Hi, my name is April Driver and I became a board member with EIDS in January of 2019.  If you made it to Dash for Down Syndrome last year or this year at packet pickup you would’ve seen our Angel Garden.  This is in honor of our kids and adults that have passed away with Down Syndrome.  My daughter Gracen is one of those that we honor.

I became pregnant with Gracen when I was 40 years old.  My biggest fear since I was older was that I would have a child with Down Syndrome, which I really knew nothing about.   It’s funny how God takes our biggest fears and uses it for good.  When I was 24 weeks along we found out that the baby wasn’t growing right and was at 2% growth to where she should be.  The doctors then started a slew of tests trying to determine what was wrong including Trisomy 21.  I had no clue what that was.  About 2 weeks after the test and a roller coaster of doctors’ visits we received a phone call that our daughter had Down Syndrome.   I remember my husband and I not being able to process this and thinking how our lives would change.

When I was 28 weeks along the doctor’s advised that Gracen was barely growing and she would either be stillborn or we could deliver her.  They advised that the chances of her living were not good.  We chose to deliver her and she was a spunky little thing born at 1 pound exactly.  We were in the NICU at ERMIC and our main focus was praying for her survival.   Gracen passed away after 3 months, but we are so blessed by what she taught us about life.

EIDS was so great and supportive and we didn’t even know them or appreciate the effort.  They brought us a welcome basket while we were in the hospital and then very generously helped donate to Gracen’s fund after she passed away.

Did you know that EIDS has created a brochure to help families with new diagnosis to understand what Down Syndrome is about?  Our group does such a great job in helping families, educating and being supportive for our community.  This is why I choose to become involved with EIDS as I can help make a difference and I do it for my daughter Gracen and my other children.