IDA Ambassador – Ontario Canada

IDA Ambassador – Ontario, Canada Lauren Pires is an award-winning speaker and disability advocate, recognized globally for her work in raising awareness of invisible disabilities. Born with Central Core Disease (CCD), a rare neuromuscular disorder, Lauren’s story of resilience and self-acceptance has inspired audiences across North America. Her journey of going from hiding her disability for over 30 years, to sharing it on stages and in the media, has been featured on outlets such as Breakfast Television, CTV Your Morning, CityNews Toronto, and RareDiseaseDay.org.

Lauren’s powerful storytelling earned her the #2 Inspirational Speaker of the Year title at Speaker Slam, North America’s largest inspirational speaking competition, as well as recognition as one of the 2023 D-30 Disability Impact List honourees by Diversability, celebrating 30 global leaders in disability inclusion.

Growing up with a rare neuromuscular disorder, I was misdiagnosed at 12 years old (and undiagnosed prior) and finally diagnosed with Central Core Disease (CCD) at 21. At 26, I found a Facebook group for people around the world with CCD, and it was the first time I experienced a sense of community around other people who could relate to living with it. Being involved with the IDA is important to me for both that same sense of community, and the opportunity to be a positive representation of all that you can accomplish while living with – not despite – a disability.

A passionate advocate for accessibility and inclusion, Lauren is the first and only Canadian Ambassador for the Invisible Disabilities Association and the first Canadian recipient of the “But You LOOK Good” Inspiration Award 2023. She played a key role in the global Rare Disease Day #LightUpForRare campaign, leading the lighting of 21 monuments across 14 Canadian cities in 2025, and serves as an Ambassador for the Rick Hansen Foundation School Program.

Based in Mississauga (Greater Toronto Area), Ontario, Lauren continues to foster understanding, belonging, and visibility for people living with invisible disabilities.