The Important Point This Photo Makes About Siblings With Down Syndrome
When Hayley Stanley posted a photo of her daughters on Facebook, she never expected it to become a viral sensation.
“Obviously I do think it’s a beautiful photo and just had to share it,” Stanley told The Mighty. “But I was very surprised at the reaction and all the comments and shares.”
Stanley, from Bridgend, Wales, took the photo below of her daughter, Hollie Evans, who is 7 and has Down syndrome, holding her baby sister, Lillie, in the bath. Stanley posted it on the Special Miracles — Down syndrome Facebook page on July 6. Since then, the photo has been liked nearly 200,000 times and shared more than 8,000 times all over the Internet.
Stanley says she’s happy for the opportunity to raise awareness.
“We always had the ‘Oh, I’m so sorry’ phrase given to us when we told people Hollie has Down syndrome,” Stanley told The Mighty. “We’ve read on pages that people think they might be a burden on their siblings, etc., so we want to show that children with Down syndrome are just like any other children and siblings. Hollie adores both Poppie, 4, and Lillie, 6 months.”
Melissa McGlensey is the former News Editor at The Mighty. Her writing can also be seen in Ms. Magazine, on the Ms.Magazine blog and in The Huffington Post’s Good News, Comedy and Impact sections. Melissa is also a New York City comedian who does sketch, improv and stand up. She is passionate about social justice, politics, Thai food, literature, disability rights and more. She is currently in a long-distance relationship with her cat, Sneakers, who lives in California. You can follow her on twitter at @OhHeyMeliss.
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