Thanks for inviting me to this committee hearing. I'm here representing PALS. My name is Jessica van der Veer. I'm 11 years old. I was born on December 7, 1998.
My tummy mommy was really young when she had me. We didn't really have a real home, so we couch-surfed everywhere. I was three and a half when I was left on a street corner for Durham CAS to pick me up. I have a brother, and he was left with me. I was always left alone, up until I was three, with my three younger brothers. Then I met my forever family.
In one week, I learned what adopted meant. I was told I was being adopted, and I was adopted.
It took more than a year to get used to the transition and to my forever family. I had a horrible first year of school. I was teased and left out of everything. I had three teachers, two schools, and a bunch of kids asking me questions I didn't want to answer. When I did, I was teased again.
I may not have been born in my mom's tummy, but I was born in her heart.
So why are we treated differently? By going to PALS, it has helped me understand my life more, and it's boosted my self-esteem and shown me I'm not alone.