Editor’s Note: This account is derived from the Jerome Lejeune Foundation. Today would have marked the 97th anniversary of Dr. Lejeune’s birth. Dr. Lejeune is credited with discovering the genetic cause of Down syndrome. According to the Foundation, “As soon as the pro-abortion laws were drafted in Western countries, Lejeune began advocating for the protection of the unborn with Down syndrome: he gave hundreds of conferences and interviews across the globe in defense of life.”
As the mother of a child with Down syndrome, Gail Hamblin is committed to ensuring that her son, Calvin, and others like him are able to live their best lives. During the process of raising Calvin, she recognized a significant gap in children’s literature on Down syndrome. This realization prompted her to pursue the creation of a comprehensive resource for children and their families.
There were books to tell other people this person has Down syndrome, and that sort of thing. But there wasn’t anything on the market that was, “OK, we have Down syndrome, but that’s not who we are. Yes, it’s a part of us but that doesn’t totally define us. We’re human; we should be loved, too.” I wanted something that was going to cross all of those barriers.
Gail drew upon her experience as a special education teacher to create the optimal book. She utilized Kickstarter to secure funding, enlisting the assistance of a high school acquaintance, Jenny Kopp, to illustrate it. Titled More Alike than Different, the narrative follows Arthur, a dog with Down syndrome, as he navigates the world and discovers his identity. Hamblin aspires for the book to serve as a valuable resource for parents, elucidating the nature of Down syndrome and reducing bullying by fostering awareness among children about Down syndrome.
Additionally, the book has been translated into Spanish, and an activity book has been designed to accompany it, containing coloring pages, mazes, and other activities. Hamblin is enthusiastic about the potential reach of her book and is motivated to continue encouraging other families of individuals with Down syndrome. Despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic, Hamblin aspires to write additional books and develop a podcast for parents of children with Down syndrome. She states:
I’m further along in my journey — I’m not to the teenage years or anything, he’s only 8 — but there’s a lot that I’ve learned along the way that if I could find it and listen to it when I was going through those things, it would have been helpful.
In the interim, she is engaged in her role as an assistive technology manager at the University of Delaware, while also devoting additional time to her three children, who are concluding the academic year at home.
I’m grateful for every day that we have together and that we’re healthy and we’re happy. Yes, we’re getting through each day, but I want to make each day good if we can.
I tell myself, “They’re healthy, they’re happy, just do what you can.” I would say that it all comes back to my faith and God … that’s where I draw my strength.
Chelsea Garcia is a political writer with a special interest in international relations and social issues. Events surrounding the war in Ukraine and the war in Israel are a major focus for political journalists. But as a former local reporter, she is also interested in national politics.
Chelsea Garcia studied media, communication and political science in Texas, USA, and learned the journalistic trade during an internship at a daily newspaper. In addition to her political writing, she is pursuing a master's degree in multimedia and writing at Texas.
