New Diagnosis Support

 

Shortly after Owen was born, in January of 2013 I reached out to moms online through BabyCenter's Down Syndrome Boards.  I was in search of other moms who also had a new little one with Ds and I sure found it.  I started a Facebook group and we had 150 members in just a few weeks.  Moms from all over the world that also had new children with Down syndrome.  I found a lifeline.  

 

In talking with the other moms, we knew how much our support for each other mattered and we wanted to make a difference for other new moms.  I began to compile the stories for Unexpected, and in doing so, we saw a greater story in all the commonalities of our diagnosis experiences.  Heather Bradley approached me about starting a non-profit to support families and medical professionals and DSDN was born.  We gathered a team of passionate moms and officially launched in 2014. By 2016 we were a board of six members, had nearly 2000 parents in our 15 online groups and are preparing for our annual retreat to connect, inspire and recharge moms of children with Ds. As of 2022 when I stepped down as Executive Director, we served over 22,000 families worldwide in our online groups. Beginning in 2024, our DSDN app allows us to securely manage online groups and support for thousands of new and expectant parents in the Down syndrome community.

 

Are you new to the T21 club? Contact DSDN to get connected with an organization or family near you and online today.