with Autism Canada.