Lucy Graham Turned Her Down Syndrome Into a Source of Strength—and a Successful Jewelry Business
Lucy Graham overcame heart surgery at 13 and became an entrepreneur who gives back with jewelry
Key Takeaways
- Born with Down syndrome, Lucy Graham underwent open-heart surgery at age 13.
- She graduated from Clemson University’s ClemsonLIFE independent living program.
- Lucy now sells 2,500+ jewelry pieces yearly and donates proceeds to local charities.
When Lucy Graham was born with Down syndrome, her family vowed to help her shine. Today, her determination and creativity helped her find success! Here, she shares her story with Woman’s World.
When she was in high school, Lucy Graham gave her class a PowerPoint presentation on living with Down syndrome, describing its physical effects, like digestive and heart issues.
“That’s why I needed open-heart surgery when I was 13,” she explained.
When Lucy was born, doctors surprised Susan and Bob Graham with their daughter’s diagnosis, and the Columbia, South Carolina, couple didn’t know anything about the genetic condition.
“All we can do is try our best,” Bob told his wife, and that’s just what they did.
With assistance from the state’s BabyNet program, Lucy received therapies to help her walk and talk. Her big sister, Grace, also helped. The girls transformed their playroom into a classroom, with Grace the teacher and Lucy the eager student.
At school, Lucy was mainstreamed, though her parents helped launch an in-class special ed program to personalize her curriculum. She was a cheerleader and played on her church basketball team.
After graduation, Lucy went to Clemson University. She lived in the dorms and attended the ClemsonLIFE program, learning independent skills like cooking and banking.
Discovering Her Creative Passion
“She’s doing exceptionally well,” her counselor, Sarah, told her folks. “She’s wonderful with people, she’s creative and loves working with her hands. She would be a perfect candidate to start her own business making and selling jewelry.”
Soon, Lucy was beading bracelets, necklaces and earrings. She named her business The Upside Down Collection, to show the world the upside of living with Down syndrome.
At first, Lucy sold her pieces in the dorms, but when a local coffee shop hosted a craft sale, her parents drove up to surprise her.
But it was Lucy who surprised them.
“I sold $500 worth!” she said.
Lucy’s parents helped her build a website, and along with area pop-up shops, she began taking online orders, packaging each with a handwritten note:
Enjoy your necklace. Thank you for ordering from me.
How The Upside Down Collection Gives Back
Today, at 30, Lucy lives independently in an apartment above her parents’ garage. She sells at least 2,500 jewelry pieces every year and donates the proceeds to area special-needs organizations.
Lucy loves her business, and treasures the many customer thank-you letters she receives.
“It makes me feel happy that people like what I do,” she says. “I also like being able to give back to help others.”
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