The difference is in front of me every day

When Marie’s daughter was born, everything changed in an instant.

“I remember feeling completely overwhelmed,” Marie says. “When I was told she had Down syndrome, my mind went straight to my brother.”

Growing up, Marie had watched her older brother navigate life with a congenital condition that doctors struggled to understand. For years, her family lived with uncertainty.

“They told my parents he might not live past three,” she says. “He’s nearly 50 now - but for so long, we were in the dark about what he needed, or how to help him.”

So when her daughter was born, Marie feared history might repeat itself.

“I thought we were going to face the same unknowns. The same limitations.” But what unfolded couldn’t have been more different.

A different beginning

At just three weeks old, Marie took her daughter to see a cardiologist.

“I was bracing myself for bad news,” she says. “But instead, the doctor smiled and said, ‘This is a good time in history to have Down syndrome.’”

After a series of tests, the verdict was clear. “Her heart is perfect. I never need to see you again.”

That moment stayed with Marie—not just as relief, but as something more.

“For the first time, I realised how much had changed.”

Watching her daughter thrive

Now three years old, Marie’s daughter is full of energy and curiosity.

“She’s running, climbing, swinging from bars,” Marie says. “She loves being active - she’ll try anything. And she’s already starting to read.”

Friends, family - and even therapists - have been amazed by her progress.

“One therapist told me she’s made the fastest gains she’s ever seen,” Marie says. “She’ll learn something one day, and the next day she remembers it.”

But for Marie, this isn’t luck. “The difference is right in front of me every day,” she says. “It’s the result of knowledge, support, and research.”

A contrast that’s impossible to ignore

As her daughter grows, Marie often finds herself reflecting on her brother’s experience.

“When he was young, there wasn’t the same understanding,” she says. “No one could really tell us what would help, or even that anything could.”

It took 14 years before her brother was correctly diagnosed with Williams syndrome.

“By then, so many opportunities had already been missed.”

Today, Marie can see just how much early support and insight can change a life.

“It makes my heart ache sometimes,” she says. “Because I can see what a difference it would have made for him.”

Knowledge that changes lives

From the very beginning, Marie has been able to access guidance shaped by years of research - helping her support her daughter in ways that simply weren’t available before.

“Instead of waiting for problems, we can act early,” she explains. “We can understand what’s happening and what might help.”

That knowledge has given her something she didn’t have growing up: “Confidence. Hope. A sense that things can be different.”

Looking ahead with hope

For Marie, the future feels full of possibility.

“My daughter is happy. She’s thriving. And she’s showing us what’s possible.”

She believes that continued research will open even more doors - for her daughter, and for others like her.

“There’s still so much to learn,” she says. “But what we already know is changing lives.”

A lasting difference

Seeing that change up close has left a lasting impression.

“When I think about my daughter’s future, it brings me to tears,” Marie says. “Because I know how different things could have been.”

It’s why she feels so strongly about the importance of research, and ensuring it continues.

“Everyone deserves that chance,” she says. “To live a fuller, healthier life.”

Vital research

As Down's Syndrome Research Foundation UK celebrates its 30th anniversary year, it continues to play a vital role in that progress- supporting research that is transforming understanding and improving lives every day.

For Marie, the impact of that work is deeply personal. “I see the difference every day,” she says. “And I can’t help but think about all the families who could feel this same hope.”

It’s that feeling that stays with her - the desire for other children, other parents, to have the same opportunities. “Knowing what I know now, you just want that to continue,” she says. “For as many people as possible.”

The power of gifts in Wills

For some, leaving a gift in their Will to Down's Syndrome Research Foundation UK is a way of making that hope last - helping to ensure that future generations can benefit from the same life-changing progress.

“This research changes lives,” Marie says. “I can see that every single day.”

Learn more about leaving a gift in your Will to Down's Syndrome Research Foundation UK.