Aim High Enough on 03/21/08

Each week I try to write about a story or some news that I have found that I consider to be good. After I’ve found one I want to share and I write about it, I send it to my pal Skeet. Skeet has a weekly geel good news feature on her blog called Share Some Good Stuff. I won’t lie, I haven’t had a great week and haven’t really read much news. But there is something important to me, something that is good, that I want to share.

Friday March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day 2008. The day was named and selected by Down Syndrome International and the global Down Syndrome community. The annual date of March 21 was chosen to signify trisomy, or the triplification, of the 21st chromosome, which is synonymous with Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome was named so in the 1880s when Dr John Langdon Down named the set of characteristics that people with Down Syndrome have. This year’s theme is “Aim High Enough”, taken from advice given to Dr Down which he later passed on to his medical students - “My lad, you take your aim; be sure you aim high enough. That’s the thing – aim high enough.” Activities and events are held on this day world wide with the goal of promoting awareness.

This isn’t a typical good news story. This is a story about an event that signifies a small percentage of people all around the world are uniting in advocacy for Down Syndrome. That is the good news, because it means a need has been recognized and people are working towards fulfilling it. Going through the activities and events listed on the WDSD website I found it both interesting and encouraging to read about the different ways different groups, organizations and countries are observing this day. Society needs to know that people with Down Syndrome are people with hopes, feelings and dreams, and have the right to be treated as a valued member of the community. The more people that become aware and educated the better it will be for everyone. My hope is that the number of people will continue to grow.

I made the decision to aim high years ago, before this date was set. I will never stop promoting Down Syndrome awareness as long as I live. I try to educate people I encounter that are willing to learn something about Down Syndrome. I try to educate the ignorant and intolerant I encounter in the hopes of making this world a better place for my son and others to live.

If you have a few minutes, I highly recommend watching this Gifts photo montage.

Filed Under: Family • Health • Life