Help with making a heart wrenching decision (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Help with making a heart wrenching decision

Charlie Hancock at playWHEN little Charlie Hancock was born with Down's Syndrome his parents felt their world had turned upside down.

Simon, 36, and Mandy Hancock, 37, admit they were stunned when he was born with the condition.

But thanks to support from the Swindon Down's Syndrome Group they realised that coping with Charlie would not be such an uphill challenge.

"When he was born we had no idea what was going to happen," said Mrs Hancock, of South Marston, who is treasurer of the group.

"I felt like my world had caved in. I didn't know what to feel.

"I was happy to have a new baby but at the same time it was not the baby I thought it would be.

"A lot of parents have these feelings and it eats you up. When I got involved with the group and met other parents and their children it gave me a lot of hope."

Now aged three, Charlie has problems with his speech and language, has a hole in the heart and has hearing and sight problems. He is also prone to lung infections, suffering pneumonia six times after he turned 10-months-old.

"It was horrendous. He was in hospital ten days each time," said Mrs Hancock. "We have learned to cope with hospital and doctor's appointments but for the first couple of years we didn't know whether we were coming or going."

Charlie attends South Marston Pre-School and Westgate Nursery and Mrs Hancock said he gets on well with his older brother, Jake, eight. "He has temper tantrums but he is a very good natured little boy," she said.

Mrs Hancock hopes the Down's Syndrome Awareness Week, which starts today, will help destroy some myths about the condition.

"I think it's extremely important," she said. "The more people know about Down's Syndrome the less pre-conceived ideas they have.

"There is so much discussion about all the tests women can have during pregnancy and then if it is positive most have a termination.

"But before deciding I think people should be allowed to go away and meet some children with Down's Syndrome and ask themselves can their family cope. If this happened I think more would go on and have the child."

The local group is organising a fashion show to coincide with the special week. It is being held at the Super Marine Club in South Marston on June 17, starting at 7.30pm.

Clothes will be modelled by children with Down's Syndrome and their families and will be sold off after the show.

Cash raised during the evening will help fund two speech and language therapists, which cost £18,000 a year.

Ben Payne