*** NOTE: Please get your $5 ebook copy of
Real Families, Real Stories: Celebrating Life With Down Syndrome By Stephanie Sumulong
TONIGHT, as every copy sold before the end of July 2014 will be matched by a generous donor, for distribution to families who have just received a Down Syndrome diagnosis.***
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Lauren Potter, actress in TV show ‘Glee’
Young adult Jessie Huggett is a member of Propeller Dance, a troupe of contemporary dancers in Ottawa Canada that has been voted “Best Dance Show” of 2009 and 2005 by the Ottawa Xpress Newspaper. She’s also a senior member of the Dandelion Dance Company, has been a “20 Under 20” National Youth Award Finalist, and was the 2005 recipient of the Jane Cameron Award (an award named after an Alberta Canada artist, born with Down Syndrome in 1949, whose colourful tapestries, remarkable paintings and poetry were commissioned by Prime Ministers and national magazines.)
On prime-time television, California-born actress Lauren Potter has been wooing audiences in her roles as Becky Jackson on the hit television series Glee. She’s one of a number of actresses to hit big screen and television, including Jamie Brewer, Andrea Friedman, Paula Sage, and actors Chris Burke, Stephane Ginnsz, Tommy Jessop, Pablo Pineda, among others.
American sculptor Judith Scott, born in 1943, is another individual you may have encountered if you’re a patron of the visual arts. She’s an internationally renowned American fiber artist who worked at the Creative Art Center in Oakland, California.
What do all these individuals have in common? If you haven’t already guessed from the topic of this post, every individual named above has Down Sydrome (in fact, Judith Scott was born a deaf mute as well!). Down Syndrome is a condition caused by an extra chromosome in one’s DNA, and is so horribly misunderstood that 90% of Down diagnoses end in abortion. A number that shockingly, some abortion advocates don’t find high enough!
It’s not merely in the arts that many individuals with Downs have achieved great things. In 2013 Dr. Karen Gaffney became the first living person with Down syndrome to receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from the University of Portland, for her long-standing humanitarian work in raising awareness about the capabilities of people who have Down syndrome. She is an accomplished sports figure, public speaker, and advocate.
Also in 2013, Megan McCormack became the first person with Down Syndrome to graduate with honors from a technical college in United States. She earned her degree in education and was at the top of her class at Bluegrass Community Technical College in Kentucky. She even recently got her driver’s license!
Again in 2013 Angela Bachiller became the first person with Down Syndrome to be elected as a councilwoman. She works at the Ayuntamiento (municipality) of Valladolid, Spain, and is expected to continue her political career.
As we become increasingly inclusive, many individuals with Downs are surprising us and excelling at opportunities most of their contemporaries not previously been given. Some have become young entrepreneurs. Others, like Eli Reimer have made history in sports. Eli became, in 2012, the first person with Down syndrome to reach the Base Camp of Mount Everest. In 2013 Owen Groesser, a junior in high school with Down Syndrome managed to catch the coveted attention of the ESPN sport center after scoring two 3-point baskets with his special move.
Of course, not all individuals with Down Syndrome go on to become famous artists or do great things in society – but then again, the same is true of those of us in the population of the “normal”. A woman I met in at the last Propeller Dance performance in Ottawa wrote a book called “Teach me, I can learn” (which I also recommend readers purchase), about her daughter Lorena who has Down Syndrome and faced discrimination in the Canadian school system. Her book clearly showcases that life with a special needs child can be hard, but with the right support systems and love,any child can achieve a happy and productive life! With adequate support most can go on to hold jobs, become volunteers in the community, and some, like the couple showcased in the documentary Monica and David go on to find love. Down Syndrome is not a death sentence, nor a guarantee of a terrible life! In fact, the stories in Real Families, Real Stories: Celebrating Life With Down Syndrome
We stand at a crucial point in history, as the numbers of those who fight for euthanasia of the disabled are increasing alongside the the rise of disabled-rights advocates. Advocacy groups like The International Down Syndrome Coalition often include members of the Down Syndrome community themselves, and are seeing society become increasingly inclusive of those with special needs. But with the vast majority of children diagnosed with Down Syndrome still being terminated as a life not worth living, it’s clear that human rights advocates like you and I have a long way to go!
Buy your copy of Real Families, Real Stories: Celebrating Life With Down Syndrome today for only $5 and help get this book into the hands of families who might otherwise abort their child with DS. Parents need to know there are resources and help for them and for their children, and that if they really can’t handle the task, that there is a waiting list of couples who will adopt a child with special needs, including Down Syndrome (over 200 families currently on the DS waiting list). Let’s help fight “chromosomalism”! These human beings deserve human rights too!
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