Our Process
1. Diagnosis
Parents can receive a diagnosis before birth, at birth and even weeks or months after birth. We reach parents through hospital posters, nurses, social channels and other parents.
So far, we have also had the honour of sharing the Down Syndrome diagnosis with a new mommy in hospital! Our latest diagnosis so far was a mommy from Mozambique whose little girl only received her diagnosis at 11 months old! Our earliest so far is a mommy who received her diagnosis at 16 weeks of gestation.
2. Details
Our organisation keeps careful track of each donation. When we meet a new parent, our next step after celebrating their wonderful child is confirming their T21 diagnosis with medical papers and taking down their details so that we can send a Brave Bag to them.
This includes a photo, so that we can be 100% sure baby exists, has a diagnosis, and belongs in our community. So far, we have only had three unsolicited texts that turned out not to be related to a DS diagnosis.
3. Pack & Send
Each bag that goes to a baby contains diapers, wipes, a teething toy, a sensory toy, a hand-knit plushie, hand-knit booties, socks, creams / samples, face cloths, a fluffy blanket, a branded BRAVE baby vest (onesie), a treat for mommy, information pamphlets, a free stick-on thermometer, and a resource file.
Our resource file is a compilation of all the information parents need to support their child's unique biochemistry according to science.
4. Community
Each parent confirms that their Brave Bag has landed by sending us a photo of the bag with their baby who has Down Syndrome. We cherish these pictures and share them as often as we can. They also help us once more confirm that a baby with Trisomy 21 is being blessed.
Parents often also join our support community on WhatsApp where meaningful friendships and discussions make all the difference on the journey of raising a T21 kid.
The Goodies in the Bag
Here are pictures of each item that goes into a Brave Bag. Each one is carefully thought out to be meaningful, encouraging, and empowering to parents. We also thank sponsors like Netflorist, Dr Temp and Pure Beginnings who contribute items to these bags each year.
