Archive for the ‘Be Beautiful Be Yourself’ Category

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation honored Ambassador Sam Levin at the 10th Anniversary Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show on Saturday, October 20, 2018.

Farrell & Gottsagen to be honored with Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award at the 10th Anniversary Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show celebrating a decade of beauty and achievement

Press Contacts:
Trisha Davis | trisha@ballantinespr.com | O: (310) 454-3080
Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (720) 320-3832

DENVER, CO. – Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018 – Today the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global) announced film stars Colin Farrell and Zack Gottsagen will receive Global’s Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award (Q Award), as well as its initial celebrity lineup for the 10th Anniversary of the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show. The marquee event is the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world and will be held during Down Syndrome Awareness Month on Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, 1550 Court Place in Denver.

Farrell is an award-winning Irish actor, UN Spokesperson and philanthropist. He has a son with Angelman syndrome and has served as the official games spokesman for the Special Olympics World Games in Shanghai, China. Gottsagen is an accomplished film actor who happens to have Down syndrome. He is an ardent advocate for inclusion and shines in the new adventure film, The Peanut Butter Falcon, co-starring with two of his biggest fans: Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson.

“I love the Sies, let me start there,” said Music Icon Quincy Jones. “When I met their granddaughter, Sophia, I told them ‘these children are not broken, they don’t need to be fixed, they just need to be allowed to reach their God-given potential.’ Ever since then, I have been proud to encourage and support their amazing work. I want to congratulate Global on 10 years of saving lives and recognize Colin and Zack for their dedication and advocacy.”

Other confirmed celebrities for the 10th Anniversary Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show include: award-winning actor and Global board member John C. McGinley; supermodel and actress Amanda Booth; Miss Colorado Ellery Jones; Major League Soccer player Sam Cronin; and past Q Award winner DeOndra Dixon. A full roster of celebrities will be announced in the coming weeks.

During the fashion show, Global will also honor the 2018 Be Beautiful Be Yourself Ambassador Sam Levin while celebrating the return of past Ambassadors: Chase Turner Perry, Sophia Kay Whitten, Katherine Vollbracht Winfiled, Clarissa Capuano, Louis Rotella IV and Marcus Sikora.

Entering its 10th year, Global is thriving. Since the establishment of the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the event has raised over $16 million which underwrites life-changing research and life-saving medical care. Global’s recent lobbying efforts to Congress and outreach to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) resulted in the first significant increase of NIH Down syndrome research funding in nearly 20 years, from $37 million in 2017 to $58 million in 2018. Additionally, Global just opened its new Cherry Creek headquarters, which includes top-notch office facilities and a future education center of excellence supported by a generous grant from The Salah Foundation. The building will be home for people with Down syndrome and their families, as well as a destination for inclusion, inspiration and achievement for everyone.

“We work very hard,” said Global Down Syndrome Foundation President, CEO and Co-Founder, Michelle Sie Whitten. “Global provides excellent medical care to over 1,500 patients from 28 states and 10 countries, has made groundbreaking research discoveries that will improve health outcomes and has successfully lobbied Congress to get our fair share of funding. On our 10th Anniversary, we are filled with gratitude for the outstanding medical professionals, scientists, Down syndrome partner organizations, celebrities and wonderful self-advocates and families who empower us to save and transform lives every day.”

Various levels of 10th Anniversary Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show tickets, table sponsorships and model sponsorships are available, including VIP levels at www.bebeautifulbeyourself.org. For more information on the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, please visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org.

For celebrity interviews, additional information, imagery or to cover the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, please contact trisha@ballantinespr.com.

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About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation is at the forefront of research, medical care, education and advocacy dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome. Global supports the research of hundreds of scientists around the world through their advocates, partners and affiliates, including the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome. Global invites its supporters to celebrate a decade of milestones in helping people with Down syndrome at their 10th Anniversary Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show. To learn more, please visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org and www.bebeautifulbeyourself.org.

“Peanut Butter Falcon” film star, Zack Gottsagen, to receive Global’s 2018 Quincy Jones Award

Global’s President & CEO highlights video of historic congressional hearing on Down syndrome research reaching over 150 million views

At the annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, Michelle Sie Whitten encouraged Global’s 1,360 attendees to watch the C-Span coverage of the landmark congressional hearing and to support increased federal funding for research benefiting people with Down syndrome. 

Generous $1 million grant will help establish a much-needed education center at Global’s new international HQ in Denver 

Media Contacts:
Kathy Green | kgreen@globaldownsyndrome.org | (720) 280-9725
Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | (720) 320-3832

DENVER – The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global) today announced a transformative lead gift of $1 million from The Salah Foundation. Combined with the generous $1 million grant, Global will receive additional matching funds that will help to establish a center in Denver dedicated to educational activities primarily for people with Down syndrome but also for others who are differently-abled.

The gift was unveiled by Noreen Salah Burpee, executive director of The Salah Foundation, at Global’s annual record-breaking Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show held on Nov. 11, 2017, at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel. The announcement brought a crowd of more than 1,300 including advocates with Down syndrome, their families, friends, supporters, and celebrities Quincy Jones, Jamie Foxx, DeOndra Dixon, Marisa Tomei, Joe Manganiello, John C. McGinley, Matt Dillon and Eva Longoria to their feet.

“We are so grateful for The Salah Foundation and Noreen for making this generous and impactful gift to the Global Down Syndrome Foundation,” said John C. McGinley, award-winning actor and Global board member after hearing the announcement backstage at the fashion show. “The team at Global works hard and is truly delivering for the Down syndrome community. This will allow them to reach even more people.”

“We are thrilled to support the work of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation as they continue to create extraordinary change in the lives of people with Down syndrome and their families,” said Salah Burpee. “We hope that others will follow suit and open their hearts and wallets to this important project.”

The education center will be housed in Global’s new international headquarters in Denver in the Cherry Creek Shopping North – one of the most popular districts in Colorado with the fastest growing foot traffic. It is anticipated that the multi-use education center will provide cooking classes, computer labs and other center-based educational programs for varying ages and abilities and will open sometime in the second half of 2018.

Global supports the research of hundreds of scientists around the world and helped establish the first and only academic home for Down syndrome research at the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome at the University of Colorado School of Medicine at the Anschutz Medical Campus, with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders.

Global funding also helps provide the highest quality of comprehensive medical care to thousands of children with Down syndrome from around the world through the Sie Center for Down Syndrome at Children’s Hospital Colorado, coordinating medical care, along with therapies including speech, physical and occupational therapy.

“We are grateful for the continued support of The Salah Foundation as we advance our mission,” said Michelle Sie Whitten, president and CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. “Noreen, Fred, Megan and the whole Salah family have believed in our work, provided us guidance to expand, and now have given us this extraordinary gift that simultaneously increases our impact on people with Down syndrome and helps ensure my parents’ legacy. I can’t tell you how meaningful that is to us.”

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About The Salah Foundation

The Salah Foundation is a private foundation, by invitation only, that supports non-profit organizations in the United States that strengthen families and communities and advances individuals to become productive and responsible citizens. There is a special interest in education, medical research, community development, and self-sufficiency programs aimed at the economically disadvantaged, the young, the elderly and the disabled. To learn more, visit www.salahfoundation.org. 

About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation is at the forefront of research, medical care, education and advocacy dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome. Supporting the research of hundreds of scientists around the world, and through our advocates, partners, and affiliates including the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome, Global is making an impact on the lives of people with Down syndrome today, and remain focused on finding solutions tomorrow. We are committed to helping people with Down syndrome realize their fullest potential and lead healthy and productive lives. To learn more, visit. www.globaldownsyndrome.org.

The sold-out star-studded event attracted over 1,300 attendees from 22 states and 10 countries

Media Contacts:
Kathy Green | kgreen@globaldownsyndrome.org | 720-280-9725
Anca Elena Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | 720-320-3832

DENVER – The Global Down Syndrome Foundation raised a record $2.6 million for life-changing research and medical care at its 9th annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show held on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017, at the Sheraton Downtown Denver.

Chaired by Peter Kudla, CEO of Metropolitan Homes Inc., the sold-out event attracted more than 1,300 attendees from 22 states and 10 countries. Music Icon Quincy Jones was on hand to present his namesake award, the “Q Exceptional Advocacy Award” to actress and activist Eva Longoria and to model phenom Madeline Stuart. The fashion show grand finale procession to Quincy Jones’ “We Are the World” brought the audience to its feet.

A roster of impressive celebrities and VIPs including Jamie Foxx, DeOndra Dixon, Marisa Tomei, Joe Manganiello, John C. McGinley, Matt Dillon, Denis O’Hare, Amanda Booth and 2017 Ambassador Marcus Sikora made powerful contributions to the evening.

“This is the fourth year in a row that we have sold out,” said Global President and CEO Michelle Sie Whitten. “It is deeply gratifying to know that so many people care about the terrible lack of funding for Down syndrome research and medical care. Of course, our models with Down syndrome make the event so joyous and inspirational, it has become an annual destination for our families and supporters.”

Global’s Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show is the single largest fundraiser benefitting people with Down syndrome in the world. The money raised supports critical research conducted by the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome on the Anschutz Medical Campus and life-saving medical care at the Sie Center for Down Syndrome at Children’s Hospital Colorado. This year’s proceeds add to the over $14 million already raised in the previous eight fashion shows held by Global Down Syndrome Foundation.

“Global’s research funding is already helping us make giant strides in exploring the unique disease spectrum affecting the population with Down syndrome,” said Dr. Joaquín Espinosa, executive director of the Crnic Institute. “We now know that Down syndrome can be understood in large measure as an immune system disorder, which opens the door to find new treatments and therapies, and allows us to better explore the connections that may help cure Alzheimer’s disease.”

Down syndrome is the leading cause of developmental delay and the population of people with the condition is increasing dramatically in the U.S. Yet over the last two decades Down syndrome has been one of the least funded genetic conditions by the federal government, specifically the National Institutes of Health.

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.

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

DENVER – Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2017

Today the Global Down Syndrome Foundation announced its initial celebrity lineup for this year’s 9^th annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the single largest fundraiser for Down syndrome research in the country, which will be held on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2017 at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel, 1550 Court Place in Denver.

Models with Down syndrome, such as 2017 Global Down Syndrome Foundation Ambassador Marcus Sikora, will be joined on the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show runway by celebrities including:  Joe Manganiello, Star of True Blood and Magic Mike, Marisa Tomei, Oscar Winning Actress,  John C. McGinley, Actor, Author, Comedian and Global Board Member, and Denis O’Hare, Tony Award-winning Actor and Star of True Blood. Additional special guests will be announced in the coming weeks.

“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 to celebrate how far we have come and inspired to look towards the future in gathering additional awareness and support for a significantly better future for children and adults with Down syndrome.”

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.

For more information on the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, please visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org. For celebrity interviews, to cover the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show or to receive additional information and imagery, please contact trisha@ballantinespr.com.

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About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation is at the forefront of research, medical care, education and advocacy dedicated to significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome. Supporting the research of hundreds of scientists around the world, and through our advocates, partners and affiliates including the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the Anna and John J. Sie Center for Down Syndrome, Global is making an impact on the lives of people with Down syndrome today, and remain focused on finding solutions tomorrow. We are committed to helping people with Down syndrome realize their fullest potential and lead healthy and productive lives. To learn more, visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org.

Global is proud to name Frank Stephens – author, actor and self-advocate – as the recipient of the 2016 Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award. Stephens join luminaries DeOndra Dixon, Tim Harris and Karen Gaffney to support Global at the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show on November 12^th. Don’t miss this star-studded, largest single fundraiser for Down syndrome!