Happy Down Syndrome Awareness Month!

Fact #3 - based on my own experiences

So, why is this important? Why do we need a Down Syndrome Awareness Month? Don’t we all need to raise awareness for something? "Yes!"

This month is an important month. Many groups raise awareness during October. I think it is fitting. The weather in most places is cooling off. We see a change in the environment and that is what we need for our groups. Change. It may be we need funding or we need acceptance or we need new laws. Each one of our groups needs something and we all need to listen.  It’s important. We are a community. A huge community.  Clearly we can’t all monetarily fund each and every group that needs help, but raising awareness does not cost a penny. Talk to a friend about someone you know that has the syndrome, the condition, the disease. Whatever it is you can make a difference.

For our family it is Down syndrome. There is a big reason why it is important to raise awareness for Down syndrome.  It means education, it means jobs, it means inclusion – it means life.  But, for today I just want to point out that this month is such an important month.  Read the posts you see on social media, share the knowledge, attend a walk, smile at these people – or just make it easy - show kindness to everyone. That is a wonderful place to start.  Everyone you see is going through some sort of battle – some big, some small, some healing, some wounded. It isn’t for you to know what it is or to even define it. It most certainly isn’t for you to judge it.  It is for you to accept your fellow mankind and to treat them as you’d like to be treated. 

Raise awareness for Down Syndrome, Rett Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Dwarfism, Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer.… I could keep typing. The list goes on and on of things that need our attention. As one person you can’t solve all the issues, but you can keep the conversations going that may lead to a cure, funding, awareness, or maybe something like a job offer for someone that once upon a time - not too long ago would never have been able to work to support themselves. 

Pick a cause or two or three.  Do some research, ask some questions.  Volunteer.  Raise Awareness. Be A Friend.