If you haven’t seen Peanut Butter Falcon, go see it at the movies while you still have the chance. An authentic Tom Sawyer adventure story starring a young man with DS – it will warm your heart. We are so protective of our loved ones we can be guilty of “infantiling” them – I wish a true friendship like this one for all friends with DS.
https://www.nationalreview.com/…/peanut-butter-falcon-movi…/
On Sunday, October 13th join us for a beautiful 3-mile walk along Lake Quannapowitt to promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome! REGISTER HERE
12:00pm: Registration & Pre-Walk Festivities
1:30pm: Walk & Post-Walk Festivities
The MDSC is the leading organization in Massachusetts for providing information, networking opportunities, and advocacy for and about Down syndrome. Your support allows us to continue to promote awareness throughout the state and maximize the opportunities available for all individuals with Down syndrome. Thank you for helping us in our mission to ensure that all individuals with Down syndrome are valued, included, and given the opportunity to pursue fulfilling lives.
Bronze Sponsor
Buddy Walk Friend
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Join us on Sunday, September 15th for a beautiful 1.5-mile walk along Lake Chauncy to promote the acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. REGISTER HERE
10:00am-11:00am Registration & Pre-Walk Festivities
11:00am-1:00pm Walk & Post-Walk Festivities
The MDSC is the leading organization in Massachusetts for providing information, networking opportunities, and advocacy for and about Down syndrome. Your support allows us to continue to promote awareness throughout the state and maximize the opportunities available for all individuals with Down syndrome. Thank you for helping us in our mission to ensure that all individuals with Down syndrome are valued, included, and given the opportunity to pursue fulfilling lives.
Please join us at the MDSC’s 33rd Annual Conference
Saturday, March 25, 2017 | 8:00 am – 4:00 pm
DCU Center, Worcester, MA #CountMeIn
Each spring, hundreds of people with Down syndrome, their family members, health care professionals and educators from across New England attend our Annual Conference. Participants gather to hear the latest research findings and important information from national and local experts on a range of topics related to Down syndrome. They also share stories, celebrate victories, advocate for acceptance and inclusion, and reunite with other MDSC families.
Our conference is for parents, educators, self advocates, brothers and sisters, other family members, and professionals.
COUNT ME IN THEME FOR 2017
Our community includes individuals with the full spectrum of interests and abilities, people of all different cultures and backgrounds, individuals with unique viewpoints and personalities. What ties us together? Ultimately, all people with Down syndrome and their families want to be COUNTED and deserve to be INCLUDED.
in 2017, we are excited to celebrate the possibilities and potential of all people with Down syndrome. Join us as we bring out Count Me In theme to life. REGISTER @ www.mdsc.kintera.org/
We are collecting photos for our Count Me In video collage. Email your photo (and your ‘Count Me In’ stories, if you have them)
to [email protected].
At our Annual Conference, we present awards for Employer of the Year, Media member of the Year, Educator of the Year and present the Crocker Award of Excellence. And our Awards Luncheon will feature the incredible achievements of the self advocates in our community, including:
**Collete Divitto, Owner, Collettey’s Cookies, Featured on CBS Nightly News
**Graham Campbell, Pianist
**Sindrome Down Folklore Latino Dance Troop and Good Morning America
If you attend our Annual Conference, you can choose among several tracks:
General Session Workshops – Parents, family member and professionals will learn from expert speakers about how to help individuals with Down syndrome acquire the necessary skills to lead fuller, healthier, more independent lives.
Self-Advocate Workshops – Young adults with Down syndrome will have an opportunity to network and share experiences, strengthen their self-advocacy skills, and learn about the importance of leading a healthy life and building meaningful relationships.
Brothers and Sisters Workshops – Siblings of people with Down syndrome will hear how other brothers and sisters deal with the joys and challenges inherent in being a sibling. Creates a forum for sharing stories and learning the importance of advocacy.
Education Workshops – Educators and parents will learn best practices for educating students with Down syndrome in an inclusive classroom, as well as the benefits of inclusion for all learners.
By Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change (MFOFC)
A Full Life Ahead Series is offered in the Metro Boston Region by Massachusetts Families Organizing for Change in partnership with with Riverside Community Care and Advocates.
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A Full Life Ahead: Creating Housing Options
Thursday, April 13, 2017 6:30 – 8:30 PM
Advocates Main Office, 1881 Worcester Road, Framingham, MA
How can I develop a housing option for my adult child, even if they are not prioritized for residential services? Come learn about governmental funding streams, how they can be combined, and how to supplement them with your own resources. The importance of building your child’s skills will also be discussed.
>> Register
From LPB, “A great day today at the MA State House advocating for people with Down syndrome. Of importance to us – Bill S2157/H4040 to ensure continuation and increased funding for Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment initiative so students with IDD can continue to have inclusive higher education opportunities at MA colleges and universities.”
For more coverage on the MDSC’s Annual Advocacy Day, visit https://www.facebook.com/massdscongress/
From LPB, “Lovely to watch this young lady with Down syndrome with the Zumba moves! Won’t you love to try Yulissa Arescurenaga’s class?”
By Tiare Dunlap | people.com
When Yulissa Arescurenaga took her first Zumba class in 2008, she dreamed of one day making it her life’s work by becoming a certified instructor. The only problem was that there were no other instructors out there like Arescurenaga, who has Down syndrome.
http://www.people.com/article/Yulissa-Arescurenaga-becomes-first-us-zumba-teacher-with-down-syndrome
From LBP, “The Jerome Lejeune Foundation has been developing therapeutic treatments related to the overexpression of the gene Dryk1A (implicated for causing intellectual disability) for those living with Down syndrome. Clinical trials of interest to us include the use of EGCG, a natural substance found in green tea, as an inhibitor of Dryk1A. They have just announced a new partnership with Manros Therapeutics to develop a new drug from a molecule described in scientific literature as the most powerful inhibitor of Dryk1A.”
By mbradford | lejeuneusa.org
The Jerome Lejeune Foundation has been intensely involved in supporting the development of therapeutic treatments related to the overexpression of the gene Dryk1A for those living with Down syndrome.
http://lejeuneusa.org/blog/exciting-new-research-spain#.Vwcyi2NXndk
P.C.: flickr
From LPB, “Love that we are seeing more types of beauty being appreciated! Katie Meade is a Best Buddies spokesperson and the new face of beauty for a hair products company.”
By Jillian Ruffo | people.com
New haircare line, Beauty & Pin-Ups, is breaking down barriers. The brand introduced 32-year-old Katie Meade as the face of their latest launch: Fearless Hair Rescue Treatment. We caught up with Meade to talk about the partnership, and quickly learned she’s the type of inspiration the beauty world has been missing.
http://stylenews.people.com/style/2016/04/01/meet-katie-meade-the-first-woman-with-down-syndrome-to-be-featured-as-the-face-of-a-beauty-product/
P.C.: flickr
From LPB, “Indiana has become the second state in the nation, following North Dakota, to ban abortions motivated by objections to Down syndrome. Gov. Mike Pence signed the bill yesterday to protect termination of pregnancies simply because of a disability, race or sex.”
By INDIANAPOLIS (Associated Press) | fox32chicago.com
Indiana has a strict new abortion law, one that bans abortions on the basis of fetal abnormalities like Down syndrome, and also requires that all fetal remains be buried or cremated.
Republican Gov. Mike Pence signed the measure just hours ahead of his deadline to take action on the proposal approved by the Republican-dominated Legislature two weeks ago, the governor’s office said. It is due to take effect in July, but Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky said it will ask a court to block the measure before that can happen.