While many inventions make our lives easier, they’re unfortunately not always a fit for everyone. Some people are left out of the mix of things due to the special modifications they may need. This is true when it comes to one mother that decided to design glasses for her daughter with Down syndrome when no one else would.
Some children are born with unique facial features.
Many optical developers consider ways to make glasses but they don’t account for people who may have been born with facial differences that make it impossible for traditional glasses to fit. It can be especially difficult for parents looking to buy their children glasses.
One mother wanted to help her daughter and others.
Maria Dellapina was frustrated by the lack of options available for children like her daughter who has Down syndrome. So, she designed her own custom glasses for children with special needs. Possibly, for the first time, they wouldn’t have to worry about the glasses falling off.
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She founded SPECS4US.
Dellapina’s daughter Erin was her full inspiration for founding her own this ambitious business. After working in the optical field for over 30 years, she was tired of seeing her daughter face challenges that many other children don’t have to.
She knew her daughter wasn’t alone.
SPECS4US is a frame line crafted to comfortably fit people with Down Syndrome as well as others with cranial differences and diseases. Dellapina knew that he daughter couldn’t be the only one facing this obstacle, and she wasn’t. SPECS4US has improved many lives.
They’re all about style and fit.
Dellapina wanted the glasses to not only have a lower bridge to compliment unique face structures but also for them to look nice, sleek and appealing.
Dellapina honors her daughter’s memory.
During the journey of getting SPECS4US off the ground, Erin was diagnosed with Moyamoya disease, which is a rare, progressive cerebrovascular disorder. Sadly, Erin passed away in 2019. Although, she’s not here to see SPECS4US grow, her mother named her frame line, “Erin’s Famous Frames” to pay homage to her daughter that was always full of light and love.
Dellapina wants people to be informed about health risks those with Down Syndrome face.
After Erin had two strokes, people continually told Dellapina that it was nothing and that a diagnosis of Moymoya was just too rare to be true. However, she eventually learned that her daughter did have strokes and Moymoya is most often diagnosed to those with Down Syndrome. However, many people in their community are dismissed, this has been another mission of hers to change.
The glasses are now available across the United States.
The glasses are now available in eye care offices around the United States and 28 other countries. For Dellapina, it’s not about the money, she simply wants to help others. So, her heart is open to anyone struggling to access and afford their glasses.
It’s all about seeing customers smile with their glasses.
Seeing children and their families finally find a pair of glasses that fit is truly the joy of SPECS4US. People never forget the day that their child with Down syndrome finally puts on a pair of glasses that fits them. It may seem like a small win for some, but for the people historically left out, it could mean the world.
Let us know what you think of this heartfelt story in the comments and if you felt moved by SPECS4US.
