Faith’s Story: A Mother’s Trisomy 13 Journey Through Diagnosis, Love, Loss & Hope

How do you move forward when your baby receives a Trisomy 13 diagnosis?
How do you make impossible decisions?
And how do you keep going after loss?

In this deeply moving full-length interview, Air Force pilot and SOFT parent mentor Raliene Banks shares the story of her daughter Faith, who was diagnosed with Trisomy 13 (Patau syndrome) and lived for seven beautiful days.

Raliene takes us through:

✨ The moment she received the diagnosis — alone at a restaurant, reading the word “abnormal.”
✨ The fear and confusion that followed
✨ Meeting her first Trisomy parent and finding SOFT
✨ The powerful support of community and organizations like Isaiah’s Promise & Ronald McDonald House
✨ Faith’s birth, their treasured memories, and the profound eight days they shared
✨ How grief changed her, reshaped her priorities, and taught her grace
✨ Why she now helps other new and expectant Trisomy families through SOFT
✨ The founding of her nonprofit, Crowned with Faith
✨ And the joy of welcoming her rainbow baby, Asher

Raliene’s story is full of courage, honesty, and the message she now shares with every parent she mentors:

💙 There are no wrong decisions when they are made in love.
💙 You do the best you can with the information you have.
💙 You deserve grace.

This interview offers comfort and clarity for any family facing a Trisomy 13 or Trisomy 18 diagnosis—and a powerful reminder that every life, no matter how brief, can leave a lasting legacy.

💙 New or Expectant Parent Facing a Trisomy Diagnosis? We Are Here for You.

SOFT provides free resources, compassionate parent mentors, and up-to-date medical information.

📘 Free New & Expectant Parent Guides (Trisomy 13 & 18):
https://trisomy.org/expectant-parent

🤝 Talk with a SOFT Parent Mentor:
https://trisomy.org/contact

🌐 More Trisomy 13 information:
https://trisomy.org

About SOFT:

SOFT (Support Organization for Trisomy 18, 13 and Related Disorders) is a nonprofit supporting families through education, connection, and community. Every family’s path is respected. Every child’s life is honored.

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