Lauren Sánchez 'Didn't Know' She Had Dyslexia for Years — Until College Professor Offered to Help
The 54-year-old award-winning journalist said "nothing was the same after" she received her diagnosis and that she is "forever grateful"
James Devaney/GC Images
Lauren Sánchez attends Kering's 2nd Annual Caring For Women Dinner at The PoolLauren Sánchez discussed her experience with dyslexia in an Instagram post celebrating World Book Day 2024
The award-winning journalist said she was unaware she was living with dyslexia until she was in college, when a professor noticed and offered to help
Sánchez is set to release her first children's book, titled The Fly Who Flew To Space, in September
Lauren Sánchez is opening up about living with dyslexia.
The 54-year-old award-winning journalist detailed her experience with the learning disorder in an Instagram post shared Tuesday, April 23 marking World Book Day.
Sánchez said she “didn’t know” she had dyslexia until she was in college, and for years it was difficult for her to keep up with students her age.
“To be blunt, I was scared,” the Vice Chair of the Bezos Earth Fund wrote alongside an image of herself as a child.
Years later, while attending college, Sánchez met a professor who helped her get tested for dyslexia. “Nothing was the same after that,” she wrote on Instagram. “I learned how to learn — and I’m forever grateful.”
Sánchez is thrilled that she can now celebrate her love for both reading and writing, even if her spelling still needs some help from time to time. “BUT, if the little girl in this picture knew she’d be writing a children’s book, she would never have believed it,” she wrote.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Sánchez also spoke about her dyslexia at This Is About Humanity’s 5th Anniversary Soirée in Los Angeles in August 2023. She said “doors that once seemed shut swung wide open” after her journalism professor helped her get tested.
"Someone out there looked at me and believed in me,” Sánchez said at the time. After the diagnosis, her GPA went from a 2.0 to a 3.8.
"That one person who took an interest in me. One person, one, who treated me with kindness, respect and humanity," she shared. "One person who believed in me. I learned how to believe in myself."
Related: Jeff Bezos Praises Fiancée Lauren Sánchez After She Is Honored with Aviation Award: 'Proud of You'
Sánchez will release her first children’s book, The Fly Who Flew To Space, on Sept. 17. She recently told PEOPLE that one of the book’s main themes “is that everyone learns differently, and even if school is hard, it doesn't mean that you're not going to be able to chase your dreams.”
"There's a lot of things for young minds and readers to absorb!” she said. “But it's certainly a little bit like a metaphor for curiosity and the pursuit of dreams, as well as being able to help save this planet as an environmentalist.”
For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!
Read the original article on People.