I have been fortunate to have been accquainted with Ann Haig since 2000 when she first began working with Down Syndrome Ireland. Her introduction to the organisation was at first as a parent of a child with Down syndrome but it was not long before her considerable professional skills and training were acknowledged and she became one of the leading experts in this country in the field of Early Intervention support and training for children with Down syndrome.

Having come from, and trained in, the US, Ann was all too aware of the contrasting inadequacies in this country. In an attempt to realise some level of support for her own daughter Ally, she began a small development group in her own front room. Through small beginnings she went on to single-handedly develop and successfully deliver her own early intervention programme which she called SKIP (Special Kids Intervention Programme) and often modelled in other parts of the country.

This was not something she did for profit. Her goal was to provide a level of service for parents which simply did not exist and she would teach groups of children in her home by day, clearing away the equipment and materials in the evening so that the family could watch television.  What payment she did receive from parents and eventually from a beleagured health service, was put back into SKIP to buy materials and in time to help establish the SKIP centre which she built in her own back garden. I am delighted to say that we -  Down Syndrome Centre - were in a position to support Ann financially in her bid to built her own mini SKIP centre which we always saw as being a fore-runner of an eventual SKIP to be housed in the Down Syndrome Centre once built.

Her bid to bring a greater understanding of early intervention and its benefits to Ireland did not stop there. Ann also worked part time with Down Syndrome Ireland and travelled around the country meeting parents and health care professionals and parents opening a new avenue of developmental opportunity for Irish children with Down syndrome and other intellectual disabilities.

As a parent herself, Ann offered unwavering support to other parents and I know I speak for many people when I say that she is a great loss to the Irish Down Syndrome Community. Ann is returning to live in the US later this week.

On the eve of her departure, I hope she will take heart from her considerable achievement and legacy to this country - her SKIP system which will continue to be operated and delivered in her absence.

In addition, Ann will be contributing a weekly blog to our website starting from the end of August and is also in the process of developing her own online consultancy service through her website www.annhaig.com which is currently under development.

This subscription service will allow parents to ask questions of Ann and to benefit from podcasts and other online services and information which she will be providing in coming months. In addition, she hopes to travel back to Ireland regularly to facilitate seminars and other workshops - so keep looking into the site to find out more.

I wish her safe journey back to Kansas and look forward to welcoming her back if not in person for now, then in the written word when she joins our online community in a few short weeks from now.