Down Syndrome Site : Down Syndrome Awareness

"Many people with Down's syndrome are having their services cut by local authorities," says Carol Boys, chief executive of the Down Syndrome Association in the UK. "Our guide explains in clear language ways that caregivers of people with Down's syndrome can lobby their MPs and local authorities to obtain the services they are entitled to." In addition to creating Down syndrome awareness and lobbying local government officials, the DSA also hopes to empower adults with Down syndrome to understand that each person can make a difference with his or her life. In America, the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) does much the same thing, while offering a compendium of local services to help families out.

The mission of the National Down Syndrome Society is "to benefit people with Down syndrome and their families through national leadership in education, research and advocacy." They feel that everyone has the right to reach their potential and that people with Down syndrome should have the opportunity to make choices affecting their lives.

Part of Down syndrome knowledge is pushing for better educational programs to help children with Down syndrome achieve their goals. Through the organization, parents can collect valuable resources and connect with local support groups. Down syndrome children can link up with local programs sponsored in part by NDSS, where they can foster a love of art, music or sports and gain the necessary tools to live a relatively independent life.

World Down Syndrome Awareness day is officially marked on March 21st. According to the website, at www.worlddownsyndromeday.org, "The date was chosen to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome." The first event took place in Singapore in 2006 and was considered a successful, well-attended event. Since then, various organizations around the world have planned events and activities to promote diversity and acceptance. In South Africa, National Down Syndrome Day is held on October 20th and the National Down Syndrome Society honors October as "National Down Syndrome Awareness Month," with several highly publicized events, like the annual Buddy Walk, which takes place in over 250 cities. The Down Syndrome Association, based in the UK, declared June 2-6 Down Syndrome Awareness Week, hosting art exhibits and other events.

Down Syndrome Awareness can be displayed as a postage stamp, a sweatshirt, a bumper sticker, or one of countless other promotional items. It could also be acted upon through an organization, be it a public speaking engagement, a benefit walk or the start of a new program that helps others. In the US, there are more than 350,000 children and adults with Down syndrome. With the average life span nearing sixty, the need for inclusion and social wellness is now more important than ever.

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