Luke’s Birth Story

Luke’s Birth Story
By Mom, Diane

We did not have a prenatal diagnosis with Luke. Because I would be 40 when I gave birth, the doctors asked that we do a Level 2 ultrasound to see if any issues were apparent…that ultrasound showed no indicators of Down syndrome. I received the words, “Your son has Down syndrome,” about 12 hours after his birth while my husband was parking the car. I had to tell him myself. The nurses at Christ Hospital were beyond AMAZING. We had a constant stream of visitors, with no limit. People held and loved on Luke from the moment he was born. Our village has always been incredible.

Once home, the teacher in me needed to do my research. I googled Down syndrome, seeking anything positive, and GiGi’s Playhouse popped up very quickly. The seed was planted to bring a Playhouse to the south suburbs of Chicago. With the help of family, friends, and community, our Playhouse became a reality in 2013. Luke has been such a gift to me and my entire family. He is the glue that holds us all together. He is the inspiration to be better and do better. In his 9 years on earth, he has enhanced our world, simply by existing in it.