Why GiGi’s? | Francyne

My name is Francyne. I am the mother to my sweet girl Ezrah Noel. I learned of her diagnosis only a couple of hours after I met her.  She came to us through the greatest gift of adoption. I picked her up from the hospital 2 weeks after she was born. She became forever ours just one month shy of her first birthday. I had been preparing my home for two weeks for a newborn baby girl. I didn’t know what color her eyes or hair or any specifics besides that she was a girl.

I will not ever forget the moment we learned of her Down syndrome diagnosis. I thank the heavens for not knowing, because I would have been so nervous about EVERYTHING I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT DOWN SYNDROME. Her first year was a rollercoaster with her heart surgery and the all the struggles and heartache that come with the diagnosis. It was tough not knowing or being able to reach out and share all the fears, worries and insecurities of it all with other parents. That is until we found GiGi’s Playhouse Phoenix.

Our first day at GiGi’s was in Phoenix, Az and Ezrah had just turned a year. I will never forget the day I walked into the playhouse. There was soooo much excitement for us, the new family. I had not experienced that ever. Maybe it was being new to the mom thing… I wasn’t sure. What I did feel was so much love and acceptance and CELEBRATION! Just for coming to the playhouse! I was immediately greeted with the warmest smile by Laura, the program coordinator for the LMNOP group.  It didn’t take long for the whole playhouse to surround us and just celebrate us! We made so many new friends that day! Friends who understood exactly what we were going through. Our struggles, worries, and fears, but people who also understood our JOY.  There are so many celebrations that come with this diagnosis, that I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to.  I do know that I will always have my tribe at GiGi’s Phoenix.

I met so many beautiful people who gave their time volunteering and loving my girl, many moms who had just given or were about to give birth. It was amazing to see pre-birth diagnosis moms who felt fear or anxiety about DS.  I watched as one mom came week after week to our playgroup to familiarize herself with everything that came with the new unknown facts about this amazing life.  I saw as all her worries melted away with each passing week. I felt happy, lucky, and proud to be a part of something so beautiful. OUR group… OUR family… OUR tribe.

Most of all, I miss the connections with other moms in Arizona. During our weekly visits at the Playhouse, we would discuss therapy, feeding, school, and insurance issues. We had so many connections to help us navigate through any questions we had. It was a place to get out of the house, have a break, and talk with others who understand and know the daily struggles of the diagnosis. GiGi’s was all that and more for me as the parent.

One of the deciding factors of my family moving to Denver last year was to help in the start-up for GiGi’s Playhouse here in Denver! I know that all of the love and support that comes with the playhouse will find OUR tribe here.

We are overjoyed, and anticipating our new GiGi’s Tribe here in Colorado!