Leukemia is 20-30 times more likely in kids with Down syndrome than typical kids; about 2-3% of people with Down syndrome develop some form of leukemia – usually either ALL like Hope or AML (acute myeloid leukemia). I had read those statistics at some point, but Hope had always been in remarkably good health.
A Special Educator's Story
I cannot express enough how much richer my life, the other teachers, students, and people we worked with, received from being with them, teaching them, and socializing with them. I remember quite distinctly many students coming up and thanking me for letting my students with Down syndrome be included and part of the school.
A Child Care Provider's View
I had never cared for a child that had Down Syndrome before, but have always shared a love for learning new experiences and have always expressed my interest in Special Needs Early Childhood Education. I educated myself on Down Syndrome, so that I could appropriately ask the family questions or share any of my concerns.
My Voice Matters
A life worth living.
The Two Gabbys
Thank You God for Sharing This Gift with Us
My WONDER-ful Vacation
Lifting Each Other Up Around the World
Shortly after my son was born with Down syndrome in 2000, representatives of my local Down syndrome organization visited Downside Up, an early intervention center in Russia. When Andy was about a year old, I read their newsletter article about this trip where they reported that more than 90% of the children with Down syndrome were institutionalized in Russia and that the parents of children with Down syndrome often faced isolation and discrimination.
Living the American Dream
In 1981, just before I turned 12, my family packed our belongings and emigrated my then 15 year old brother and I from the small island of Taiwan. I had understood that I was going to learn English and live in a place very different than Taiwan, but I would not fully grasp the different trajectory my life was about to take.
A Little Different, And That’s Okay
When I first found out that October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, my daughter Georgia was about eight months old. In those short eight months we crammed a lot of big experiences into our lives. Not only were my husband and I thrust into new parenthood with the birth of our first baby, we were also launched into the world of special needs.
