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From Down Syndrome World 2018 Issue 2 of 4

When people first meet 15-year-old Brett Logan, they see a charismatic young man full of joy, laughter, and love. What they don’t see at first glance are the many struggles he has overcome to get to where he is.
From the time Brett was just an infant, he faced severe, life-threatening medical challenges. Doctors questioned if he would live into his adolescent years. Defying the odds, Brett prevailed. But in addition to being a medically fragile child with Down syndrome, Brett developed complex behavioral and social difficulties as a result of the neglect and abuse he endured during his upbringing. One evening when Brett was 8 years old, the local Department of Human Services found him wandering the streets of Greeley, Colorado, by himself in filthy clothes and no shoes. He was sent from foster home to foster home, never truly getting a chance to reach his potential.

A ROUGH START
Born with two heart defects, Brett was diagnosed with failure to thrive. At 20 months old, he had both croup and the flu, which caused his heart to stop and required weeks in the intensive care unit at Children’s Hospital Colorado. During that time, he became addicted to sedation medication and had to be treated with methadone.
When Brett began school, he w as delayed in all areas of development, ranging from nutrition to verbal language. At age 8, Brett was transferred from a different school district into then 22-year-old Jennifer Nelson’s class.
“He was very tiny — about the size of a 3 y ear old at age 8,” Jennifer recalled of the young Brett. “But through all that, I knew there was something really special about him. He had me wrapped around his finger from day one, and we developed a really close student-teacher bond.”
As the school year went on, Jennifer fell in love with Brett’s infectious personality. “He is really loving, empathetic, and funny,” Jennifer said. “He can always make me laugh, and he truly loves others like nobody I’ve ever met.”
After a year of being Brett’s teacher and getting to know him, the 23-year-old, barely out of college, took a life -changing gamble and adopted Brett. At the start of their journey, “they told us he was too old and if he hadn’t learned yet, he wasn’t going to,” Jennifer recalled.
“They were so wrong!”
Brett is now a sophomore in high school, more active and happier than ever before.

BECOMING A FAMILY
After a court hearing where it was clear that Brett would not be returning to his last home, Jennifer stepped up.
“I had decided pretty early on that I wanted to adopt him,” she said. “So many people had given up on him in his life, and I knew he deserved more. Somehow destiny brought us together.”
In 2015, Jennifer and Brett officially became a family. For the first time in his life, Brett had a real home.
“I was happy!” Brett said of learning Jennifer would be his adoptive mother. “My favorite thing about being adopted is that I get to sleep in my bed every night.”
“I will admit, it was very challenging at the beginning,” Jennifer said. “I became a parent of a 9-year-old overnight, when I was just barely out of college myself. I knew he was capable of learning. He just needed someone to teach him.”

THE POWER OF POSITIVITY
With the proper nutrition and medical care, Brett has grown in everyway imaginable, Jennifer said. He is physically larger, very verbal and talkative, and learns new things everyday.
Now a student at Legend High School in Parker, Colorado, Brett has a full calendar with show choir and varsity cheerleading. Off campus, Brett is involved in a number of extracurricular activities as a multi-sport Special Olympics athlete, Junior Denver Broncos Cheerleader, and active participant in Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s Dare to Cheer Camps. In fact, this will be his fourth year attending Dare to Cheer.
His newest interest, modeling, got him on the runway with Sam Cronin, a midfielder for the Minnesota United Major League Soccer team, at Global’s 2017 Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show.
“I loved everything about the fashion show,” Brett said. “I hope I get to be in it again someday. I loved dancing on the runway with all the cameras on me and the whole crowd cheering! My buddy Sam was awesome. He even gave me a piggyback ride after the show and waited with me until my mom got back.”
Brett still deals with medical challenges, including epilepsy, sleep apnea, and hypothyroidism, all of which have a higher prevalence in people with Down syndrome. But he takes them in stride and continues to prevail. In 2015, he was named an ambassador for Children’s Hospital Colorado for his perseverance through all his treatments.
“I love my doctors at Children’s Hospital, so it was great to be involved,” Brett said. “I got to meet other kids who also battle health issues, and it was great to just be me!”
Brett and his mother don’t know what the future holds, but are excited for all the possibilities that lie ahead.
“Don’t let anyone tell you that something is impossible,” Brett said. “I am proof that challenges can be over come and that you can do anything you put your mind to.”

BRETT LOGAN, IN HIS OWN WORDS
Favorite subject at school: “Guitar, because my teacher lets me have the stage and put on performances for my class.”

Favorite way to make people laugh: “By showing off my muscles or my dance moves!”

Best part of Dare to Cheer Camp: “I love hanging out with my friends and cheering for the audience.”

On being a Junior Denver Broncos Cheerleader: “I love my coaches Jozie and McKenna! They are my favorite part of cheer. I also love performing at the Bronco games. One time Demaryius Thomas threw a football to me on the sidelines!”

Like this article? Join Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s Membership program today to receive 4 issues of the quarterly award-winning publication, plus access to 4 seasonal educational Webinar Series, and eligibility to apply for Global’s Employment and Educational Grants.
Register today at downsyndromeworld.org!

From Down Syndrome World 2018 Issue 2 of 4

In February 2018, a little boy with Down syndrome took the world by storm with his contagious smile, bright blue eyes and charming personality. His name is Lucas Warren, and he’s the first-ever Gerber Spokesbaby with Down syndrome.

The nearly century-old Gerber Products Company is an iconic brand that sells baby food and baby products. Often recognized by its trademark logo, a drawing of the first Gerber Baby, Ann Turner Cook, the company selects a new Gerber Spokesbaby each year. The 1-year-old from Dalton, Georgia, was chosen from 140,000 other contestants to be the Gerber Spokesbaby for the entire year. The Gerber brand personifies the healthy, happy, perfect baby. Choosing Lucas as the 2018 Gerber Spokesbaby challenges negative stereotypes about people with Down syndrome and makes an important statement about inclusion and diversity of those who are differently-abled. Global was able to share the excitement of this historical moment during an exclusive interview with Lucas’ parents, Cortney and Jason Warren.

DOWN SYNDROME WORLD™: TELL US ABOUT THE MOMENT YOU LEARNED LUCAS WON THE GERBER CONTEST.
Cortney and Jason: Our first reaction was shock and doubt, followed by extreme excitement for Lucas! We weren’t able to tell our families and friends until after it was announced.

WHAT AN EXCITING TIME SINCE LUCAS WON! HE HAS MILLIONS OF FANS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, AND EVEN INTERVIEWS ON THE TODAY SHOW. WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE FAMOUS?
It is a proud moment for us as par ents knowing that Lucas has a platform to spread joy, not only to people he comes in contact with daily but to people all over the U .S. We are so happy that he will have this moment to look back on in the futur e and feel proud.

WHAT ARE LUCAS’ RESPONSIBILITIES AS THE 2018 GERBER SPOKESBABY?
Lucas will represent Gerber in advertisements, social media, and more throughout the year, representing joy and love. In addition, he receives $50,000 for his Spokesbaby title, which we plan to use toward his education.

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU ABOUT LUCAS?
What has surprised us the most about Lucas is Lucas himself. Being our first child, and having Down syndrome on top of that, everything is new to us. Seeing him pick up on milestones faster than what doctors and therapists say he should makes us feel so proud of him. He continues to show his doctors, therapists, friends, and family that there are no limits for him.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE HAVING LUCAS AS THE GERBER SPOKESBABY WILL DO FOR THE DOWN SYNDROME COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY IN GENERAL?
We hope this announcement will impact ever yone and shed light on the special needs community. We hope Lucas as the Gerber Spokesbaby will help educate more people that individuals with special needs should be accepted, not limited, and therefore have the potential to change the world.

Like this article? Join Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s Membership program today to receive 4 issues of the quarterly award-winning publication, plus access to 4 seasonal educational Webinar Series, and eligibility to apply for Global’s Employment and Educational Grants.
Register today at downsyndromeworld.org!

REALLY? Insulting people who are victims of sexual abuse and people who were incensed by crass racist comments wasn’t enough? ANOTHER NETFLIX comedian has to take a swing at people with Down syndrome?

And while the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon did the right thing and CANCELLED Norm Macdonald’s scheduled appearance on it show, NETFLIX is once again supporting the “R” word, disparaging comments about people with Down syndrome, and even social media promoting violence against advocates for people who are differently-abled.

The WILL of the people defending against sexual and abuse and racism was heard. I am counting on those same people to come together for those who are differently-abled and make sure this population also has a STRONG a VOICE. PLEASE. Let us come together and send Netflix a message to CANCEL THIS SHOW! And if they don’t cancel the show, consider cancelling your NETFLIX subscription. For a day, a month, anything that shows power in numbers WHO CARE.

For Norm, glad you apologized. But REALLY? You needed a word for “stupid” and you came up with “Down syndrome”? I call on you to spend a day with a person with Down syndrome and then see if you can’t come up with a better word.

To be clear, at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, we are grateful for the freedoms we have in the US – including freedom of speech. AND YET, we also believe there are words that we are free to use, but as a society choose not to use because they are so directly tied to discrimination against a vulnerable population. What we are asking for is not too much or too difficult. There are lots of depraved topics that are funny (disclosure – I’m half NJ Italian) that don’t lend themselves to discrimination or oppression. So, you can still get that cheap laugh and feel good about yourself.

It’s time to call NETFLIX out. Seriously, AGAIN, we have nothing to lose.

Michelle Sie Whitten, President and CEO, Global Down Syndrome Foundation

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

With the #Metoo movement in full swing and the 1^st Anniversary of the Women’s March looming, it’s shocking to see Netflix promoting its newest stand-up show aptly called “Disgraceful.”   Netflix promotes the show by claiming its comedian “…gives voice to the sordid thoughts you’d never say out loud, with blunt musings on porn, parking lot power struggles, parenthood and more.”

Apparently sordid thoughts about the disabled and people with Down syndrome are fair game. In fact, the show’s anti-disability sketch was deemed so funny by Netflix that it is used in their trailer. 

At the Global Down Syndrome Foundation we are grateful for the freedoms we have in the US – including freedom of speech.  AND YET, we also believe there are words that we are free to use, but as a society choose not to use because they are so directly tied to violence against a vulnerable population.  I would argue the ‘R’ word is exactly such a word – witness Willowbrook, NY to Pueblo, CO today.  The best essay I have read on this subject is written by our board member and renowned actor, John. C. McGinley (after you read it you will have a “Captain My Captain” moment).

Sometimes it is hard to advocate.  I’m a working mom, I’m perpetually tired so I get it. But we can all take a moment to post, like, share, or petition.  And WHY NOT demand Netflix to:

• Edit out the anti-disability and anti-Down syndrome rhetoric in the show?  
• Immediately take the appalling sketch out of their trailer?
• Issue an apology for failing to use humanity as the demarcation line for comedic depravity?

What we are asking for is NOT too much or too difficult.  There are lots of depraved topics that are funny (disclosure – I’m half NJ Italian) that don’t lend themselves to violence or oppression.  So, you can still get that cheap laugh and feel good about yourself. 

It’s time to call folks out. Seriously, we have nothing to lose. 

Michelle Sie Whitten, President and CEO, Global Down Syndrome Foundation

Read John C. McGinley’s essay, Spread the Word to End the Word

Read full article on The Mighty