Gina Daly - one half of the duo behind The Daly Dish cookbooks - and her youngest son, Gene, have teamed up with Down Syndrome Ireland on its Lots of Socks campaign this year, ahead of World Down Syndrome Day on 21 March.
The significance of the date - 21/03 - is that Down Syndrome is caused by an extra copy (a third copy) of chromosome 21. By chance, it was also the date that Gina found out she was pregnant with Gene.
"It's just crazy to think that I went on to have a baby with Down Syndrome after finding out I was pregnant on 21 March," she says. "I always say it was written in the stars, I was meant to be Gene's mammy."
As a mother of three children - Holly, Ben and little Gene, who just turned 4 - Gina told RTÉ Lifestyle that she has found the support of Down Syndrome Ireland to be a game-changer, and hopes that this campaign will help to raise both awareness and support.
"When I had Gene, he was post-diagnosis, so I didn't know he had Down Syndrome until her was born," she explained. "It's a life-changing thing. If you've never known anyone with Down Syndrome, you just think, what do I do now? Who do I talk to?"
Down Syndrome Ireland has 25 branches nationwide and works to support and enhance the lives of thousands of children and adults with Down Syndrome across the country.
Early-intervention services, such as Lámh signs, language and development, have been essential to the family, helping to prepare Gene for school, and support Gina and husband Karol through every step.
"It's from birth right through to adulthood. We had early development [support] from a teacher who prepped Gene for playschool, and will continue to prep him for mainstream school."
"Gene is going to go on and have the most normal, typical life," she adds.
The cookbook author and Instagram sensation says that she hopes to dispel some of the myths and misconceptions surrounding Down Syndrome, explaining that Gene has been a true ray of sunshine in her life.
"You know the part in The Lion King where they hold the baby up? It was like that! Everybody was just drawn to Gene. I absolutely love the Down Syndrome community because as soon as they hear there's a new baby born with Down Syndrome, they rally."
Described as a 'diamond ready to shine', Gene has become a regular fixture on The Daly Dish Instagram account, smiling wide for the camera and assisting in the kitchen.
"Showing Gene online, showing him cooking with me, showing him dancing and laughing - people look in, and they see he's flying," she says. "He's walking, he's talking, he's doing all the things that people don't expect him to be doing."
As well as breaking stereotypes, Gina hopes that Gene will be able to show off all that he can do, whether it be cooking and dancing or organising the weekly shop.
"His favourite thing is when I come home from shopping," she laughs. "Everything comes out of the bag. He'll line it all up - he knows what goes in the fridge, he knows what goes in the press. All of those little things seem like little things, but they are life skills."
Lots of Socks Campaign
You can support Down Syndrome Ireland by hosting a Lots of Socks event, buying limited-edition socks, or donating at lotsofsocks.ie.
The colourful socks on offer this year were designed by 11-year-old Amy Mulroe, inspired by her brother Max, who has Down Syndrome.
"People around the world celebrate by wearing odd socks," Gina explains. "We celebrate with odd socks because chromosomes look like stripey socks under a microscope."
For more information, visit Down Syndrome Ireland.
