Politics & Government

Briarcliff Youth a Tourette Syndrome Ambassador

Julia Gottlieb recently visited Washington D.C. to take part in a special youth training program.

Name, Age: Julia Gottlieb, 12

School:

Accomplishment: Earning an invitation to participate in Tourette Syndrome Youth Ambassador training.

Find out what's happening in Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Key to Awesomeness: Tourette Syndrome, an inherited neurological condition, is often misunderstood—a fact Briarcliff Manor's Julia Gottlieb is familiar with.

The Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) was founded in 1972 to educate the public and research the cause and find a cure for the condition—and now Gottlieb has become part of the cause.

Find out what's happening in Pleasantville-Briarcliff Manorwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

After submitting an application and essay expressing her interest in becoming a Tourette Syndrome Youth Ambassdor, she was invited to join other young people from across the country to participate in a training program in Washington D.C.

A few weeks ago, Gottlieb made the trip with her mother Wendy Gottlieb, and is now looking forward to sharing her knowledge locally.

“It was an amazing experience meeting teens from all over 
our country who also have Tourette Syndrome," Julia Gottlieb said in a statement. "I am looking forward to sharing my knowledge about TS with other kids in Westchester County.”

As part of the trip, the youth ambassadors joined their representatives on Capitol Hill to share their experiences and knowledge about Tourette Syndrome.

"Julia has now returned to New York to educate her peers and younger 
children with accurate information by going into classrooms, schools and 
clubs to teach understanding, sensitivity and tolerance of TS and its 
symptoms, while dispelling the myths and stereotypes that are often 
attributed to and associated with this misunderstood and misdiagnosed 
disorder," according to the statement.

Gottlieb was able to meet and speak with U.S. Representative Nita Lowey (D-Westchester/Rockland) during the trip, along with aides from U.S. Sen Kirsten Gillibrand's (D-NY) and Senator Charles Shumer's (D-NY) offices.

"All of the aides were so interested in our stories about living with Tourette Syndrome. We are so thankful that  our congressional representatives from New York support funding for educating teachers and doctors about Tourette Syndrome," Gottlieb said. "It was very exciting to actually meet Representative Lowey. It was so nice of her to take the time out of her busy schedule to listen to our concerns.”

Like us on Facebook | Follow us on Twitter | Sign up for our newsletter


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here