In October 2014, the first Down Syndrome Centre opened its doors to Ireland's only service-led facility for children with Down syndrome (Ds) and their families. The centre was founded by Peter Gaw and his wife Mary, due to the frustration at not being able to access services for their two youngest children – both of whom have Ds. We now have two centres in Dublin and a further three under our umbrella in Cork, northeast and midlands. We provide vital services to children with Ds up to 18 years. We also have a huge focus on families. Along with providing early intervention therapy services to over 300 children, the centres are a place for parents to meet, get information and build support networks and communities. Our mission is to provide services and facilities to enable children with Down syndrome to have the same opportunities in life as their peers, and to enable each child to reach their full potential. We receive no government support. We fundraise to provide all services.