In light of World Down Syndrome Day on March 21st, parents of children with Down syndrome are finding new, creative ways of showing their deep love for their special kids.
You won’t believe what they’ve come up with!
Mothers across the United States are honoring their children by getting tattoos that feature three arrows, which is representative of three 21st chromosomes. Down syndrome is caused by having an extra copy of that chromosome in the body—a condition doctors call trisomy.
This imaginative idea was conceived by a group of moms while at a weekend retreat in Austin, Texas.
Mica May, a graphic designer, told the group about a strange dream in which three arrows were shot out of her arm. The group came up with a plan to get tattoos in the shape of arrows to show their deep and abiding love for their children.
As Mica wrote, the “arrows are the perfect symbol because you can’t move forward without first being pulled back and stretched.” The life of a family caring for a child with Down syndrome has its challenges but also its great rewards.
The Lucky Few Tattoo, as it is called, has now spread nationwide. Parents in Bakersfield, California recently flooded a local tattoo parlor to get inked to publicly proclaim their love for their children.
Daniela Chea, whose 17-year-old son has Down syndrome, will be getting a tattoo on March 24th at a tattoo parlor in Boynton Beach, Florida. Here’s what she said about her precious son:
“Andrew inspires me every day. Kindness is natural to him. He loves you unconditionally and loves to dance like no one is watching. The people and parents I’ve met give me strength and love. We all share something in common, and there’s no better way to show the world how much our children inspire us and how much they make us happy.”
That special love can begin from the moment of birth, if not sooner. The Rojas family knows what it’s like to love a new baby unconditionally who was diagnosed with Down syndrome.
Amber and Fernando Rojas are parents of four beautiful children and were getting ready to have their fifth child, whom they named Amadeus. Amber’s pregnancy was going smoothly, and her regular sonograms showed no signs that anything was out of the ordinary.
When Amber and Fernando held their new baby in their arms for the first time, they knew right away she had Down syndrome. Her doctors later confirmed it after more testing.
But that didn’t stop Amber and Fernando from loving little Ami any less. “Other than [Down syndrome], she’s just like all of my other kids,” she said. “We love her just the same and we were just excited to be able to meet her.”
Amadeus later had surgery to correct a heart defect but is now doing fine. And Mom and Dad are filled with happiness at having another wonderful, beautiful addition to their family.
While some elites in the media assert in cold, antiseptic language that aborting a child with Down syndrome is a “right…women need,” these mothers and fathers show us all what honoring the life God breathed into each of us is really about.
From Lucas Warren, the 2018 Gerber baby, to the English swimmer Karen Gaffney, people with Down syndrome lead lives full of meaning, hope and happiness. But that was only possible with families who loved them no matter what doctors told them or actions society pressured them into taking.
Please visit our Down syndrome resources page to learn more about Down syndrome and how people with Down syndrome are making a positive impact in the world. You can also watch past episodes of Facing Life Head-On, which feature moving stories and poignant lessons designed to show that the lives of people with Down syndrome are just as precious as any other.
For the babies,
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