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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Jane Lamb walks alongside her son Graham, 14, at Patriot Park.
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Photo by Erin Nelson.
Graham Lamb, 14, gives his mother, Jane, a high-five as they sit in the grass at Patriot Park.
Dec. 25 is a special day for Jane Lamb, who is The Bell Center’s newest program director.
Not only is it Christmas Day, but it’s also the birthday of her son, Graham, who has Down syndrome. This Christmas will be his 15th birthday.
Before Christmas Day of 2005, Jane had no idea that Graham would have Down syndrome, she said.
“All of my ultrasounds had been good,” she said. “Thankfully, he didn’t have a heart defect, so there was never anything that indicated Down syndrome.”
Within a few hours after Graham was born, the pediatrician came into Jane’s hospital room and told the Lambs she was almost positive Graham had Down syndrome. Genetic testing confirmed this diagnosis, but Jane said it was fairly obvious from the beginning.
Jane had given birth to two other children prior to Graham’s birth, and she said they were still proud and excited about having three children. But from the moment she walked out of the hospital, she knew this would set her apart from other parents, she said.
The Lambs had just moved to Homewood a year before, and from the beginning of their residence here, they had heard people talk about The Bell Center, which is an organization that provides early intervention services to children at risk for developmental delays.
“I didn’t really know what it was, but the day Graham was born, people were calling us and saying, ‘You have to call The Bell Center,’” Jane said. “I didn’t have a minute to wonder what we needed to do because it was available and they were ready to take us in as soon as he was born.”
Graham attended programs at the center until he was 3 years old. In addition to meeting with therapists who saw the potential in Graham, Jane said it was also comforting to be surrounded by people who had gone through the same things she was going through.
When Graham turned 3 years old, a speech pathologist position opened up at The Bell Center, and Jane has been on the staff since then. Then, the program director position opened up, and Jane said she looked back on her first day walking into The Bell Center.
“My husband reminded me of that very first day and said, ‘You get to be that person now,’” Jane said. “I am now usually the first person a person speaks to at The Bell Center when they get a referral.”
After that initial contact with a person, Jane will begin the enrollment process. This is followed by scheduling appointments with the evaluation team and therapy team.
“Hopefully, along the way, I just get to be that voice of encouragement that, while this might not always be an easy road, it’s going to be OK,” she said. “You’re going to get your feet under you. We are here every step of the way to encourage and be positive about what the child is doing.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Bell Center switched from in-person therapy to teletherapy.
“It was a challenge, but our entire therapy staff jumped on board,” Jane said. “I was amazed at how our families embraced that, which reminded us how much they need us and how much they want that support.”
“We had one child who was attending twice a week, and from April until we came back in September, she was on her Skype meeting twice a week, every single time, ready to work. We saw tremendous progress over the summer.”
Through the pandemic, enrollment at The Bell Center has remained steady, she said. This is a testament to the quality of the services The Bell Center provides, she said.
Those who receive services from The Bell Center have had the opportunity to return to in-person services since September, and Jane said people are glad to be back in person. Group services are put on a pause for now, so all in-person programs are one-on-one.
“It was a little funny and scary to take on a new job during a pandemic,” Jane said, laughing. “But everyone’s adapting very easily.”
Jane said she hopes people understand that The Bell Center isn’t just for children with Down syndrome.
“I want people to know we serve any kid with or without a diagnosis that’s at risk for delay,” she said. “That can be kids that are for whatever reason not meeting their milestones. Maybe they’re premature, or maybe they don’t have a diagnosis yet. We are here to provide services for families who are unsure about their child’s development.”
The Bell Center team will evaluate that child by first looking at the child’s strengths and building from there.
“We try not to focus on what a child can’t do, but instead what a child can do and what they should be able to do next,” she said.
“It’s an honor and privilege to get to serve in this position. I’m very excited for the future.”
