Maria Kamper, the president of the 22q11 Foundation Australia and NZ, her daughter Charli and her family travelled to Split, in Croatia to be part of conference which runs from June 26 until June 28.

Charli, 22, was asked to open the conference, where she gave an address speaking about her personal experience with the condition, which she was diagnosed with at the age of four.

22q11 deletion syndrome is a disorder caused by the deletion of a small piece of chromosome 22. 22q11.2 deletion syndrome has many possible signs and symptoms that can affect almost any part of the body.

Charli said the conference was about gaining knowledge and talking to different people and doctors about 22q and listening to stories about those who have grown up with 22q.

"It's a chance to meet others on a similar journey. It is a time to make new friends, gain knowledge and feel less alone," she said.

She said 22Q has numerous symptoms.

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"My symptoms include, speech impairment, hearing impairment, leaning difficulties, immune disease, chronic ear infections, anxiety, Depression, OCD, scoliosis and Hashimotos, which is also known as thyroid disease."

She also spoke to the group about her struggles growing up with the condition.

"When I started learning to talk, I sounded like a character from the Muppets. It may sound funny, but it's not when people cannot understand you.

"I went to intensive, (and annoying) speech therapy. But for me to be able to speak here today it was 100 per cent necessary."

She said hearing all about the individual symptoms of 22q may be daunting, but went on to explain how it had affected her life.

"I have completed high school. It wasn't all easy though! I repeated classes in my younger years and had special assistance to help me through.

"My high school years were not easy. I was continuously left out and sometimes bullied. People didn't understand why I was the way I was. To most people I looked just like everyone else. Some might say I looked normal (whatever that is).

"It was hard for others to understand my quirks and differences," she said.

But she also told the group about her many successes in life.

"I got my driver's licence and I passed with a 100% mark on the first go. After I finished high school, I got my first job as a part time employee at McDonalds. The first month I was I there I was I awarded "Employee of the Month".

"This year I entered the Young Woman Ambassador Competition for the Royal Bathurst Show. It's a rural show in my town. It was my second time entering and this time I came runner up. I am so proud of this achievement," she said.

Charli said she hopes speaking to the conference about her experience encourages other people with disabilities to showcase their talents and abilities and show society that others with the condition can achieve.

"I believe the key to helping your 22 cutie grow up and achieve is being there for them. I encourage all parents and care givers to push your children to be the best they can be.

"Try not to hold them back due to the fear of failure. Try to give us opportunities to have a go. We may have to try many things before we find our place. We can achieve, it might just take a bit longer," she said.

The conference concluded in Croatia on Tuesday.

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