Tag: Salvesen Mindroom

Mother’s determination to change the world inspires UK launch of acclaimed memoir

Every copy sold is supporting Salvesen Mindroom Centre’s mission

As charity Salvesen Mindroom Centre (Mindroom) marks its 25th anniversary, founder Sophie Dow launches the English edition of her internationally acclaimed memoir, with proceeds from the limited 1,000-copy run helping ensure “No Mind Is Left Behind.”

What happens when a Mother refuses to accept a broken system? For journalist, writer and Mum Sophie Dow, the answer was to change it.

Now, twenty-five years after co-founding Scottish neurodiversity charity Mindroom following the birth of her daughter Annie, Dow is publishing the first English-language edition of her acclaimed memoir, “When Life Doesn’t Follow the Script”, an extraordinary true story of love, resilience and one family’s determination to create a better future for neurodivergent people.

Inspired by Annie, who lives with a unique and rare chromosome deletion now informally known as “Annie’s syndrome”, the book tells the deeply personal story behind a decision that has gone on to transform the lives of thousands and thousands of families.

The book was officially launched at an intimate soft launch on Wednesday, 9 July, as part of Mindroom’s 25th anniversary celebrations. In a special limited-edition print run of just 1,000 copies, every penny of proceeds will support the charity’s work with neurodivergent children, young people and families across Scotland.

Originally published in Sweden in 2018 as “När livet inte följer manus”, the memoir received widespread critical acclaim and has now been updated and translated into English by Sophie and her husband Robin for the first time.

At the heart of both the charity and the book is a simple belief: society should stop focusing on what neurodivergent people cannot do and instead recognise what they can.

‘When Life Doesn’t Follow the Script’ is an inspiring, personal detective drama written with humour, passion and a determined focus on the question: Why aren’t all minds valued equally?

Each chapter is illustrated with artwork created by Annie herself, making the book not only a memoir but also a celebration of creativity, individuality and the many ways people experience the world.

Author Sophie Dow says: “When Annie was born, everything changed. We found ourselves navigating systems that often focused on limitations rather than possibilities. I found that totally unacceptable.

“We are certainly not alone. There are thousands of other families out there in the same situation. This is a public health issue that needs to be addressed. So, Salvesen Mindroom Centre was founded 25 years ago to ensure that no mind is left behind.”

That vision has flourished into an influential organisation with a trusted reputation for advice, advocacy and practical support for neurodivergent children, young people, families and people in the workplace across Scotland and beyond, whether or not they have a formal diagnosis.

Photography for Salvesen Mindroom Centre in Leith Edinburgh

Alan Thornburrow, CEO for Mindroom, continues: “In 2025 alone, Mindroom supported 2,172 families. We received 1,801 NEW enquiries over the course of this year alone and trained 3,546 delegates. Since 2020, we have experienced a 309% increase in the number of families seeking support.

“Sophie and Robin’s story is one I recognise, and I know so many other parents and carers will too. Every day, families tell us about the challenges of navigating fragmented systems while trying to secure the understanding and support their children need.

“That’s why we work so hard to help parents, carers, children and young people – as well as employers and employees – find a path through those barriers and access the support that enables everyone to feel valued and thrive.”

As Mindroom celebrates 25 years, the publication represents both a reflection on how far understanding of neurodiversity has come and a call for much more to be done.

Every copy sold will help fund the charity’s continuing work to ensure neurodivergent children, young people and neurodivergent people in the workplace have equal opportunities to thrive.

As demand for its services continues to grow, Mindroom also works alongside leading researchers to deepen understanding of neurodiversity and help drive lasting change.

To purchase the book, please visit: “When Life Doesn’t Follow the Script – Buy the book”

For more information about Sophie’s work, please visit www.sophie-dow.com.

To find out more about Mindroom and the support it provides, visit: www.mindroom.org.

Influential entrepreneur becomes Vice-Chair of Salvesen Mindroom

Business leader, educator and entrepreneur Judy Wagner has been appointed Vice Chair of neurodiversity champions Salvesen Mindroom Centre.

Ms Wagner, a strong advocate for diversity in the workplace for three decades, has been a trustee of the Edinburgh-based charity for the past three years during which time her influential business network has helped to expand the charity’s reach and impact.

She has also enabled the charity to broaden its scope of service delivery and attracted new clients and opportunities to extend its services.

An Edinburgh University graduate and Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, she has been heavily involved in championing diversity issues since co-founding international executive search business FWB Park Brown in 1993 and has also worked with Scottish Enterprise to establish the Balancing the Boardroom project, the first of its kind in Scotland for women on boards.

Last year she was part of an independent review on Women in Entrepreneurship commissioned by the Scottish Government. She focused on the education sector, liaising with key leaders across the whole sector, examining how enterprise and diversity, including neurodiversity, could be embedded in our education system. 

“There is no doubt that the best teams embrace diversity of all forms,” she says. “And the benefits of embracing neurodiversity in the workplace are well proven in ensuring success, attracting and retaining key talent and creating a welcoming environment.”

Ms Wagner, who is also passionate about Salvesen Mindroom’s role as a key partner in the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre, part of the Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences at The University of Edinburgh, is committed to helping establish the charity as a centre of excellence for Neurodiversity, supporting children, young people and those in the workplace with leading research, advice and practical resources.

Salvesen Mindroom Centre’s Chair Sandy Manson, who has long argued for diversity to become a key business priority, says: “Judy’s ethos and enthusiasm are a perfect fit for us.

“She embraces everything we are trying to achieve and has already proved an impressive force for good on various fronts, including using her networks to publicise and attract delegates for the global It Takes All Kinds Of Minds conference we held in the city in March. We look forward to enhancing our offering further with her guidance as Vice Chair.”

Salvesen Mindroom Centre is a charity that champions all forms of neurodiversity and supports all kinds of minds. Their mission is to be a leading centre for change, in how we live, work and learn. They will achieve this through support, education, advocacy, and research. Visit their website for more information on the charity’s work.