Down's syndrome: Parents turn performers for charity

Some people mark World Down's Syndrome Day by wearing odd socks but one group of parents from Northern Ireland has gone a step further by recording a music video.

However, there are no pop stars or celebrities taking part.

Instead all the performers are mums and dads of children with Down's syndrome.

They sang a cover of Natasha Bedingfield's Unwritten and released it this week to help raise awareness of the condition.

Down's syndrome results from being born with an extra chromosome, usually by chance because of a change in the sperm or egg before birth. There are estimated to be around 60,000 people with Down's syndrome in the UK.

Sara McNeill from Ahoghill, County Antrim, is mum to four-year-old Tom. She says the lyrics represent the Down's syndrome community really well.

"If you even think about the first verse it's like: 'I'm undefined, it's just the beginning, the pen's in my hand, ending unplanned'," she said.

"This is just the start of our journey with our kids."

She believes the song, which coincided with World Down's Syndrome Day on Thursday, is also about celebrating difference "and that's what we do with this extra chromosome".

But she thinks - most importantly - the music video has "brought all our families together to support each other through the challenges and the wins as well".

The parents are part of a new charity called Together21 NI.

Laura Houtman, from Belfast, is mum to four-year-old Anna Rose. She said that before the group was set up they had felt there was a "lack of social opportunities and get togethers and services for our little ones".

They only came up with the idea for the charity a year ago, had their first meeting in October and already support 80 children with Down's syndrome and their families.

"We have to keep reminding ourselves that we are all parents, we're working, we have families, we have homes and obviously we have a child with a disability," she said, adding they have many more plans for the future.

"There's such a passion and it's such a vibrant group."

Laura Mulholland from Hillsborough, County Down, is mum to four-year-old Toby.

She said she gets so much from the WhatsApp group created by the charity.

"There's constant questions being asked by other parents," she explained, which she has found so useful and she finds she can "answer things for other people" which makes her feel like she's helping out as well.

"Whenever Toby was born we were given information and leaflets and websites and charities" but she said there was nothing like the group that is here now.

"To have had that at the early stages would have been a massive help."

Laura, like all the parents in the group, wants to both raise awareness of Down's syndrome but also let other families know there is support out there for them.