March 21st marks World Down Syndrome Day—a day devoted to sharing the experiences of individuals with Down syndrome and the families that love and support them. In north-central Montana, one mother is turning her own experience into a network of hope for others.
Cheyenne Chinadle and her husband John live in Hingham with their two sons, JJ and Cal. When Cal was born in 2024, his Down syndrome diagnosis came as a complete surprise.
Quentin Shores reports - watch the video here:
“We had no idea. We went in expecting to just have a baby and come home and had him late in the evening, very late. And I think the first night I was like, you know, maybe like his eyes are a little bit different, but I don't really know. It was late, I was tired and just wasn't sure,” Cheyenne recalls.
Despite early genetic testing and two anatomy scans, there was no indication of Down syndrome before Cal’s birth. “So we actually did early genetic testing and all of that came back completely normal,” Cheyenne explains. “We actually did two different anatomy scans...and no indication of Down syndrome at all.”
After Cal was born, it took 10 days of waiting for a genetic test to confirm their suspicions. Cheyenne says finally learning the diagnosis made moving forward easier: “We just knew, and we knew we could move forward with it. And he was the easiest baby.”
Now, Cal is thriving—described by his mom as social, happy, and healthy. Inspired by her family’s journey, Cheyenne connected with Jack’s Basket, a national nonprofit that celebrates babies with Down syndrome and supports their families.
“Jack’s Basket, I found out about through a friend...They send you a gift basket that just kind of celebrates your baby. Because every baby should be celebrated. Down syndrome diagnosis or not.”
Receiving her own basket inspired Cheyenne to become a volunteer. She now hand-delivers Jack’s Baskets to new families, offering advice, reassurance, and resources during an uncertain time.
“I would hand deliver a basket to them and just kind of talk them through any questions or fears or anything like that that they have or, offer a phone call,” she says.
Through her work with Jack’s Basket, Cheyenne has helped build a network of support for Down syndrome families across Montana and Idaho—making sure no parent ever feels alone.
