As Abby's 4th Birthday approaches, we were thinking of ways to celebrate this unique little gem. Her big sister/ biggest fan, Maya, had the idea of setting up a Lemonade Stand to raise funds for Unique (Rare Chromosome Disorder Support Group), which is a registered charity established to help families who are on a path similar to ours. Connecting and not feeling alone has been vital for us on our journey and we want to get the word out to others about this awesome charity.

Abigail has yet to walk or talk and she is the only child in the world on record as having her specific deletion/duplications, but her heart and her smile have touched so many people already. She radiates a joy that spreads into every dark corner of a room and she makes us all better people.

On our grey days, Maya has a way of shining a bright, positive light on any challenges our family might face. When Abby's diagnosis was confirmed about 2 years ago, Maya (5 years old at the time) asked a few questions and sat quietly for a short while. She then said something that revealed such insight and unconditional love that it brought, and still brings, tears to our eyes. She replied, "Wow. How lucky are we that out of all of the people in the whole world, we got Abigail?" Maya continues to live by this motto every day and they both make us so proud.

We’re grateful if you might take the time to visit Maya’s lemonade stand (on June 12th between 3:00-5:00 - invitation attached) or to go to our JustGiving page. Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure - this is the fundraising platform on which Unique relies, to achieve their mission to “inform, support and alleviate the isolation of anyone affected by a rare chromosome disorder”. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, your contribution goes directly to the charity, so, it's the most efficient method available - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Thanks so much for considering this, and please know how greatly we appreciate any support you feel able to offer to this wonderful organization!