Archive for October 24th, 2017

During Down Syndrome Awareness Month celebrities vow to raise awareness for life-changing research in support of the foundation’s annual fundraiser next month in Denver

DENVER – Today the Global Down Syndrome Foundation announced its full celebrity lineup for this year’s 9^th annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, as well as its Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award (Q Award) winners. The fashion show is the single largest fundraiser benefiting people with Down syndrome, and will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, 1550 Court Place in Denver.

Models – including Marcus Sikora, 2017 Global Ambassador, Madeline Stuart, Australian Model and 2017 Q Award Winner, and DeOndra Dixon, past Global Ambassador and Q Award Winner – will be joined on the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show runway by celebrities including: Eva Longoria, Award-winning Actress, Producer, Director, Entrepreneur and 2017 Q Award winner; Jamie Foxx, Oscar Winning Actor, Grammy Winning Musician, and Comedian; Quincy Jones, 27-time Grammy Award Winning Musician, Music Icon, Entertainment Mogul, Entrepreneur and Humanitarian; Marisa Tomei, Oscar Winning Actress; Joe Manganiello, Star of True Blood and Magic Mike; Denis O’Hare, Tony Award Winning Actor and Star of True Blood; John C. McGinley, Award-winning Actor, and Global Board Member; and Amanda Booth, Actress and Model.

“This is a special year for Global as we have had two major scientific breakthroughs that are a direct result of the donations we have raised at our fashion show in past years,” said Global Down Syndrome Foundation President, CEO and Co-Founder, Michelle Sie Whitten. “We are thrilled and grateful for our celebrity supporters this year, but we are especially proud to have Quincy Jones attend to support Global and present his namesake award. It’s going to be a special evening for everyone who attends and donates their time, talent and treasure as they are the people helping us change the world for good.”

Over the past 8 years, the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show has raised more than $14 million for the Global Down Syndrome Foundation to support life-changing and life-saving research, medical care, education and advocacy. Specifically, the foundation has supported world-class multi-disciplinary medical care to more than 1,300 children with Down syndrome from 28 states and seven countries. The funding has also helped to establish the first academic home for revolutionary Down syndrome research, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders.

Various levels of tickets, table sponsorships, and model sponsorships are available, including VIP levels at www.bebeautifulbeyourself.org.

WATCH CLIP: Frank Stephens
Quincy Jones Advocate, Global Down Syndrome Foundation  

WATCH CLIP: Michelle Sie Whitten
President & CEO Global Down Syndrome Foundation
Executive Director Anna & John J. Sie Foundation

   WATCH CLIP: Joaquín Espinosa, PhD
Professor of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Co-Lead, Molecular Oncology Program and University of Colorado Cancer Center, Executive Director, Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome

WATCH CLIP: Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Congresswoman from Washington, House Republican Conference Chair

View Photos From The Event!

Wednesday, October 25, 2017  |   Washington, DC

Down Syndrome: Update on the State of the Science & Potential for Discoveries Across Other Major Diseases

The U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, which provides federal funding for the National Institutes of Health, held the first ever hearing on current and future research funding priorities to accelerate scientific discovery that will benefit individuals with Down syndrome and lead to new therapies to treat Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and other major diseases. 

The subcommittee listened to testimony from senior Members of Congress, internationally recognized researchers, and leaders from the Down Syndrome Community.  This represents an important opportunity to build congressional support for increased federal funding for Down syndrome research.

PANEL ONE:

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers Congresswoman from Washington (R-WA) House Republican Conference Chair

Rep. Cheri Bustos Congresswoman from Illinois (D-IL) Co-Chair of the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee

Rep. Pete Sessions Congressman from Texas (R-TX) Chair of the House Rules Committee

 

PANEL TWO:

Michelle Sie Whitten, MA  President & CEO Global Down Syndrome Foundation Executive Director Anna & John J. Sie Foundation

Dr. William Mobley Executive Director, Down Syndrome Center for Research and Treatment, and Florence Riford Chair of Alzheimer’s Disease Research, UC San Diego

Dr. Joaquín Espinosa, Professor of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, Co-Lead, Molecular Oncology Program and University of Colorado Cancer Center, Executive Director, Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome

Frank Stephens, Quincy Jones Advocate, Global Down Syndrome Foundation