Campaign to Open Employers’ Eyes to the Power of People with Down Syndrome

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By Globenewswire.com

Boston Bruins Foundation, MDSC and others join forces to raise awareness about lack of employment opportunities

BOSTON, Sept. 29, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress will be launching its new public awareness campaign, Your Next Star, on Oct. 1, aimed at opening the eyes of employers to the power of people with Down syndrome in the workplace. Two years in the making, Your Next Star came about because of our increasing awareness of the challenges facing adults with Down syndrome looking for meaningful work opportunities in their communities.

KICKOFF/PRESS CONFERENCE FOR YOUR NEXT STAR CAMPAIGN
Thursday Oct. 1 | 11 a.m.
Boston Bruins Foundation
TD Garden
West End Room

At the press conference on October 1, the website, www.yournextstar.com, will be officially unveiled, including the centerpiece video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tI7czCgeehY – EMBARGOED UNTIL OCT. 1

The event takes place at the Boston Bruins Foundation on the first day of National Down Syndrome Awareness Month and Down Syndrome Awareness Month in the Commonwealth as declared by official proclamation by Governor Charlie Baker.

– See more at: http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/09/29/771787/10150950/en/Campaign-to-Open-Employers-Eyes-to-the-Power-of-People-with-Down-Syndrome.html#sthash.cyHmb73I.XJb2Ait8.dpuf

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Transition Conference 2015 – The Arc of Massachusetts

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Statewide Transition Conference for Parents – Does Your Son or Daughter Have a Plan for the Future?

Saturday, October 3, 2015 | 8:00 AM-4:00 PM | Best Western/Royal Plaza, Marlborough, MA

Learn:

  • About the Transition process from planning to IEP implementation
  • What elements a Transition program should offer
  • The types of services that can be provided outside of the classroom
  • About the new ABLE Account – how it works and the benefits
  • How to begin thinking about housing and much, much more!

For more information and to register click on this link http://thearcofmass.org/transition-conference-2015/

 

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Community Partnership Award Nominations

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From Federation for Children with Special Needs

Call for Nominations

Each year the Federation for Children with Special Needs presents Community Partnership Awards to individuals in Massachusetts who have successfully promoted an inclusive environment in their community at our Visions of Community conference. Do you know a p­­arent, student, teacher, administrator, health provider, coach, neighbor or other individual who has worked to create and support the inclusion of individuals with disabilities, those at-risk, or those who face cultural or linguistic barriers, in your school, health care or other place in the community? Nominate a person who has made a difference for a Community Partnership Award!

http://fcsn.org/voc/cpa-nominations/

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Dad’s letter to daughter with Down syndrome on wedding day goes viral

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From Foxnews.com:

A father whose daughter with Down syndrome recently got married has written a letter for the new bride that will tug at the heartstrings of every parent and child.

“Do you remember all the stuff they said you’d never do, Jills?” Paul Daugherty, a sports columnist for the Cincinnati Enquirer, writes in the letter, which was posted Wednesday, Aug. 26 on the website The Mighty, to his daughter Jillian. “You wouldn’t ride a two-wheeler or play sports. You wouldn’t go to college. You certainly wouldn’t get married. Now… look at you.”

http://www.foxnews.com/health/2015/09/03/dads-letter-to-daughter-with-down-syndrome-on-wedding-day-goes-viral/

 

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Where Hope Grows Movie (DVD)

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From Where Hope Grows:

The movie, WHERE HOPE GROWS, is an inspiring story about an unexpected friendship. Staring David DeSanctis who plays a young man with Down syndrome. The DVD comes out August 25, 2015 – for more information and to purchase the DVD, check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/WhereHopeGrows?fref=ts

 

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Madeline Stuart to become the first model with Down syndrome to walk at NY Fashion Week

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By Steve Smith | Benchmark Reporter:

Madeline Stuart, an Australian model with Down syndrome will be changing the fashion industry soon when she walks the ramp at the most prestigious event of the fashion world this September.

This 18 year old model went viral through social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. She managed to captivate the world with her beauty & relaxing smile.

http://www.benchmarkreporter.com/madeline-stuart-to-become-the-first-model-with-down-syndrome-to-walk-at-ny-fashion-week/8667/#prettyPhoto

 

 

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A Grant from Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress

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From Learning Program Boston:

We’re pleased to share that we have received a grant from the Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress (MDSC) to support the Learning Program as we enter our 2015-2016 academic year. Their continued support helps make tuition affordable and allows us to provide scholarships to families in need. Thank you, MDSC!
www.mdsc.org

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Albert Pujols gave us the most heartwarming moment of the Home Run Derby

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From USAToday.com

Young Dodgers slugger Joc Pederson knocked Albert Pujols out of the revamped Home Run Derby last night with a thrilling 12-11 win, but the best moment of their matchup — and the entire derby — didn’t come at the plate.

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/07/albert-pujols-was-the-real-winner-of-last-nights-home-run-derby?utm_source=fb-CHAMP-ALBERT-PUJOLS&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=facebook

 

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Sensory Friendly Films at AMC Theatres | Partnership Autism Society

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From AMC Theatres | Partnership with Autism Society

We Bring AMC Sensory Friendly Films to Families Affected by Autism on a Monthly Basis to Select Communities.

The program provides a special opportunity for families to enjoy their favorite films in a safe and accepting environment. The auditoriums dedicated to the program have their lights up, the sound turned down and audience members are invited to get up and dance, walk, shout or sing!

https://www.amctheatres.com/programs/sensory-friendly-films

 

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Pre-natal testing for Down syndrome: Why bother?

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The following piece appeared in the Spring 2015 edition of Down Syndrome World magazine.

History shows that when pre-natal tests for conditions that cannot be treated in the womb are introduced, termination of these pregnancies increase.  Down syndrome is no exception.  25 years ago when amniocentesis was the only definitive test for Down syndrome, researchers calculated a 20% abortion rate.[1]  Over the last two decades, however, as new tests were introduced the abortion rate skyrocketed.  The most recent published study on this reports that between 2006-2010, there were ~5,300 babies with Down syndrome born and  ~3,100 selective abortions performed in the U.S. annually, concluding that the rate of live births of babies with Down syndrome was approximately 30% lower than it would be without prenatal testing.[2]  Clearly, advances in prenatal testing since the 1970s have been followed by increased selective abortions for Down syndrome.

In 2011 Non-Invasive Prenatal Screening (NIPS) tests for Down syndrome were introduced.  These are deeply troubling as we can only expect further increases in the abortion rate.  While we know that some parents legitimately use prenatal testing to prepare, the stark reality is that it is usually used to detect, then abort, pregnancies testing positive for an extra 21st chromosome.  Such pre-natal tests move us closer to eliminating entire sub-populations.

Every individual has unique value, no matter what his or her capabilities.  Since there was nothing positive we could do about the results, we declined pre-natal testing for Down syndrome in both of our pregnancies.  While we were initially devastated when our first-born was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth, we soon learned to appreciate our son’s many gifts.  Evan has an unparalleled “joie de vie” (love for life)- an attitude we could all learn from.  He also has taught us that “imperfection” is what makes us all human.  Such a lesson no pre-natal test can predict.

[1] Egan et. al., “Demographic differences in Down syndrome live births from 1989 to 2006”, Prenatal Diagnosis, 31 (2011)

[2] de Graaf et. al., “Estimate for the live births, natural losses and elective terminations with Down syndrome in the United States.”, American Journal of Medical Genetics, Part A 167A (2015)

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