Lizanne Schreur: Aspiring screen writer living with Duchenne

Lizanne Schreur is a 22-year-old Digital Television Production student based in London. She was born and raised in Netherlands where she grew up in a big family with three older brothers.

At three years old, Lizanne was diagnosed with Duchenne. The occurrence of Duchenne is very rare among females and often manifests differently than it does in males. As a result, Lizanne has faced some unique challenges. Through sheer resilience she continues to find solutions to overcome the hurdles that Duchenne presents, and she is able share her experiences with another young woman with Duchenne who she formed a friendship through the Duchenne community.

When she was 14 years old, Lizanne met a writer through the ‘Make a Wish’ foundation, who inspired her to study screen writing. At aged 16, she moved to the UK to attend high school where she excelled in English. To take her one step closer to becoming a screen writer, she is studying Digital Television Production at Ravensbourne University in London where she takes courses in producing and directing. As part of her undergraduate degree, Lizanne has been involved in a number of productions including one which highlighted the impact of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. For her final-year project, Lizanne is challenging herself to step out of her comfort zone to write and produce a 20-minute comedy show. She wants to increase recognition for disabled people in the acting and film industries, particularly for better representation for on-screen roles.

Her long-term ambition is to start her own business and work independently.

Lizanne’s family have always encouraged her and are supportive of everything that she has achieved. Throughout the years, her Mum, Dad, Brothers, Auntie and Uncle have all taken part in Duchenne Heroes, which is a 7-day cycling tour that stretches 100km to raise money and awareness for the condition.

In her free time, Lizanne enjoys writing fantasy and romance novels, hanging out with her friends, and playing with her dog, Patchu. She counts the actor Aiden Turner, known for his roles in The Poldark Novels and The Hobbit, and her grandfather, who sadly passed away last year, as her inspirations in life.