This is Jennifer. Jennifer and her family first came to La Rabida when she was just one year old. Now a happy and social 9-year old, Jennifer continues to visit the Gem on the Lake and is thriving thanks in part to the support of her care team at La Rabida.

October is Down Syndrome Awareness month, with about 6,000 children born each year with the chromosomal condition. Most people have 46 chromosomes in each of their cells, Down syndrome occurs when people have 47. This extra chromosome can have an impact on a child’s physical and mental development.

When Jennifer’s mom, Ana, was 5 months pregnant she received the news that her daughter had Down syndrome.

“Jennifer is the first in the family with Down syndrome,” explained Ana. “I didn’t have any experience with it before.”

Ana wasn’t sure what was in store for Jennifer, but she made it her mission to ensure that her daughter would live a full life. Navigating this journey can be overwhelming, but with the right team on their side Jennifer and her family have received the support they need at La Rabida to do just that.

From speech therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy, Jennifer works hard every week to grow stronger and more independent. With the help of her team of therapists, Jennifer has made tremendous progress.

“I have seen a lot of improvements in Jennifer since being at La Rabida,” explained Ana. “Jennifer’s speech has really improved and she is able to communicate better. Physical therapy has also helped her with activities like jumping and going up the stairs. She has also learned to write and get dressed on her own thanks to occupational therapy.”

We are so proud of how far Jennifer has come and can’t wait to see what she’ll do next!