Penny Green

Please help me celebrate the memory of my son who in 14½ short weeks on earth changed my life and hopefully made me a better person.

On August 3rd 2010 I will reach my half century but the day will be tinged with sadness as on that same day my son Daniel should have been celebrating his 21st birthday.

Born with heart and bowel defects associated with him having Down's Syndrome, Daniel only lived 14½ weeks, during which time he had 2 operations - he never came home from hospital.

Sharing the same birthday has always been difficult, but I found his 18th particularly hard as my niece was born two days after him and trying to buy her present just reinforced the fact that I should have been getting his too. So I decided as friends won't let me escape my 50th, I may as well celebrate his life and turn 2010 into an awareness event for an organisation that means so much to me.

I want to raise awareness specifically of the 47% of children and young people with ... more

Please help me celebrate the memory of my son who in 14½ short weeks on earth changed my life and hopefully made me a better person.

On August 3rd 2010 I will reach my half century but the day will be tinged with sadness as on that same day my son Daniel should have been celebrating his 21st birthday.

Born with heart and bowel defects associated with him having Down's Syndrome, Daniel only lived 14½ weeks, during which time he had 2 operations - he never came home from hospital.

Sharing the same birthday has always been difficult, but I found his 18th particularly hard as my niece was born two days after him and trying to buy her present just reinforced the fact that I should have been getting his too. So I decided as friends won't let me escape my 50th, I may as well celebrate his life and turn 2010 into an awareness event for an organisation that means so much to me.

I want to raise awareness specifically of the 47% of children and young people with Down's Syndrome who are born with heart conditions and it will be here in the UK (unless anyone wants to fund me to go global), but I hope that it will have a wider effect than that.

The plan is to go and spend time with them doing things they like to do at work or play and in education. Some things I already have lined up are: A young lady who is a Special Olympics medal winner in riding who is going to take me to the stables and possibly put me on a horse A young lady who works in a local cafe who will take me to work to see what she does A young man who has appeared in 'Shameless" who is hoping to take me on set at one of his performances

The campaign launches on my husbands birthday (also the day I found I was expecting) and finishes on the day Daniel died with a special dinner at the close of the Down's Heart Group Conference.

What I need now is any support and assistance you can offer by way of ideas and media and celebrity contacts. I hope the whole "Charity Director finds out in person about members lives" angle will appeal to the media and we can get publicity both locally and nationally - and of course I know I'm going to have great fun with the youngsters.

If you can assist in any way please email me at penny@dhg.org.uk and help me make 2010 a positive year for people with Down's Syndrome and heart problems rather than one of sadness for my family.

If you can't help but would like to show support by making a small donation towards the work of Down's Heart Group, you can do so here or on their website

So far I am confirmed for a sponsored walk across the old Severn Bridge on World Down Syndrome Day, March 21st and if I can get £1000 in pledges I have agreed to dye my hair bright pink (if I get £1500 by March 19th I will have it done to attend the House of Lords!) THANK YOU