Happy 3-21!
What? You didn’t know today is a holiday? Well, it is!! Today is World Down Syndrome Day!
Around the world today, individuals with Down syndrome are being celebrated! Taken from the World Down Syndrome Day website, “World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) is a global awareness day which has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.”
Why is March 21st the global awareness day?
Down syndrome is attributed to a partial or full extra copy of the 21st chromosome. Individuals with Down syndrome typically have three chromosomes present on the 21st chromosome. Down syndrome is often referred to as Trisomy 21. Hence, 3-21 (March 21st)!
Let’s Celebrate!
So, in honor of this wonderful day of celebration, I’d like to honor my daughter! She has been a beacon of light in our lives for almost twelve years. Every day, she teaches me something new. My daughter is the hardest worker and she never gives up! Last year, she joined the Special Olympics Gymnastic Team. For six months, she practiced her floor, vault, beam, and bar routines. Come spring, she was ready for the regional competition, where she earned a gold on the uneven bars and a gold all-around medal, silver medals on beam and vault, and a bronze on floor, thus qualifying her for the state games! A couple of months later, she performed just as well at state, bringing home a lot of hardware!
My Darling’s accomplishments aren’t limited to the gym. She excels at school, she’s a master of technology (she can operate an iPad like nobody’s business), she’s got dance moves, and a razor sharp wit! In one word, she’s AWESOME!
So, Happy World Down Syndrome Day!! If you know someone with DS, give them a high five today!
Let’s celebrate everyone’s uniqueness!!!
If you would like more information about Down syndrome or the Special Olympics, here are some helpful links:
National Down Syndrome Society: http://www.ndss.org/
World Down Syndrome Day: http://www.worlddownsyndromeday.org/
Special Olympics: http://www.specialolympics.org/
Psalm 139:13-14
13 For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Marie Meyer 
Hi Marie, I hope you don’t mind, I jumped across to your blog from Twitter (today is a day for procrastination it seems!) and I was amazed to read about your daughter competing in the Special Olympics! You must so incredibly proud of her, and I love the photo of her with all her medals and her flowers – what an amazing achievement!
My little brother has Down’s too, although he is quite a bit older than your daughter, he’s 27. He’s also actually very sporty, does a lot of swimming – and he is part of a dance group, which put on some awesome shows as a way to raise awareness for Down’s. He’s very independent actually, he travels on his own, on the train, he even has taken the plane on his own (something he is incredibly proud of, and so are we all!)
I had no idea there was such a thing as World Down Syndrome day, but it’s a fantastic idea, anything that can help people get a better understanding of what it is, but also of how wonderful people with Down’s are – my brother has to be the loveliest, kindest person I know.
Glad to have found your blog, and although I’m quite late – a belated happy Down Syndrome day 🙂
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Hi Celine! I appreciate you taking the time to read my blog post about World Down Syndrome Day. Thank you for sharing your brother’s story, it is very uplifting and encouraging! Happy World Down Syndrome Day to you, too! It’s never too late to celebrate the accomplishments of our amazingly talented loved ones! 🙂
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