World Down Syndrome Day is on March 21. As it approaches, a local mom is looking for help fundraising in support of the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN).
Christine Wiebe has been volunteering with the organization for about five years, and this year is hoping to raise $1,500 for it's work connecting and supporting parents of children with Down syndrome.
"They are also working with health care providers to help them give the best diagnosis experience to new families," she says.
It's a cause that is especially near to her heart, as her now 11-year-old daughter has Down syndrome.
"It hit me kind of hard, because when anybody is expecting a baby, they already kind of have this picture in their mind," she says. "It doesn't matter if your child is going to have Down syndrome, or whether they might be 'typical.' You have an idea of, 'OK, my kid is going to university,' or, 'They're going to do this,' and you have this child already in your dreams.
"So when I had the diagnosis given to me for my daughter when she was born, I had to grieve the loss of that child before I could embrace the child that she is. But it's been worth the journey."
Wiebe says sometimes, all parents hear about are the things that could go wrong with their child, but there is so much more to Down syndrome than that.
She says, in fact, there are many bonuses to go along with it.
"(My daughter) has taught me to find joy in the little things in life. Oftentimes people are just running around chasing after dreams or money or whatever. But when you actually look at it, there's joy that can be found in the little things," she says.
"Another thing that my daughter's taught me, is just to celebrate everything. Small victories are victories, and when you're dealing with a child that has some extra challenges, those victories are so much sweeter."
Wiebe says to always keep in mind that people with Down syndrome may have more challenges, but reminds her daughter still wants friendships, has dreams, enjoys dancing and playing with Barbies, just like any other child.
"Down syndrome can be scary when you don't know what it is, but once you know, you move beyond that and realize that the people in your life that have Down syndrome are just awesome," she says.
When it comes to her daughter, she's especially proud of her ability to read people and know when they need a hug, or understand when someone is being sincere.
Wiebe says the DSDN has been a great support for her as she walks through the challenges and pride of being a mom to a child with Down syndrome.
She particularly appreciates the group's online presence.
"Being able to go online anytime, and be able to either message or make a post saying what I was dealing with, there was almost always somebody who could very quickly respond saying, 'You're not alone,'" she says, noting that feeling isolated can be discouraging and make the journey far more difficult.
The group also offers in-person connections Wiebe adds, including a yearly Mom's Retreat and Dad's Retreat.
For those wanting to support families like Wiebe's, they can go directly to her fundraising page, or her Facebook group called "Christine's DSDN Fundraising Hub," where she uploads all of her latest endeavors.
Donations can also be made directly to the DSDN at dsdiagnosisnetwork.org.
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Written with files from Corny Rempel and Carly Koop