Written from a father’s heart, Ben shares the raw emotions of learning his daughter has Down syndrome—the grief, the love, and the fierce determination that followed. Through his honesty, he reminds us that acceptance doesn’t mean giving up—it means fighting harder, loving deeper, and finding beauty in a different kind of journey.
When it came time to share Hope’s Down syndrome diagnosis, we were scared of how people might react. Most responses came with sadness or apology—but one friend’s joyful words completely changed how we saw it. It reminded us that while life may look different, it can still be filled with love, laughter, and incredible blessings.
After being admitted to hospital at 26 weeks, everything changed. We were told our twins could arrive any day, and uncertainty filled every moment. But our little girl had other plans. Over six emotional weeks, we faced tough conversations, daily monitoring, and heartbreaking goodbyes with our toddler each night. Through it all, our girl kept fighting—and when it came time to choose her name, there was only one that truly fit: Hope.
Just when we thought we’d faced the hardest news, another scan brought even more uncertainty. At 22 weeks, we were told our baby girl wasn’t growing as she should. Then came a choice no parent should ever face. This post shares the heartbreaking moment we were asked to consider “sacrificing” one twin to give the other a better chance—how we responded, and why we never hesitated to fight for both our babies.
In this first blog post, I share the emotional start to our journey with Hope—from the surprise of twins to the unexpected diagnosis of Down syndrome. It’s a story filled with fear, love, questions, and strength. We’re not sugar-coating it, but we are choosing to share it all—openly and honestly—so others might feel less afraid and more informed.