David came into our care at Happy House as a newborn. ,He’d been left in hospital by his mother who had so many complex problems she had no hope of being able to look after him. She died a short time afterwards. ,By the time he was 11 months old David, who takes the surname Hayward from our founders, was just a floppy baby who was not developing as he should. ,Mama Sue took him everywhere she could to try to find out what was wrong and to seek advice, but at a last resort was told by a specialst centre that he’d never walk, never amount to much, and to take him home and love him. ,He couldn’t have been more loved anyway so that was never an issue but faced with a challenge we set out to solve it the best we could. Mama Sue and our UK coordinator, Elizabeth Gomm, put their heads together and decided that putting a label on David wouldn’t get us anywhere so ,Elizabeth, Auntie Libby to our family, contacted the Downs Syndrome Society, knowing that David displayed some indications of Downs, to see if they could be of any help and they very kindly sent us a programme of exercises to help stimulate him mentally and physically. ,We carried out those exercises, always alongside another baby, every day – multiple times. ,The aunties and the older children learnt to do them so it was never left to one person and always madfe exciting for David. David became stronger and stronger, he lifted his head, then he was able to sit up and eventually, to our family’s excitement, he took his first steps – there was no stopping him. ,David plays a full and important role in our family, he goes to school, is a great acrobat, very agile, and helpful around the house and in the garden. ,He does have some learning difficulties, but tries hard, and there is always a big brother or sister around to give him some additional coaching, ,Here it is Rehema helping him with his reading. ,We have always vowed that very child in our care would be the best that he or she can be – and that definitely goes for our trier, David.
