Creating a world where negative perceptions of Down syndrome are a thing of the past
“I would like everyone to know that Down's Syndrome doesn't define Betsy. It is a condition she lives with, that we treat with intervention and that she lives her life in the most wonderful effervescent way. Betsy is Betsy. Beautiful.” Rachel Mewes
A poem by Claire May Minett, age 39, about having Mosaic Down Syndrome
Song lyrics by Jessica William's aged 15 with Down Syndrome
Dance With A Magic Heart
Show me who you are one day. Dance with magic. Wonderful in your own way. Dance with a magic heart. Look at me and see. What you make of my life.
Open your heart, show me we can do anything. Dance with a magic heart. Looking for rainbow magic inside.
Open your heart. Show me we can do anything. Dance with a magic heart.
I See You
I see you in my heart and I know....... Everything that I see. You again in my heart.
This is my life........You and me will see the sky and i will hold on. I'll always love you. I'll always want to be with you and I see you with someone else. But it's so hard to see you again.
I wonder if......I'll never see you again. I'll never see you again
Maybe
I maybe far away. All I know. I want to be with you.
This is you. This is me. Show me the world. I need to be.
I need to be who I am.
This is Ellen
Ellen is 15 years old and is one of the WCAT 2020 Ambassadors. She was born 2 months early weighing just 3.5lb and with Mosaic Downs Syndrome. She has now grown up into a beautiful, gentle, cheeky, caring, kind young lady or as she would say a "Cool Dude". She is beautiful inside and out, brings sunshine into everyone's lives and puts a smile on many faces.
Ellen is half English and half Cypriot. She has a brother Andreas who she ADORES, a half brother in the UK with a baby boy due the end of January and a half-sister in Cyprus with 3 boys. So she is Aunty Ellen!
She is very good at gymnastics and dancing. She is so flexible and has got a lot of rhythm, with the ability to do the splits and a one-handed cartwheel. She started a dance academy at the age of 2 consisting of street dance, ballet, tap and gymnastics and has performed in their dance show every year. She has received many certificates, rosettes and medals over the years.
Ellen occasionally attends the "Upbeats" Charlton Athletic Downs Syndrome Football club. She also has 1-1 drum lessons, goes swimming usually every week like a little mermaid and keeps very busy. At home she is always dancing, singing and acting out scenes from the tv. Pretending to be a teen spy or Wonder Woman with her high kicks and karate actions is definitely entertaining.
Ellen loves school. She loves to help other pupils if they are struggling and she recently volunteered as a reader to the younger pupils in the school. She read out a poem in assembly about Poppies for Remembrance day ,which is a great achievement for her. She has taken part in many sporting activities at school, including The London Youth Games, football matches and much more.
Ellen has joined a modelling and casting agency, so she is looking forward to doing some work with them and she will hopefully be starting college in September to study Performing Arts. Her two favourite things are food and boys. She loves to go to restaurants, the cinema and the theatre. She also loves the very high rides at the theme parks and is s bit of an adrenaline junkie!
Her family could not be more proud of their "Cool Dude" and wish her all the luck in the world You can watch Ellen's video here
- Image: Karin Crimmins' daughter, Lauren with her friends
“What would help me would be an LA bank of people I could employ from. It’s not just administering the pay etc its finding people in the first place." Anon - parent of young person with Downs Syndrome
This year, Wouldn't Change a Thing produced a book for parents, by families of people with Down Syndrome. The book, created in conjunction with Celebrate T21 in Australia, is free for new and expectant parents and families to provide them with a true, lived experience. It is a beautiful tangible book to work your way through from babies to adults. Here is a link to the Wouldn't change a thing awareness campaign with youtube videos that you won't regret watching and certainly won't forget!
Lots of socks "We want everyone to celebrate this year’s World Down Syndrome Day so we’re (Down Syndrome Association) joining Down Syndrome International’s Lots of Socks campaign to get everyone to wear special, limited edition #LOTSOFSOCKS socks. So, whether you are at home, nursery, school, university, work, on holiday or anywhere else, on 21 March 2020, wear LOTS OF SOCKS and invite all your friends, family and colleagues to do the same!
