We are not alone.

Our founder, Brent Sopel, rose to the top of his profession, playing 12 years in the National Hockey League and winning the Stanley Cup in 2010. But behind the euphoria of winning the most famous trophy in sports, Brent struggled with self-esteem issues that lasted his entire life.

It wasn’t until he was 32 that Brent learned why he struggled so much in school, why he was teased and ostracized in the classroom, why, even as a champion, he felt a lingering emptiness.

His daughter, Lyla, was facing similar struggles in school. After testing, the Sopel family learned she had dyslexia and a light bulb went off in Brent’s head: he had dyslexia, too. Soon after, he was formally diagnosed.

After his retirement from hockey in 2015 after more than 1,000 games across 18 pro seasons, Brent turned his attention to dropping the gloves with dyslexia. He founded the Sopel Foundation for Dyslexia to advocate for children and families struggling with dyslexia, to demystify this condition and to help kids by making testing more accessible and improving training for educators.

His message to kids and families is simple: You are not alone. And together we can not only change how dyslexia is approached in schools, but inspire a new generation of kids who are confident, empowered and successful.

Join us.