‘Just2Girlz’ delivering a message of support for people living with autism

A MUM and daughter social media duo sensation and stars of the Ashbourne panto say they are on a mission to raise awareness around autism.

Michelle Raftery and her daughter, Kate (18), who has autism set up the Instagram page juzt2girls to offer advice and support to families who have a neuro divergent loved one.

Through the page the “best friends” document their journey in life and offer hope and guidance to young people and their parents.

Not only have pair have amassed almost 10,000 followers on the social media platform they both had a starring role in Aladdin, the panto at Gaelscoil na Cille that finished its run at the weekend.

But it wasn't all so positive for the dynamic duo particularly Kate who struggled with her mental health growing up, later getting a diagnosis of autism.

“I didn't get diagnosed with autism until I was 17 so I went my whole childhood not knowing why I felt different,” said Kate

“Going my whole life masking and trying to fit in and not knowing the reason why I was the way I was, I kind of burnt myself out and it got really bad with my mental health,” she added.

“Through third year and TY I was barely in school, I couldn't leave the house, I couldn't talk to anyone and the only person I had was my mam.

“Whenever I was down or having panic attacks mam would turn to me and say right now, we are just two girls in the car, right now we are just two girls watching TV that is all you have to focus on is what is happening in the moment so that's where Just2Girlz kind of came from.

“When I eventually got my diagnosis It was like my world went into colour, everything just made sense.”

Kate said she went through a really hard time growing up and wanted to document her experience and how she coped via her social media audience.

“We show what it is like having someone who is autistic in the house from both the child's perspective and the mother's perspective,” said the Ashbourne teen.

“I still feel very different from my peers and friendships are very hard

“I think that's why my mam is my best friend, she has been with me through everything and she doesn't judge me, she just loves me for me.

“She says I am a Flamingo in a flock of pigeons!

Kate who has always had an interest in musical theatre says “her dreams came true” when she got a part in the panto, Aladdin.

“This is what I have dreamed of, I have always wanted to be on stage but I never thought it could happen,” said the talented teen.

“I play Marjorie who is a fairy and is part of the FBI (Fairy Bureau of Immortals) and during the show this is her first mission going under cover and she has two other agents Mabel and Mertyl and they take her under their wing and tell her you have to keep your cool when you are undercover and you have to figure out who the baddies and goodies are,” she added.

“We are the ones that come in after the interval and fill the audience in on everything we have learned.”

“Marjorie kind of gives Legally Blonde vibes but as the Panto goes on she gets her power. The whole thing with the FBI is that the three of them are fighting over who is in charge and in the end Marjorie shows that there is more to her than just a ditzy blonde that she is good enough to be a part of the FBI.

“I open the show with Jai Ho! and later in the show I sing One Way or Another.

“I find with acting it kind of comes easy because I have been acting my whole life trying to be neurotypical.”

Acting is an experience she gets to share with mum, Michelle who only intended going to a drama society event to support her daughter but ended up with a part herself!

“There was workshops going on with the Ashbourne Drama Society but none of my friends wanted to go with me so my mam volunteered to come with me,” says Kate.

“Mam was like 'I am going to volunteer to do make up and back stage stuff' but we ended up loving the workshops so much that we both auditioned and I got the part of Marjorie and mam got the role as the Sultan!”

Michelle says she is “the proudest mother in the world” but it was a battle to get to the good place they are now.

“Kate got assessed when she was eight but she didn't meet the criteria for autism because back then Kate heavily masked it.

“Even in school she wouldn't say if anything was wrong and she would hold it all in until she came home.

“At that time she was diagnosed with Dyspraxia, sensory issues and anxiety so she was referred to CAHMS and was there until she was 18. Since her diagnosis everything is just so much better for her.

“We do everything together, we are best friends as well as mother and daughter. We set the Instagram page up and it has just gone from strength to strength, it has been absolutely amazing.

“We have got to meet and help so many people.

“Kate has always been in to acting, dancing, singing but she never had the confidence to pursue it but now she does because she has accepted herself and she is learning to love herself and finally she's able to show others what she is capable of. “