Hartford mum hopes to take in Ukrainian family

After thinking about the difficulties of fleeing a country with a child with additional needs, Julie Duff decided to try and house a Ukrainian family and bring them safety, as well as an understanding of their child’s condition.

She is now working with Down’s Syndrome Association and Down Syndrome Cheshire to make this a reality.

Julie explained: “My son Josh has Down syndrome and I was a founding trustee of Down Syndrome Cheshire in 2007.

“The charity works closely with the national Down’s Syndrome Association, which has been in contact with its Polish and other European counterparts.  

“Raising a child with additional needs can be difficult at times – fleeing a war-torn state with a child with Down syndrome must be almost impossible.”

Julie wanted to host a family after watching events unfold on the news, and said the images shown on TV were ‘breaking her heart’.

Women take care of children as they sit with their possessions at the train station in Warsaw (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

She said: “I keep putting myself in their shoes – what would I do if my husband Andy and my eldest son Cameron, 20, had to stay and fight, and Josh, 15, and I had to flee?

“Would I take him in his wheelchair, or would this slow us down, would he be able to walk the distances? How would he and I cope?

“What would happen if we were separated? Josh struggles with his speech, what would he do?

“Every family in a war-torn city is vulnerable, however families who have children with Down syndrome or any additional needs are going to find it especially hard.

“If we can offer safety, as well as an understanding of their child's condition, then hopefully we can ease somebody's suffering.

“I would hope that if we were in this situation somebody would see our need and help us.

“We as a nation need to help the families in Ukraine as much as we possibly can.”