Inspired by her own experience, a Burnaby mom is providing support and information to parents of newborns with Down syndrome who may have questions about what the future holds.
When Conor Gibbons was born, his parents were proud to show off their baby boy.
"It was a great celebration," his mother, Danielle, said Tuesday.
"We had so many friends and family there and it was a day about him and not about Down syndrome."
Conor's diagnosis wasn't a surprise thanks to pre-natal testing, but the lack of information caught the Gibbons family off-guard.
"Nobody at the hospital really spoke to us about Down syndrome… It's such a lonely time and it can be a very dark time."
Danielle wanted to change that, and came up with the idea to provide "Baskets of Love" to parents of babies with Down syndrome who may need help.
"It's about welcoming them to a community, a pretty awesome community," she said.
The baskets are filled with colourful toys and clothes for the new addition, but also come with information for parents about Down syndrome supports.
"We got the basket when we arrived home from the hospital and it was a really nice welcome to a community that we didn't know much about," said recipient Katie Cross.
The professional photographer was so touched she decided to hold a Baskets of Love fundraiser over the weekend. Families brought donated items to put in the baskets, and Cross took photos of participants' kids.
"We had about 20 families, 20 beautiful kids," Gibbons said of the event.
Celebrating the kids is what the baskets are really about, she said.
"At the end of the day, an extra chromosome is insignificant to the fact you have a baby to look after and celebrate and love."
And Cross said the baskets not only celebrate new babies, but teach other kids and other parents that a Down syndrome diagnosis "is really no big deal.
"Down syndrome is pretty amazing," she said.
Learn more about Baskets of Love, including how to donate, on Gibbons' website.
With a report from CTV Vancouver's Shannon Paterson
