Marie-France “Mara” Gervais, is a stay-at-home mom to her SHINE son Cédric. A language teacher by trade and a member in good standing of the Ontario College of Teachers, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in English from l’Université Lumière Lyon 2, as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Second Language Teaching, a Bachelor’s in Education, and a Master’s degree in Education all from The University of Ottawa. Originally from France, she lives in Ottawa with her husband Dave and their son Cédric. One of the original members of the foundation, Mara helped develop the CoRDS patient registry and co-hosts the “Wine and SHINE” parent group. She has also actively participated in fundraising efforts and is eager and thankful for any opportunity to raise awareness, facilitate research, and foster a sense of community for SHINE Syndrome around the world.