World Down Syndrome Day Is Today For You And Every Day For Me

I woke up this morning at 3:40 so I could get ready for work. Today was a day much like many others and yet a little bit different. Today, you see, is World Down Syndrome Day. World Down Syndrome Day occurs each year on March 21. The reason March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day is simple. The date of 03/21 represents the third copy of the 21st chromosome that Down Syndrome have. The goal of this day is to celebrate the accomplishments and achievements of those with Down Syndrome, as well as promote awareness and understanding within the global community so that people with Down Syndrome have rights and can live a better life.
For me, every day is World Down Syndrome Day. I’ve mentioned previously how much I hate the misuse and abuse of the word retarded. It’s uncalled for, and is hurtful, insensitive and ignorant. To this day I don’t know that I can express how I feel any better than I did in my 2009 post for World Down Syndrome Day. Please stop now and take a minute to read it, it’s totally worth it. My feelings are so strong that I founded a non-profit Down Syndrome advocacy and support group for our area.
So back to my day. It started out happy, as happy as a day can be when you were just on a family vacation in Walt Disney World the day before. My mood was good. About halfway through the morning, a coworker stopped at my desk and dropped the R word – retarded. (If you’re not familiar with the the movement to end misuse of the R word, check out my 2010 post on the Spread The Word To End The Word campaign.) Suddenly I felt as though someone had stabbed me right in the heart. This is actually a fairly typical feeling for me, as many people misuse the word. Do they not know that words hurt? Do they not care? After all, my 11 year old son is a beautiful, loving, amazing little boy. He does plenty of typical stuff.
He likes to help in the kitchen.

He enjoys sports. He loves to play soccer.

He loves to open presents and get new toys, especially Thomas The Train toys.

He likes to make up his own toys. Like boxes. Don’t all kids play with boxes?

He likes to flirt with the ladies. He loves to hold hands, especially if you have fingernails. He will probably convince you to give his arms a massage.

He loves Walt Disney world, and Pooh and Tigger too.

I leave work and go home, still feeling sad and aggravated. What brightens my mood? The huge hug and “hi Mom, love you” that I receive when my son gets off the school bus. They are pretty close to a cure-all for me.
My parents taught me to treat others based on how I was treated. It’s even in the bible – “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. If people would actually open their minds they might be surprised at what they learned and saw. My son is a happy, loving boy. His smile and laughter are contagious. Spend time with him and you’ll be smiling too. Maybe if everyone spent some time learning about people with Down Syndrome and opening their hearts and minds and accepting others the world would be a happier place.
Parents, I encourage you to teach your children that people are different and that’s part of life. Promote acceptance. Sometimes I see children sneaking a glance at my son. Sometimes I see some just out right stare. I used to get upset that their parents didn’t encourage politeness and try to discourage the staring. Now I encourage my son to put his hand out and say hello, in the hopes that the two of us can make a small difference. If everyone tried to make a small difference, it would make a huge difference.
Now here’s some info from the NDSS.
About Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is the most commonly occurring genetic condition, in which the individual has a third copy of the twenty-first chromosome. World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated on the twenty-first day of the third month of the year in recognition of this fact. One in every 691 live births is a baby born with Down syndrome, and it is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. People with Down syndrome attend school, work, participate in decisions that affect them, and contribute to society in many wonderful ways.
People with Down syndrome are living longer than ever before. The life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades – from 25 in 1983 to 60 today. Children with Down syndrome are often fully included in social and educational settings and increasingly go on to graduate high school and attend postsecondary education programs. While placement in the workforce remains a struggle, the situation has improved and adults with Down syndrome have attained a variety of positions, bringing enthusiasm, reliability and dedication to their jobs.
About NDSS
The National Down Syndrome Society is a nonprofit organization representing the more than 400,000 Americans with Down syndrome. The mission of NDSS is to be the national advocate for the value, acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. The National Down Syndrome Society envisions a world in which all people with Down syndrome have the opportunity enhance their quality of life, realize their life aspirations, and become valued members of welcoming community. NDSS has over 350 affiliates nationwide. To learn more, visit www.ndss.org.
About World Down Syndrome Day
World Down Syndrome Day was established in 2006 by Down Syndrome International, with the goal of raising awareness and mobilizing support and recognition of the dignity, rights and well being of people with Down syndrome across the world. To learn more, visit www.ds-int.org/events/wdsd.
And a little video with some pretty music.