On December 21, Sophia Brown’s Angel Of The Hearts Foundation staged its third treat for children with Down syndrome and their families at Hope Gardens in St Andrew.

She told the Jamaica Observer that things went better despite having only one sponsor.

“This year’s treat was bigger. Initially, we wanted to provide for 20 families, but eventually we had more, but we made the best of it. We carried on and put a smile on these kids’ faces,” she said.

Brown, a singer known for songs like Baby When You Left and Look (with Turbulence), covered the cost for the event through a GoFundMe page with support from Food For The Poor.

Families received monetary and food donations.

Inspired by her niece Heidi, who has Down syndrome, Brown started Angel Of The Hearts Foundation in 2015. The organisation has worked closely with the Jamaica Down Syndrome Foundation (JDSF) to spread awareness.

She was pleased with last week’s turnout.

“We just tried to make them all happy. We try to make them [children] feel happy,” Brown said.

In 2023 Dr Charmaine Scott, founder and chair of the JDSF, said one in 868 live births in Jamaica has Down syndrome. That means a child with the genetic condition is born every week in the country.

Over 500 families are registered with the JDSF.