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Henry joined our family on the 1st July 2015. We did not know until this day that he had Down Syndrome.
It was an unexpected piece of news that day and one we initially thought would turn our lives upside down. All the idealistic dreams we had kind of went tumbling down the hill at break neck speed. How wrong were we! He has, turned things on their head! Henry has helped us put what is really important to the forefront of our lives. Most of us strive to be the best parents possible and we tend to fumble our way through doing this. When you are faced with something you know little about, have a head full of misconceptions how such a syndrome will affect not only your child's future, but of their sibling, you as parents and the wider family, where do you start?
Initially I was reluctant and resistant to accept any outside help and support, feeling quite protective over what we had and having the unrealistic expectation we could get through this alone. I was adamant that Henry's condition will not affect anything. The walls then started to break down and the anger dissipated and the rational head appeared. We took the step to access Sunshine and Smiles. One step took us not into Narnia but close to it, it was a whole new world for us! It has opened up many doors for us and helped me see the fun in Henry's life. It has broadened Laila's experiences and enjoyment and helped me recognise that I am where I should be (and want to be) in life, right here with my family and enjoying every bit of Henry as we did with Laila (his big sister).
Sunshine and Smiles is a wonderful source of support and resource for us. I am often humbled by the people I meet, the experience they have and how they share, teach and help each other. This ranges from small bumps in the road to the much larger explosions! My run for Sunshine and Smiles is to give something back and to help raise as much as I can to contribute to this valuable resource and to give my Thanks. x
