Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am raising money for Smiley Faces for the amazing support they have given to Olivia and my family.

My daughter Olivia was born with Downs Syndrome in 2020.This is a genetic disorder caused when cell division results in an extra copy of chromosome 21 and around 40,000 live with this condition in the UK. Her diagnosis was unexpected and gave us many unanswered questions and for a while we felt very alone, with worries and uncertainty at what the future would bring for her.

Smiley Faces is a parent-led Down's Syndrome support group. The aim of the charity is to support families and carers and all those with an interest in Down's Syndrome in Bolton, Bury and the surrounding area. The charity has been amazing for us since Olivia has been born and was recommended to us by Olivia's Paediatric consultant. They have provided a network for us, to speak with other parents/ families of children with down syndrome, who have been able to share information which helps Olivia's development. Olivia is also in a baby group with a handful of other children a similar age to her, where hopefully she will have a friendship circle with other children who have similar needs to her.

The Smiley faces management and also other parents have been vital in helping us expand our knowledge on local and national services that are available to us. They provide an in depth knowledge which is specific to Down Syndrome, which has been a massive help to us. We have learnt Makaton (sign language), which has massively helped Olivia being able to communicate with us. With help from Smiley faces Olivia also has had private Speech and Language therapy. The charity has also set up a monthly sensory and soft play meet up, which Olivia loves. it massively helps with her movement and building her strength, as well as meeting up with other members of the group and building her social skills.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.