A mother’s candid and moving account of the challenges and joys of having a Down syndrome child.

When Sarah Roberts’s son, Oscar, was born, he was unexpectedly diagnosed with Down syndrome. Sarah had to rapidly come to terms with a new normal, as she suddenly found her life on a different path to the one she’d always hoped and believed she’d follow.

For the Love of Oscar shares a mother’s real and very raw emotions as she comes to terms with that new path, in a story which is nevertheless both heart-warming and funny. Sarah writes candidly about the ups and downs not only of parenthood but also of parenting a child who just happens to have additional needs.

She describes, in vivid and heartbreaking terms, attitudes some have displayed towards her son and her, the often hurtful things said by some people. She describes the hospital appointments, the therapy sessions, the mountains of paperwork, the tantrums and the tears. And she reveals the choices and challenges she faced when she decided that she would like to have more children.

Sarah is the author of a multi-award-winning blog called Don’t Be Sorry, which aims to help others in a similar situation, but is also her very relatable take on parenting. She spends a great deal of time advocating for improved understanding of Down syndrome.