Orange Socks Stories
Changing Minds and Inspiring Life
Jessica: Pierre Robin Sequence, or PRS
Jessica and her husband were shocked to learn that their daughter, Eliana, was born with a cleft palate. A few days later they discovered she had some other abnormalities. She was diagnosed with Pierre Robin sequence. Bearing the Burden...
Ileana and Lorenzo: Microcephaly and Cerebral Palsy
Ileana and Lorenzo were told at their 20-week ultrasound that their daughter, Giselle, had some abnormalities with her brain. They were given the option of abortion but refused. Now three years later, Giselle has been diagnosed with microcephaly and cerebral palsy. ...
Leslie: Achondroplasia
When doctors first told Leslie that her daughter was measuring small, she didn’t put too much thought into it. She was told the same thing with her son, who was born perfectly healthy. However, after seeing a different doctor, he told her that her daughter would...
Bijan and Zach: Twins with 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome or DiGeorge Syndrome, and Autism
After learning their son had some markers for a genetic condition in utero, Bijan and Zach were offered to abort one of their twin boys. They declined the offer and also declined in utero testing. Jackson was diagnosed with 22q11.2 deletion or DiGeorge...
Maria: Currently Pregnant with a Fetal Diagnosis of Trisomy 18 or Edwards Syndrome
When Maria received the news that her daughter, Serenity Grace, had Trisomy 18 or Edwards syndrome, she was strongly encouraged to abort. Instead Maria moved closer to find better resources that would suit the needs of her delivery. She shared her journey...
Sasha and Gary: Down Syndrome
Sasha and Gary were surprised to learn that their daughter Zoey was diagnosed with Down syndrome in utero. They were given an option to terminate the pregnancy. Feeling like everyone has issues, they continued with the pregnancy. Several years later, Zoey has had...
Kristin and Chris: Full Trisomy 9
Ethan lived for 93 minutes. He is one of the only babies to be born alive with full Trisomy 9. His parents, Kristin and Chris were offered several times to abort Ethan. They decided to carry to term and are happy they chose life and got to meet...
Tamara and Matthew: Currently Pregnant with a Fetal Diagnosis of Down syndrome
Tamara and Matthew received an unexpected test result when trying to determine the gender of their baby early in their pregnancy. Their son has a 93% chance of having Down syndrome. In their interview, they speak of their fears and struggles on coming to terms...
Sariah and David: CHARGE Syndrome
When Spencer was less than 24-hours old, he had surgery to fix an issue with his esophagus. It was the beginning of a medical journey that would eventually lead to the diagnosis of CHARGE syndrome. Now at 17 he is attending high school and taking concurrent...
Katie and Nathan: Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata, or RCDP
Katie and Nathan’s daughter, Claire, was diagnosed with a rare fatal condition called Rhizomelic chondrodysplasia punctata or RCDP. Even though Claire’s life expectancy is unknown, Katie and Nathan love spending time with her and have found joy with her...
Terah and Brian: Down Syndrome
After unsuccessfully trying for five years to get pregnant, Terah and Brian turned to in vitro fertilization. During their second round, they found out Terah was pregnant. An hour after Indy was born, she was diagnosed with Down syndrome. They were...
Erika: Microcephaly
Erika was given a very grim diagnosis when she was six months pregnant. Her daughter, Erilyn was diagnosed with microcephaly. She was very pressured to abort Erilyn. Now eight years later, Erika is grateful she chose life and can see that Erilyn is a...
Tiffany and Nathan: Aicardi and Turner Syndrome
Ellie is a delightful three year old with Aicardi and Turner’s syndrome. Her parents, Tiffany and Nathan talk about what a joy Ellie is to their family and how she has impacted their lives for good. More Than a Diagnosis 20-Week Ultrasound The...
Alyssa and Ben: Aplasia Cutis Congenita
As young, college students, having a child with a disability wasn’t on their radar. Alyssa and Ben were shocked when they learned at their 23-week anatomy scan that their son, Will, had some brain abnormalities. They were heavily encouraged to abort their son....
Traci and Mike: Semi-Lobar Holoprosencephaly
After struggling to get pregnant, Traci and Mike were very excited when they found out they were expecting twin boys. During one of their ultrasound they found some abnormalities in one of the twin’s brains. They also found a cleft palate and cleft lip. Unsure how...
Sarah: Hydrocephalus
Sarah learned that one of the identical twins she was carrying had hydrocephalus during a routine ultrasound. After Isabella was born, it was discovered that she had several other issues. Isabella has endured many surgeries and will have several more. ...
Shirlene: Down Syndrome
Jim is 51 years old and has Down syndrome. He lives with his mom Shirlene who at the time of his diagnosis had never met anyone with Down syndrome. At first, she was devastated. She now knows how grateful she is that Jim came into her life. Loving Your...
Krystal and Dusty: Spina Bifida and a Heart Defect
Krystal and Dusty were scared and hurt when they first learned that their daughter, Amnesty, had spina bifida and a heart defect. They were repeatedly encouraged to abort Amnesty and are grateful everyday they chose life. She is a great joy to their family...
Miriellys and Alex: Trisomy 13, or Patau Syndrome
Miriellys and Alex have two children. Their youngest, Aerilyn, was diagnosed with Trisomy 13 or Patau syndrome in utero. They were encouraged to terminate their pregnancy and were given a grim prognosis. They chose not to listen to their doctor and to give Aerilyn a...
Beth and Bryce: Angelman Syndrome
It took almost three years to get an official diagnosis for their son, Smith. Beth and Bryce shared their journey to getting a diagnosis of Angelman syndrome and how it has impacted their family. Making Your Heart Grow Long Journey Towards a Diagnosis Unlike several...
Christine: Autism
Christine knew there was something different about her oldest daughter Skylynn. They first hoped she had a sensory processing disorder. However, at the age of two Skylynn was diagnosed with autism. Christine has spent every day since her diagnosis...