"You Make Me Better" Stories
At Jack’s Basket, we believe that every life is created with a purpose and that each person has the ability to make another’s life better. That is not dependent on ability, diagnosis, or the number of chromosomes someone has.
It’s time the world looked at Down syndrome differently. One way we celebrate our mission is by sharing powerful stories to change the narrative around Down syndrome. So, we want to hear from you!
You may choose to share a story, a testimonial, your diagnosis story, and/or tell us how someone you know with Down syndrome makes your life better! These are the kinds of stories that need to be shared because everyone deserves to know how they’ve made others better!
We hope that the stories on this page bring you a sense of joy, connection, and HOPE! Thank you so much for sharing with us and for helping us change the narrative one story at a time.
Jayce, You Make Me Better
I found out that Jayce had Down syndrome when he was born. It was no doubt a shock. I had an emergency c-section and the news did not quite hit me until a few days later. I was ner
Hannah, You Make Me Better
In October of 2023, my then 4-year-old son, Luke, said to me, “Did you know my baby sister will be here soon?” I asked, “What makes you say that?” He replied, “She told m
Jenaya, You Make Me Better
In the beginning, I was so nervous and scared about what our future looked like after getting a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. Throughout my pregnancy, I battled daily with a
Gabe, You Make Me Better
After having our daughter (after three boys) in 2018, everyone commented that our family was complete now that we had our girl. It didn’t feel complete, and we didn’t really ca
Matthias, You Make Me Better
I fell in love with Holland. I had not read this poem (Welcome to Holland by Emily Perl Kingsley) since college and as I reread it on the morning of March 21st and now as October a
Blake, You Make Me Better
My name is Kayla, and my husband is Tim. I just gave birth to our son, Blake, on September 5, 2024. Our friend, who also has a child with Down syndrome, learned that Blake had been
Annabelle, You Make Me Better
Annabelle makes everyday an adventure and has been full of surprises since the day she was born. When we found out we were pregnant with a second baby, we were thrilled to be compl
You Make Me Better – World Down Syndrome Day 2023
Our community joined us in celebrating World Down Syndrome Day in 2023 by reminding the people in their lives that they make them better! https://vimeo.com/836540268?share=copy
Jack, You Make Me Better
“When I need something, Jack is always there for me and when I’m feeling sad, he always cheers me up. He’s always so kind to me and helpful – that’s h
Eliza, You Make Me Better
“Eliza makes me better in every way. She makes me happier, more loving, I slow down and I see the tiny little things that I think often go unnoticed. She just reminds me that
Ella, You Make Me Better
“Ella is such a light, she is just a joy to be around. She is so loving and very friendly. She’s so easygoing and doesn’t get too upset about anything. She’
Maggie, You Make Me Better
“Maggie, you make me better. You’ve made the quality of my life so much deeper – you’ve brought me friendships, you’ve shown me perseverance in really
Lewis, You Make Me Better
“I remember getting to the point of thinking “why not us?” and thinking through all the things we would have as a family to offer our baby, and what he could offe
Ava, You Make Me Better
“I would tell Ava that her middle name describes her well. Her name is Ava Joy, and she’ll tell everyone that her middle name is Joy. She’s brought so much joy to
Henry, You Make Me Better
“Today he’s ten; soak in the ten-year-old year. Don’t try to figure out 10 years from now. That’ll take a lot of the joy away, trying to figure out somethin