Big steps towards awareness (From Stroud News and Journal)

Big steps towards awareness

TWINS are often thought of as being very alike, but that couldn't be further from the truth for one Chalford mother.

Tina Deane, 36, is the mother of twins - Leon, who has Down's Syndrome, and Raven, who does not.

The pair are two-and-a-half years old, and Tina, who has two other older children, believes her situation is quite unusual.

She said: "I don't know of any other parents in my situation." Recently, to celebrate Leon taking his first step and to mark Down's Syndrome Awareness Week, the family organised a sponsored walk around their village.

The walk, lead by Tina's husband Jon,34, in a chicken costume, raised more than £600 for Down's Syndrome awareness.

According to Tina, most of the participants were teenagers from Thomas Keble School who chose to get involved.

She thinks it is important to make people more aware of the condition. "Because people are not really aware of what Down's Syndrome is they don't know what to expect," she said.

"The main thing we want people to know is that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

"Leon surprises us everyday with what he is capable of doing.

"Because Leon is a twin, it helps to show us just how capable he is - as he strives to do everything Raven does."

"Many years ago Down's Syndrome was something people were ashamed of and they were pushed to one side, so it's important now to let people know about it."

Tina said when she gave birth to the twins she was really shocked to discover Leon had the condition.

She said: "At first I was devastated. I had an image in my head of what he was going to be like and was completely shocked when he was born.

"But that only lasted for the first day and now I wouldn't have it any other way."

Leon also had to contend with surgery at an early age after doctors discovered he was born with a hole in the heart.

Tina, who also has two other children, Melissa, 13, and Guy, 11, said they are all very different.

She added: "Leon is a remarkable little boy who has so much love and gives so much happiness to the people around him.

"His sister has bought him on leaps and bounds as there is no way he is going to sit back and watch her have all the fun - he tries his best to keep up with her."