Phyllis' Story
My name is Phyllis Gibson and I am married to a soldier in the Army. I first heard about the FANDF when I attended the 2004 SSAFA Disability Seminar. My youngest son had been diagnosed with autism and we had returned back to England as his needs could not be met overseas. During the Seminar, I was able to speak to FANDF members who invited me to attend their next meeting.
I will admit I was nervous when I turned up to my first meeting, but after I was introduced to the rest of the Group and discovered that there were other families who were encountering the same problems that we were going through having a dependant with an additional need, I soon felt at home.
As well as family members attending the meetings, there are a whole range of different Organisations represented who are able to take issues forward that are raised to ensure that Service families are not disadvantaged.
Over the years I have been part of the FANDF, I have been able to access support when I needed it, find out information which I have been able to pass onto other families with additional need dependants, helping to improve their quality of life, but most of all I have found friendship amongst the different members.