Beckett Hope was born into this world on January 27, 2017, a feisty 4 lb 5 oz tiny bundle of sweet joy. She was diagnosed in utero with Full Trisomy 18 (Edward’s Syndrome), a chromosomal condition in which where there are 3 copies of the 18th chromosome instead of the typical 2. This condition causes significant medical difficulties and developmental and physical delays. Doctors gave Beckett’s parents little to no hope that she would even reach her 6-month birthday and sent her home on hospice care. Little did they know that they had a fighter on their hands. Beckett went home and thrived. As she started to get older, she hit milestones, but she remained months and months behind a “typical” child of her age. It was clear that Beckett would greatly benefit from therapy (Occupational, Physical and Speech).

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At 10-months old she began Occupational Therapy and soon after, Physical Therapy. During her almost 2 years of therapy, she started using her hands to reach for and play with her toys and she started tracking and connecting with people. She gained arm, core and leg strength and was eventually able to sit on her own for a few seconds. She also developed a love for standing and dancing to her favorite music.

 

Later it was decided that Speech Therapy was necessary so that she could communicate her desires and choose her activities as she was completely non-verbal. Augmentative/Alternative Communication (AAC) therapy was used, and it didn’t take long for Beckett to figure out how to use her devices. She used a big mack switch to play with her toys and operated her bubble machine by herself! Beckett even learned how to sign ‘more’ when she wanted her bottle. She absolutely thrived in her own very special and unique way, and it was in part due to all of the therapies she received.

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Beckett gained her angel wings on November 9, 2019, but she leaves a lasting legacy. She reached thousands all over the world just by being her. What other children did with ease, she would work a thousand times more to achieve the same thing, and she did it all with a smile on her face. She never gave up and never let her challenges define her. Beckett was and continues to be our true miracle. She was not defeated; she won. Beckett Hope beat Trisomy 18.