PAGE A4, KEIZERTIMES, APRIL 3, 2020
KeizerCommunity
KEIZERTIMES.COM
Keizer woman connects
mothers of kids with
Down Syndrome
BY MATT RAWLINGS
Of the Keizertimes
Ever since TiAnna Wright
gave birth to Andrew, her
18-month old son with Down
syndrome, she has been in-
volved with a number of
groups for parents with chil-
dren that have Down syn-
drome.
But earlier this year, Wright
decided that she wanted to
step out of her comfort zone
and create a group of her own.
“I have been feeling like I
needed to do this for a while,”
Wright said.
Wright recently created a
local moms group in the Sa-
lem-Keizer area for mothers
who have a child with Down
syndrome.
The initial plan was to have
monthly walks or coffee house
hangouts to share what it’s like
to be a mother of a child with
Down syndrome. But when
the spread of COVID-19 hit
in March, Wright initially felt
like she needed to put every-
thing on hold.
However, thanks to Zoom
— a video service that has be-
come increasingly popular for
those in quarantine — Wright
and the other mothers in the
group were still able to meet
up over the computer.
“I was missing people, it
was so great that will still got
to do it virtually,” Wright said.
Having comradery and
fellowship with other moms
with children who have
Down syndrome has been a
blessing to Wright for a litany
of different reasons.
For instance, Wright loves
being able to celebrate with
mothers when one of the
children take a step forward in
their development, like when
one of the kids started to walk
with the assistance of a roller,
or when another child begins
to eat fruits and vegetables.
To many, these achieve-
ments might not seem like a
big deal, but to Wright, as well
as other parents of children
with Down syndrome, they
are a source of joy.
“Certain things are a real-
ly big deal to our kids, so it
has been really fun to cele-
brate and cheer with mommas
when their kids accomplish
something new,” Wright said.
“There are plenty of people
that are super caring and un-
derstanding with Andrew. But
with other mothers who are
going through the exact same
stuff as I am, they just get me.”
Being Andrew’s mother
has taught Wright a lot about
Down syndrome, but it has
also taught her how she can
better support those who are
disenfranchised.
“Andrew has really opened
my eyes to a lot of things in
this world, because this world
is not catered to him,” Wright
said. “It made me understand
privilege and the inequality
people face in this world.”
One of the moms that
connected with Wright was
Rachel Prescott, the mother
of twin girls that have Down
syndrome. Prescott has a blog
called
doublingdownmom.
com where she writes about
how she and her family nav-
igate how to parent and ad-
vocate for her two daughters
with Down syndrome.
Prescott, who has more
than 90,000 followers on Ins-
tagram, talked about how im-
portant it is for families that
have children with Down syn-
drome to seek out friendships
and relationships with people
who face similar challenges.
‘Angel’ donor delivers
cause to celebrate
TiAnna and Andrew Wright
“When you’re a mom that
receives a prenatal diagnosis of
Down syndrome, it’s easy to
be overcome by fear. A lot of
information on children with
Down syndrome is outdated
and incorrect, so to be able to
go to have community with
real mothers who know what
you’re going through, that is a
game-changer,” Prescott said.
“There is such a beauty in it,
and that’s really encouraging.”
Wright says that the mom’s
group will continue to chat via
Zoom until the COVID-19
pandemic comes to an end.
She hopes to plan a mom’s
night out, as well as schedule
play dates with entire families.
“You need that per-
son-to-person contact. It’s im-
portant to connect and have
fellowship. Without it, the
journey can get a little lonely,”
Wright said. “It’s been pretty
special how it all worked out.”
The mom’s group is open
for new members. To join,
reach out to Wright on Face-
book or Instagram.
health issues,
By ERIC A. HOWALD
he and his fam-
Of the Keizertimes
David Dowell was only ex- ily are limiting
pressing his frustration when their exposure
he posted on a Keizer Face- as much as
book group that his son, Zach- possible. The
ary, would have to forego cake family planned
and candles on his fi fth birth- to forego some
day. He ended up calling down of the festiv-
ities typically
an angel.
“What I was trying to do associated with
was express the frustration of a birthday for
all the parents who are going Zachary, but
through this and the sacrifi ces Keizerite Me-
the kids were having to make,” gan Ford saw
said Dowell. “I wasn’t really ex- Dowell’s post
pecting anything to come of on the Keizer
Submitted
Community
it.”
Zachary Dowell didn’t have to skip cake and
Dowell is having to take Bulletin Board
candles on his fi fth birthday thanks to the
extra precaution because he and wasn’t go- kindness of strangers.
suffered a heart attack almost ing to let that
a year ago. Doctors installed happen.
But, when he opened the front
a pacemaker to help moder-
“I have a son who just door, the delivery had already
ate his heartrate, but his body turned 5 on March 1, right been made.
hasn’t acclimated well to the before all the crazy happened.
“I couldn’t imagine not
addition.
When I read that his being able to at least give my
The health prob-
5-year-old wouldn’t child a cake to celebrate. I was
lems cost him his
even get a cake it extremely happy to be able to
job as a car salesman
tugged at my heart,” help bring some joy during
and then his family
Ford said.
this time of uncertainty,” Ford
lost the home they
Ford was at the said.
were renting from
store buying a cake,
Dowell said the outcome
his employer in St.
candles and ice was beyond anything he might
Helens.
Dowell’s
cream in no time.
have expected.
brother offered him
Dowell wanted
“I felt like we’ve been bless-
a home in Keizer as
to pay Ford for the ed. We’ve been through hard
long as the family
kindness of the ges- times recently, but to have
Megan Ford
paid the associated
ture and messaged someone reach out and make
bills.
her about leaving sure our son had a birthday
As a result of the COVID-19 money in a folder on the front party … she was literally an
pandemic, coupled with his porch or donating to a charity. angel sent to us,” Dowell said.
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WorshipDirectory
These Salem-Keizer houses of worship invite you to visit. Call to list your church in our Worship Directory: (503) 390-1051
KEIZER COMMUNITY CHURCH
www.KeizerChristian.org
380 Churchdale Ave N (1 block West of Dutch Bros)
503 -393 - 0222 • KeizerCommunityChurch.com
SUNDAY:
9:30 am Sunday School (all ages)
11:00 am Worship Service
WEDNESDAY:
6:30 pm Awana; Youth Group; Adults