3-21 World Down Syndrome Day

Happy “World Down Syndrome Day!”

Today’s date, 3/21, represents 3 copies of the 21st chromosome:  the genetic condition known as “trisomy 21,” or “Down syndrome.”  For more background information, or if you really don’t know much about the condition, I would recommend that you start with last year’s post.

This year, I would like to highlight two things.

1:

This is the new video produced by the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) “We’re More Alike Than Different” Campaign.  These men and women are truly inspiring, and I wish I could meet all 4 of them!

2:   Reece’s Rainbow.

If you ever wanted to support Matthew financially, please consider making a donation to Reece’s Rainbow in his honor.

This is an organization that raises funds to help families adopt a child with Down syndrome.  Most of the adoptions are international, and can cost a family up to $30,000 – a huge barrier in the effort to give a child their “forever family.”  Most of the waiting children are in Russia or Eastern Europe, although there are children in need everywhere.  These children are living in orphanages, but will be placed in institutions once they reach a certain age – sometimes it is age 3, sometimes age 5.  Most children with Down syndrome die within their first year of institutionalization.

Reece’s Rainbow also funds humanitarian aid projects and educational/therapeutic opportunities aiming to improve the quality of life of these waiting children.  The organization also funds and facilitates the development of new Down syndrome birth parent support groups in foreign countries, with the goal of decreasing the number of children placed in orphanages.

Visit the Reece’s Rainbow website.  Browse through the pictures of beautiful children waiting to meet their forever families.  It will break your heart.  Many of the children already have a committed family, but just need more funds for their adoption grant.  There are many, many families eagerly waiting to welcome a little one with Down syndrome into their homes, but they just need a little help to make that possible.  You can make a donation to the general fund, which will go to where the need is greatest, or you can choose to sponsor a particular child or family.

Could you be a child’s forever family?

Could you help a child meet his forever family?