by Jennie H. Dunkley | aane.org
By Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change (MFOFC)
A Full Life Ahead Series is offered in the Metro Boston Region by Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change in partnership with with Riverside Community Care and Advocates.
—————————————————————-
A Full Life Ahead: Creating Housing Options
Thursday, April 13, 2017 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Advocates Main Office, 1881 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA
How can I develop a housing option for my adult child, even if they are not prioritized for residential services? Come learn about governmental funding streams, how they can be combined, and how to supplement them with your own resources. The importance of building your child’s skills will also be discussed.
>> Register
From LPB, “Heartwarming story – kids can be powerful!”
By Genevieve Shaw Brown | Yahoo.com
When an 11-year-old boy with Down syndrome was told he would not be able to attend middle school with his friends in the fall, they went to bat for him.
Brady Green’s classmates went to a school board meeting to speak about why the boy should attend Blevins Middle School with them in September. Six fifth-graders from Brady’s elementary school in Fort Collins, Colorado, took to the podium to speak about how he has enriched their lives.
From LPB, “A great day today at the MA State House advocating for people with Down syndrome. Of importance to us – Bill S2157/H4040 to ensure continuation and increased funding for Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment initiative so students with IDD can continue to have inclusive higher education opportunities at MA colleges and universities.”
For more coverage on the MDSC’s Annual Advocacy Day, visit https://www.facebook.com/massdscongress/
From LPB, “Maureen Blazejewski, M.Ed., one of our educational consultants, who also serves as Director of Education of the MDSC will be hosting a free webinar next Wed, May 25 at 12:00 PM EST – IEP Development: Considerations for Effective Advocacy
Coming together with your child’s team each year can be both exciting and stressful as you reflect upon your child’s progress and plan out for the new areas of focus over the next calendar year. This webinar will offer parents information, insight and tips that will lead to more effective communication and advocacy as you come together with your district team to plan for your child’s educational needs.”
REGISTER HERE: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/regist…/6021879324322698500
From LPB, “Lovely to watch this young lady with Down syndrome with the Zumba moves! Won’t you love to try Yulissa Arescurenaga’s class?”
By Tiare Dunlap | people.com
When Yulissa Arescurenaga took her first Zumba class in 2008, she dreamed of one day making it her life’s work by becoming a certified instructor. The only problem was that there were no other instructors out there like Arescurenaga, who has Down syndrome.
http://www.people.com/article/Yulissa-Arescurenaga-becomes-first-us-zumba-teacher-with-down-syndrome
P.C.: flickr
Join us on Wednesday, May 18 at the MA State House where we will be advocating for two bills together with the MDSC to ensure that all people with Down syndrome have opportunities to lead meaningful fulfilling lives in the community. This free event includes lunch and everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend – please register at the link below. The two bills concern non-discrimation in access to organ transplants (people with DS are at the bottom of the list) and inclusive higher education for people with IDD to attend state college with their non-disabled peers.
P.C.: flickr
From LPB, “After elementary school, most kids with DS are at the bottom of the Social Food Chain. For those with neurotypical kids wishing to avoid accidentally raising a bully it’s simply not enough to instruct your children to, “Be nice to others!” You’ve got to be more specific than that. Kids think if they aren’t being outright unkind, they are being nice.”
By Leslie Blanchard | huffingtonpost.com
I will never forget the day my daughter told me that Bethany, a girl in her 4th grade class, was annoying her.
“What is she doing to you?” I questioned, instinctively protective.
“She’s following me around on the playground and sitting by me at lunch!” she quipped, as if that would sum things right up and get me squarely on her side of the matter.
“You mean she’s trying to be friends with you?” I asked incredulously.
From LPB, “A documentary series following the lives of young people with Down syndrome is getting a special honor from the people behind the Emmy Awards. A&E Network series “Born This Way” is one of six shows named to the Television Academy Honors. The annual recognition from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences calls out programs that leverage television to “tackle complex issues and advance social change.””
By Shaun Heasley | disabilityscoop.com
A documentary series following the lives of young people with Down syndrome is getting a special honor from the people behind the Emmy Awards.
The A&E Network series “Born This Way” is one of six shows named to the Television Academy Honors.
The annual recognition from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences — the Hollywood organization responsible for the Emmy Awards — calls out programs that leverage television to “tackle complex issues and advance social change.”
From LBP, “The Jerome Lejeune Foundation has been developing therapeutic treatments related to the overexpression of the gene Dryk1A (implicated for causing intellectual disability) for those living with Down syndrome. Clinical trials of interest to us include the use of EGCG, a natural substance found in green tea, as an inhibitor of Dryk1A. They have just announced a new partnership with Manros Therapeutics to develop a new drug from a molecule described in scientific literature as the most powerful inhibitor of Dryk1A.”
By mbradford | lejeuneusa.org
The Jerome Lejeune Foundation has been intensely involved in supporting the development of therapeutic treatments related to the overexpression of the gene Dryk1A for those living with Down syndrome.
http://lejeuneusa.org/blog/exciting-new-research-spain#.Vwcyi2NXndk