This Is Ella

Friends, I am so excited to share this with you today. Today is a day to celebrate! It is a day to celebrate the beauty in diversity and specifically, the beauty in the 21st chromosome. You see, today is World Down Syndrome Day. I realize this may seem like an odd idea to some of you. Goodness knows that when I found out that Ella had Down syndrome I did not have in mind to celebrate her diagnosis. Quite the opposite in fact. I cried. I cried and I cried. I was scared. I didn’t know what to expect and that unknowing unnerved me. But I quickly discovered that Down syndrome is not something to be afraid of. It is beautiful and people like Ella, who have a third copy of that twenty-first chromosome bless the people around them just by being them. They, like all of us, are a piece of this beautiful puzzle we call society. Each person is a different shape, a different colour and a different size but each one is important to the whole of the image. I would not be who I am today, without Ella. I think many can say the same but not all of us can have a child with Down syndrome. Not all of us will get to learn firsthand what is added to our life, by the presence of this kind of diversity. For this reason, I am creating a book to try and help people, big and small, understand why that diversity is beautiful. It was a book that was in the works from the time Ella was born and I am now ready to share it with the world.

I need a little help however, as publishing a book is a big job and costs a lot of money. So, will you celebrate World Down Syndrome Day with us and help this book become a reality? You can visit the “This is Ella” page right here on the blog to learn more or head straight over to my Kickstarter campaign page and make your pledge. If you purchase the book during the campaign you get $5 off the future retail price. Or go all out and buy one for yourself and one for a school of your choice.

Are you a teacher? Check out our Education bundle. It comes with a lesson plan to guide you in sharing this book with your class. It was written by Ella’s kindergarten teacher, who just happens to have her MA in Special Education. Give as much or as little as you like but as you give, know that your donation is helping spread the beauty of diversity and helping people understand that no matter what age, race, gender, disability or ability, everyone has something to contribute and makes the world a better place.