London Marathon for Down's syndrome

In the UK, approximately 1 in 1000 babies is born with Down’s syndrome. For most families it is a random occurrence.

Well, my sister Hannah was the best ‘random occurrence’ we could have wished for.

Hannah has Down’s syndrome, autism and limited speech, but to me, she’s my big sister.

There are 5 and a half years between Hannah and me, but we’ve always been incredibly close. We shared a room until I was 17. I’m now 27, live with my partner and she regularly comes over for sleepovers to give my mum respite.

She’s the one I go to for an essential hug after a difficult day at work (I’m a secondary school teacher, so these days are frequent!) She is my counsellor and my mentor - she says little but conveys much. She is the first person I go to when I’m upset, even though all she can say is, “Don’t cry Nissy.” She struggles to pronounce ‘Lucy’ so I am ‘Nissy’ to her.

Growing up with a sister with Down’s Syndrome was normal for me and I wouldn’t change it for the world. As a family of 6, sometimes we couldn’t do the things other families could. We also used to get stared at a lot. This used to infuriate me – it still does but I’ve learnt to cope with it.

People never seemed to understand our family. I remember one friend saying, “I feel really sorry for you.” I never really understood why. Although I knew Hannah made life slightly more challenging and less conventional, I feel so proud today to say that I have a sister with Down’s syndrome. She’s given me the ability to communicate with people on all levels. She's given me a deep appreciation of the importance of diversity and equality and the powerful and positive impact people with Down's syndrome have on the world around them. She’s also given me life experiences to which few of my peers can compare.

I’m running the London Marathon in April 2024 to celebrate Hannah and raise money for the Down’s Syndrome Association. It is more important than ever that we raise awareness about the crucial part people with Down’s syndrome play in our society.

Everyone needs a Hannah in their life!