MY VIEW
There is help and hope for people with Down’s
Updated: 10/15/08 6:32 AM
Running late to Mass on Ascension Thursday in 2007, I scooted into the back pew and ended up sitting behind Megan, a parishioner in her early 20s who has Down syndrome. As I reflected during the Mass, I was hit with the realization that soon there will not be many Megans in the world because we are currently aborting 90 percent of the babies who are identified as possibly having Down syndrome. I sensed an urgency to take action.
After speaking with Megan’s family and others across the country and consulting with the major Down syndrome groups, it became clear to me that there is often an information vacuum when pregnant women are given the news that their baby may have Down syndrome. Some physicians have outdated information about what life holds for such people.
A number of women shared that they felt pressure from their physician to choose pregnancy termination. Many families reported feeling overwhelmed by the news. They wanted to receive up-to-date information and help.
As I came to know the people who run the Down syndrome support groups across the country, I was amazed by these families. I had no idea I would encounter so many people who feel passionately that having a child with Down syndrome has brought tremendous blessings into their lives.
I also learned that the support group members are an enthusiastic bunch who rally around new families seeking help as they welcome a child with Down syndrome. People with Down syndrome are more like the rest of us than they are different. Some go to college. Many hold jobs.
As stated by the National Down Syndrome Society, “Today, individuals with Down syndrome are active participants in the educational, vocational, social and recreational aspects of our communities. In fact, there are more opportunities than ever before for individuals with Down syndrome to develop their abilities, discover their talents and realize their dreams.”
I put together a simple bi-fold brochure titled “When you’ve learned that your baby has Down syndrome, there is help and hope.” I put out a call for photos of people with Down syndrome and was thrilled to receive many. The brochure and companion Web site at DownSyndromeBrochure.com include a photo of Stephen, age 15, on water skis; Christina, age 5, clearly the delight of her two big sisters; and Nayef, a young man giving a conference presentation.
After a year of hard work, on Sept. 5, I launched the brochure and Web site, which provide a list of Down syndrome groups and related resources. The brochure can be downloaded for free.
The timing of the brochure launch was providential because that same week Gov. Sarah Palin was announced as Sen. John McCain’s running mate. In April, Palin gave birth to Trig, a baby boy with Down syndrome.
I continue to send the brochure near and far, hoping that it will make a dent in the information vacuum. Requests for copies are coming from across the country.
During October, which is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, I will be mindful of how my own awareness of Down syndrome issues has grown by leaps and bounds since running late to Mass that morning. Most of all, I have learned that we are each unique but we possess much in common, and that we all need each other. Truly, there is help and hope!
