Becoming a mother to a child with Down syndrome: Alice’s story and M21
Alice is a woman of heart and commitment, a passionate entrepreneur, a fulfilled mother, and an inspiration to many families. As the mother of Isaac, who has Down syndrome, and currently expecting her second child, she founded the M21 association to support and guide parents facing this diagnosis, offering them a space of listening and kindness.
Through her journey, Alice shares an honest and touching testimony about motherhood, embracing disability, and the power of parental love. She tells us how Isaac’s birth transformed her life, led her to challenge prejudices, and inspired her to create an association to support other families. A powerful story that brings hope and guidance to parents experiencing a different kind of motherhood.
Can you introduce yourself in a few words?
I’m Alice, married to my wonderful Vincent, mother of Isaac, and soon-to-be mom of another little baby love. Founder of the M21 association, I love creating, undertaking projects, taking action, and caring for others. My work excites me as much as my role as a mother to Isaac, my little chromosome-loving gourmand, who, through his uniqueness, has transformed my life and my perspective on it.
What has been your life journey?
I am the youngest of six siblings, surrounded by many men, which has shaped my personality and probably my feminism. I met Vincent when I was 20, and without a doubt, he is the most beautiful encounter of my life. I’m lucky to have married a feminist man who helps me thrive as a woman, supports me in raising our children and sharing the mental load, encourages me to work, and gives me time for myself (and on top of that, he cooks!).
If you had to define the three essential values that guide you?
Love, trust, and peace.
What rituals or practices help you recharge daily?
I am a Christian, so prayer is my morning ritual. Every day, from 6:30 to 7:00 AM, I take half an hour for myself, with a candle and soft music, either in silence or by expressing what’s on my heart. I believe that starting the day with prayer, meditation, or yoga brings the same serenity: a true sense of inner peace, perfect for beginning the day well.
As a woman and mother, what are the most important things to teach your children?
Self-confidence, self-love, and self-respect are essential before being able to love and respect others. I firmly believe that one can truly love someone else only by first being at peace with oneself. By learning to accept and love ourselves, we open the path to respecting and loving others.
How was your first meeting with Isaac?
It was a magical moment after 17 hours of labor. When I held Isaac in my arms for the first time, I couldn’t believe it—it was extraordinary. But two hours later, the announcement of his diagnosis brought a heavy storm to our clear blue sky. Yet after the storm, the sun always returns. A few days later, as we embraced acceptance, we regained our blue sky and could truly begin our life as parents with him.
“Disability is a journey: sometimes challenging, often wonderful, always unique.”
What message would you like to share with mothers of children with disabilities?
People often project negative ideas about life with a child with a disability, simply out of ignorance. But disability is a journey—there are rainy days, moments of exhaustion, and sleepless nights, but also discoveries, wonder, breathtaking landscapes, delicious meals, joys, and laughter. Trust your own journey because your child doesn’t need anyone else but you to live this adventure together. Every journey is unique, but it is always worth experiencing fully.
You created M21, an association that supports families, couples, and women facing a Down syndrome diagnosis during pregnancy or after birth.
Where did you find the strength to undertake this?
I think this energy has always been within me because before creating M21, I had already launched another project. It’s a true life force that never leaves me, and I always have a hundred projects in my mind! Ask Vincent—he often says I exhaust him. I have a small notebook where I write down all my ideas, dreams, and projects I want to accomplish. For M21, I felt an enormous life impulse, a deep desire to create for this cause, to help, to support, and to be there for all these women and couples going through this diagnosis in immense solitude.
“When we help a mother at the birth of her baby with Down syndrome, and by guiding her to release her fears, prejudices, and tears, she then builds a beautiful relationship with her different child—that is simply wonderful!”
What is the greatest satisfaction you get from this project?
When we help a mother at the birth of her baby with Down syndrome, and by guiding her to release her fears, prejudices, and tears, she then builds a beautiful relationship with her different child—that is simply wonderful! Or when a doctor, after one of our awareness conferences, tells us: "You have forever changed the way I work with children with disabilities." Or when a school informs us: "Since your intervention, there is less bullying." It is an immense source of pride!
What has Isaac taught you about yourself?
He has taught me so much! He has revealed unexpected strengths within me! Since becoming a mother, I’ve discovered things about myself that I never imagined before. He gives me enormous self-confidence, pushes me to my limits, which helps me understand myself better every day. The journey toward self-awareness is a true lesson in humility, but it is also incredibly liberating.
Is there an anecdote that illustrates the strength of your bond with him?
I must admit that I usually get the first big hugs and kisses in the morning. Every evening, we have a special ritual that I started when he was very little: we put stars on his bedroom ceiling. Isaac speaks to me in his own way, with words that are often incomprehensible for now, but he tells me so many things before falling asleep. It’s my joy, and I can feel that it does him a lot of good!
What small victories should be highlighted more for children with Down syndrome?
Their abilities, their strength, their perseverance, their determination. When they are loved, valued, well-supported, and encouraged, you can’t imagine how much they can achieve—they can reach for the moon. And it starts at home, then as soon as they enter school, with the support of educators!
What is a common misconception about Down syndrome that you would like to break?
For 20 centuries, they were hidden away, placed in institutions far from cities, and their life expectancy was 20 years. Today, I want them to be seen more, to be encountered everywhere, to have access to the careers of their choice based on their talents, and to live at the heart of our cities, among us, in a completely normal way.
Do you have any inspirational figures or stories that have helped you on your journey?
Michelle Obama! Honestly, she is a woman I find incredibly inspiring, particularly because of her story and the challenges she overcame due to her race.
But also, Marie-Catherine, who is not famous but adopted two children with Down syndrome. She supported me a lot when I learned about Isaac’s diagnosis. Today, I still see her moving mountains for her children, who are now 30 years old. There are still so many battles to fight for adults with Down syndrome (I’m not there yet), but her courage, strength, determination, and joy in everything she does inspire me greatly.
What are your dreams and hopes for Isaac?
I want him to be happy, to get married, or at least to find love and be fulfilled in a relationship. And above all, I hope he thrives in his work because I believe that waking up every morning with the desire to go to work is the key to happiness. That’s what I truly wish for him.
And for the mothers who are reading this and experiencing a different kind of motherhood, what would you say to them?
One day at a time! Don’t project too far ahead—if you live in fear of the future, you risk missing out on the happiness of the present. With our different children, every day is an opportunity for small victories, tiny miracles that, although often overlooked, are very real. So, focus your energy on these moments, not on fear. Every day offers wonders to discover.
