'Grey's Anatomy' star Caterina Scorsone shares post about daughter for Down Syndrome Awareness Month
"Her needs are particular. Not special. They are just hers."
Caterina Scorsone is opening up about the "privilege" of raising her daughter Pippa, who has Down syndrome.
The "Grey's Anatomy" actress recently shared a moving Instagram post for Down Syndrome Awareness Month, which is observed every October, to offer her unique view on motherhood and express how society needs to catch up with her beloved kiddo.
"I have less and less to say about loving someone with Down syndrome because the awe I feel at the privilege of knowing and loving my daughter steals my breath," she began. "If I had not been lucky enough to gain up close awareness of Down syndrome through being Pippa's mom my life would be a faded sepia version of what it is now."
Scorsone admitted that "there are hard days" as a mom, but clarified that those "aren't because of Down syndrome ever."
"They are only hard because our culture and society doesn't do equity well," she wrote.
Regarding her daughter, Scorsone wrote, "Her needs are particular. Not special. They are just hers. Our culture hasn't quite learned how to love itself well enough to know that all of our needs are particular. That's what makes this beautiful."
"Pippa loves herself. She is busy living loud and bright. Her existence and witness is our opportunity to opt into love or opt out of it," she concluded. "We each get to decide how much of the spectrum of love we want to experience. She offered me a little extra and I am so deeply grateful to have been invited to know her. 💛💙"
Ellen Pompeo took to the comments to share love for her former co-star's post, writing, "The most beautiful emotion captured with these words... ❤️❤️❤️."
Scorsone previously reflected on raising Pippa in an essay for "Good Morning America" in 2020, in which she wrote, "Pippa has Down syndrome. But Pippa isn't Down syndrome. Pippa is Pippa."
The actress shares three daughters -- Eliza, Pippa and Lucinda -- with ex-husband Rob Giles.