An Awe-Inspiring Showing of Support: another truth about Down syndrome walks

Tomorrow is my local organization's annual charitable walk to kick off October being National Down Syndrome Awareness Month. I can't wait. Continue Reading

Blog Hop: The Truth About Down Syndrome Awareness Walks

Fellow-blogger Meriah at her blog "With A little Moxie" is holding another "Blog Hop" asking for one truth, one tip, and one photo. I will hopefully not too shamelessly promote my daughter's Walk team with this entry.  Continue Reading

The role of community in dealing with loss

In his recent book, Rod Dreher shares the story of his sister Ruthie's final time on earth battling  lung cancer and how it led him back to his small hometown in Louisiana. The book caused me to weep, and has a message worth sharing here. Continue Reading

Hundreds signing up to adopt a child with Down syndrome should not be surprising

A recent news story reported as a surprising result that hundreds of parents had volunteered to adopt a child when the call was put out. The turnout was indeed overwhelming, but in the end only one couple will adopt this child. Hopefully the hundreds of others will reach out to adopt the many other children with Down syndrome waiting to be adopted. Continue Reading

Is it already happening? Tracking Down syndrome births so far in 2013.

In previous posts, I have written of a concern that others have shared about whether Down syndrome will disappear as prenatal testing advances. Down Syndrome Affiliates in Action (DSAIA) has posted a request of mine seeking groups to report their numbers of referrals for births so far in 2013.  This is prompted by one organization receiving only two birth referrals when they would ordinarily have welcomed at least 10 new babies at this same time in previous years. Click here to read the full Continue Reading

With Down syndrome, what are we choosing to invest in?

I wrote previously about how some describe the damage of disability as the lack of support by society for individuals with disabilities. It prompts the question: with Down syndrome, what are we choosing to invest in?  Continue Reading

Wrongful birth and abortion: what’s the damage of disability?

In a very moving article, Kristina Chew wrote of her son, who has autism, and whether she would have aborted him if given the chance through prenatal testing. In South Africa, a couple was awarded 4.4 million Rand (or about $440,000) precisely because they were not told prenatally their child had Down syndrome--they said they would have aborted had they known prenatally. Both stories are revealing in what they consider the damage of disability. Continue Reading

Really, you are not alone

Mother's Day is this Sunday. Here's a chance to provide a "lifeline" for expectant mothers.  Continue Reading

You are not alone

Last Thursday, USA Today featured a front-age, below-the-fold story by Liz Szabo on the recent advances in Down syndrome prenatal testing. The report shares an important recommendation for those receiving a prenatal test result.  Continue Reading