Richard and his sister Bethany both have Down’s syndrome.
Richard is 41 and recently amazed the assistant vicar at his local church with his piano playing.
He knows over 50 pieces of music by ear! When asked to write something for his local church Knowles Magazine, Richard produced the following:
Richard plays the bagpipes too
It’s not important whether you have Down’s syndrome or not, you still can be a very nice person.
Everybody is good at different things, we are not all the same, God made us. People with Down’s syndrome can do well in things if they set their mind to it. They can act in films, play music etc.
Richard writes for Knowles Magazine
What I like doing:
Go Karting
Playing table tennis
Playing the piano & keyboard
Playing the bagpipes (unfortunately I can’t play it at present as it takes too much puff). I last played at Elmdon church when the Mayor etc. came for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee
Going to theme parks and going on the fierce rides
Going on holidays
Pestering parents and teasing my mother!
Being taken out by friends and PAs
What I don’t like doing:
Eating gluten-free food (I’m a celiac). I want to eat what I want.
Washing up!
The Hughes family
Richard and Bethany’s mum Heather was asked to write for the same magazine and put into words what she would say to a new parent of a baby with Down’s syndrome.
We have two children Richard (now 41) and Bethany (now 37) who have Down’s syndrome. Looking back to the time of Richard’s babyhood I would have been amazed to have been told that one day he would be reading as well as writing eg. to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to tell him it was time he finished the Covid Lockdown.
He can play the piano and bagpipes, use computers, play table tennis, beat most people at drafts and enjoys lively outings eg Go Karting. He has a good sense of humour and loves to tease people, especially his mother!
Over the years we have had to fight many battles for our children, especially for getting mainstream education. Richard was, as far as we know, the first child in Solihull with Down’s syndrome to go to a mainstream school and Bethany got 5 GCSEs grades C – F and, in her final year, won the award for student of the year.
Children who have Down’s syndrome, like the rest of us have different talents and abilities. The vast majority are able to achieve a lot more than people imagine. We have had to do a lot of work battling for extra support etc in schools and give them help in learning to read and write. We also had to keep an eye on how the medical profession treated them and push for equitable healthcare. In hospital when Bethany was aged 10 months we were asked if we wanted her to have an intussusception operation. We asked what would happen if she didn’t have one and they replied that she would die!
Life with two children who have Down’s syndrome has been exhausting but we have been rewarded by giving and receiving abundant love.
Heather
You can read the Down’s Syndrome Association healthcare resources and Children, Families and Education information here.