A Mother's Perspective

Nandi Mthethwa, Mom to Lwandle, aged 2

Before Lwandle was even born, he had already changed our lives. During a scan late in my pregnancy, we found out that he would need surgery right after birth. The news was overwhelming, and soon after, more tests revealed that he had Down syndrome. We spent several days in tears, filled with fear and uncertainty. We worried about what the future would hold—would he survive? What would it mean to raise a child with special needs?

That August, Lwandle arrived in our world. He was beautiful and perfect.

The following months were a whirlwind of emotions. As summer turned to autumn, Lwandle faced a series of illnesses. He received excellent care in the hospital, including life-saving surgery. Though some well-meaning comments were made about kids with Down syndrome, they were often tough to hear. By the time we left the hospital, we were exhausted and just wanted to be home.

Lwandle finally came home during Halloween week, just as we were putting up the decorations. We were overjoyed to have him home and to introduce him to his sister, brother, and the rest of our family.

Now, 18 months later, life is so different from those early days in the hospital. Lwandle is the best thing that ever happened to us. He’s fun, good-natured, and loves to play, laugh, and crawl. All the grief and worries we once had about Down syndrome have faded away.

Lwandle joins us on walks, holidays, and watches his siblings play sports. We can't wait for the day when they'll be cheering him on too. Everywhere he goes, he’s the center of attention.

He attends the same crèche his siblings did and loves spending time with his friends and the staff there. We feel so fortunate to have access to the September Institute. The early intervention he received has been invaluable. Meeting other families has also been a blessing—Lwandle has made wonderful friends, and so have we.