Archive for the ‘Press Releases’ Category

 

GLOBAL’s 2020 virtual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show ended with a loving tribute to GLOBAL Ambassador DeOndra Dixon and brought us all to tears. GLOBAL and DeOndra’s family have set up the “DeOndra Dixon Down Syndrome Research Fund” to focus on the often neglected population of African Americans with Down syndrome. Anna and John J. Sie are generously matching $100K for this important research. DeOndra’s legacy will power us on. ALWAYS LOVED NEVER FORGOTTEN.

With the heaviest of hearts and full of sorrow, we are beyond sad that our beloved Global Ambassador DeOndra Dixon has passed. She is no doubt a true angel looking down on us, just as she was always an angel on earth.

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation’s highest honor, the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award, was inspired by DeOndra and she was its first recipient. Quincy Jones himself introduced us to DeOndra as one of the most articulate, irrepressible, magnetic people he had ever met. DeOndra was brought into this world in a loving family who treated her like any other family member. They gave her the gifts of complete acceptance, confidence, and knowledge. They empowered her to graduate with a regular diploma from high school and to take life by storm, which, if you knew DeOndra, she absolutely did. Her parents, Annette and George Dixon, brother Jamie Foxx, sister Deidra Dixon, nieces Anelise and Corinne, dear friend Kim, and large extended family are beyond consolable, and we ask that you help us respect their privacy during this difficult time.

For Global, we have lost our talented, intelligent, feisty, beautiful, kind, loving, caring, pure and giving heart, DeOndra Dixon. Our Down syndrome community has lost a beacon of hope, a true leader, and role model whose aim was to always help others. She was a bright light in this world of ours.

DeOndra was our anchor. Her excitement for our Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show each year was palpable, and she often posted about her “secret moves” that she was practicing (and she did keep them secret right up until her stage call).

Over the years our fashion show became a reunion for Global’s “extended Down syndrome family” where DeOndra and her family, Quincy Jones, John C. McGinley, Amanda Booth, Beverly Johnson, Kyra Phillips & John Roberts, Ronnie & Shamari DeVoe, Matt Dillon, The Salah Foundation, Peter Kudla, Jules Haimovitz, Tomago Collins, Jay Mills, the Gold/Rest/Karsh/Perry, Vollbracht/Winfield, Capuano, Rotella, Sikora, Levin, Fonfara-LaRose, and Snodgrass families, our families, our tribes would come together over a weekend and celebrate life and people with Down syndrome.

Our extended family loves DeOndra deeply and unreservedly for who she is. Global and DeOndra’s family cannot imagine our fashion show without her, and so through our heartbreak and tears, we were able to honor her memory at our Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show with a loving tribute video and announce the “DeOndra Dixon Down Syndrome Research Fund” set up in conjunction with DeOndra’s family. The fund will focus on research to address the disparity of lifespan for African Americans with Down syndrome and will be matched up to $100,000 by a generous donation from Anna and John J. Sie.

Everyone at the Global Down Syndrome Foundation is in complete shock and full of grief. Please join us in honoring her and share your fondest memories of our beautiful and brilliant DeOndra Dixon. DeOndra is already sorely missed, but she will never be forgotten.

The Global Guideline is Published in the Print & Online Versions of JAMA,
Ensuring Clinicians Across the U.S. Have Access

Press Contacts:

Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (720) 320-3832
Rejena Carmichael | rcarmichael@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (240) 603-5494

October 20, 2020 Denver, CO – After four years of coordination, compilation, and rigorous assessment and writing, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome© (Global Guideline) is complete and available at no cost.

The authors include the clinical directors of eight of the largest adult Down syndrome medical centers in the country – Advocate Health Care in Chicago, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, University of Kansas Medical Center, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and Denver Health in conjunction with the Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine at University of Colorado.

The first-in-kind Global Guideline was peer reviewed, edited, and published in the Special Communication section of the print and online October 2020 issue of JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association.

“We are so pleased that the quality of our guideline rose to the occasion of being published in JAMA, and we are deeply grateful to our families and self-advocates for pushing us to work on this difficult project,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, President & CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL). “Now we can focus on collaborating with other Down syndrome and disability organizations as well as medical institutions to ensure clinicians are following our Global Guideline and measuring outcomes.”

The Global Guideline is for clinicians and addresses nine medical areas: Behavioral Health, Dementia, Diabetes, Cardiovascular Disease, Obesity, Atlantoaxial Instability, Osteoporosis, Thyroid, and Celiac Disease.

It is made up of 14 recommendations and 4 statements of good practice. Some of the recommendations align with existing guidelines for individuals without Down syndrome, and two are markedly different. There were several questions associated with the recommendations that had no published research evidence, and therefore were answered based on the clinical expertise of the authors.

“It’s clear that the lack of Down syndrome research funding over the last 20 years has prevented us from easily or quickly creating these guidelines,” says Bryn Gelaro, LSW, Director of Adult Initiatives & Special Projects at GLOBAL. “We were fortunate to have expert authors and volunteers who helped identify important research needs that will bolster and better define our future Global Guideline recommendations.”

Author Amy Tsou, MD, from ECRI, an independent nonprofit and Evidence-based Practice Center, with support from Gelaro, helped spearhead the research methodology, which included PICO (Population/Intervention Comparison/Outcome) questions, the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) methodology, and focus groups from various stakeholders informed the final draft.

“I participated in the task force of over 40 self-advocates and family members that provided GLOBAL with the directive they needed to focus on adult care guidelines – even if it would be difficult and take a lot of time,” says Karen Gaffney, a nationally renowned athlete, GLOBAL Q-Awardee and spokesperson. “It was great to be able to participate in the week-long focus group of self-advocates and family members and see it all come together.”

“From the beginning, GLOBAL has been leading the way, empowering people with Down syndrome with improved care and health outcomes,” says mom Darlene Beals. “The Global Guideline is an important new resource for my 24-year-old son Alan, and I believe if anyone can get to the bottom of health disparities for African Americans with Down syndrome, it’s GLOBAL.”

Alan echoes his mom’s sentiments, “[I want to know] when to take thyroid medicine, once a day? How to live a healthy life in my own apartment and keep the apartment clean?” Alan is also concerned about doctors knowing how to pay Medicaid insurance.

While the Global Guideline is free of charge to any stakeholder, the copyright of the JAMA publication and of GLOBAL’s long-form publication prohibits the reproduction of the Global Guideline on any website or digital platform. However, printing and downloading for personal and clinical use is highly encouraged.

GLOBAL has support from over 50 local, national, and international Down syndrome organizations and several generous sponsors. By the end of 2021, GLOBAL plans to translate and distribute this transformative new resource into several languages, and to update and expand the Global Guideline every 6 years.

A webinar and Q&A with the renowned and expert authors will be held on Wednesday, October 21, 2020. To learn more or sign up, please click here.

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome Workgroup includes (in alphabetical order of lead and supporting authors):

• Peter Bulova, MD: Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
• George Capone, MD: Director, Down Syndrome Clinic & Research Center, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
• Brian Chicoine, MD: Medical Director, Advocate Medical Group Adult Down Syndrome Center, Park Ridge, Illinois
• Terry Odell Harville, MD, PhD, D(ABMLI) D(ABHI): Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Services, and Internal Medicine, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Services, and Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hematology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
• Barry A Martin, MD: Associate Professor of Clinical Practice, Division of General Internal Medicine, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Center, Aurora, Colorado
• Dennis McGuire, LCSW, PhD: Private Practice, Evanston, Illinois
• Kent D. McKelvey, MD: Associate Professor, Rockefeller Chair in Clinical Genetics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, Arkansas
• Moya Peterson, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC: Clinical Professor, University of Kansas Medical Center, Schools of Nursing and Medicine, Kansas City, Kansas
• Amy Y Tsou, MD, MSc: Evidence-based Practice Center, ECRI Center for Clinical Excellence and Guidelines, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania; Staff Neurologist, Division of Neurology, Michael J Crescenz Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Carl Tyler, MD, MSc: Director of Developmental Disabilities – Practice-Based Research Network, and Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio
• Michelle Sie Whitten, MA: President & CEO, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Denver, Colorado
• Bryn Gelaro, MA, LSW: Director of Adult Initiatives, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Denver, Colorado
• Michael Wells, BS: Formerly Research Coordinator, Developmental Disabilities – Practice-Based Research Network, Cleveland, Ohio

About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 150 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

GLOBAL’s widely-circulated medical publications include GLOBAL Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal Testing and Information about Down Syndrome, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome WorldTM. GLOBAL organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter @GDSFoundation, Instagram @globaldownsyndrome).

Understanding the Impact of Immune Dysregulation in COVID-19 Patients with Down Syndrome May Lead to Tailored Prevention, Diagnosis and Treatment

Press Contacts:

Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (720) 320-3832
Rejena Carmichael | rcarmichael@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (240) 603-5494

September 25, Denver, CO – Researchers at the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (Crnic Institute) have been awarded three grants totaling $1 million, two from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and one from Fast Grants, to understand how the hyper inflammatory state of the immune system in people with Down syndrome may result in more severe complications upon SARS-CoV-2 infection. Studying both people and mouse models, the aim is to develop tailored COVID-19 prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals with Down syndrome.

Preliminary data suggests people with Down syndrome are more likely to be hospitalized and die at a younger age due to COVID-19 compared to the typical population. However, much more information is needed, and currently little is known about how COVID-19 affects individuals with Down syndrome.

“What our research has already shown is that people with Down syndrome have substantial dysregulation in their immune systems, which could impact not only their initial response to SARS-CoV-2 and their clinical outcome if they become ill with COVID-19, but also the development of potential long term side effects. Understanding each of these pieces is crucial for understanding the risks and developing proper medical care for people with Down syndrome who get COVID-19,” explains Dr. Joaquín Espinosa, Executive Director of the Crnic Institute.

The NIH and Fast Grants awards build upon the following important coalescing factors:

1. The Crnic Institute’s breakthrough discovery that people with Down syndrome are
   affected by chronic autoinflammation.
2. Patients with COVID-19 who have severe symptoms or die have hyperactive
   inflammation similar to that observed in people with Down syndrome.
3. A class of FDA-approved drugs called “JAK-inhibitors” (such as Olumiant, Xeljanz, and
   Jakafi) are being evaluated world-wide to treat patients with COVID-19, and the Crnic Institute is testing Xeljanz to treat autoimmune and hyper inflammatory skin diseases in people with Down syndrome.

More specifically, these awards will allow Crnic Institute researchers to create an unprecedented body of knowledge by aggregating information and samples from individuals with Down syndrome diagnosed with COVID-19 through its Human Trisome ProjectTM data set and the National COVID Cohort Collaborative (N3C). In addition, Crnic Institute researchers will also test the ability of JAK inhibitors to normalize the hyper inflammatory state in a mouse model of Down syndrome.

“We are grateful to the NIH for identifying people with Down syndrome as a high risk population for COVID-19, and for acting quickly to fund research that could help save the lives of our children and adults from this terrible virus,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, President and CEO of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, an internationally renowned advocacy non-profit and an affiliate of the Crnic Institute. “Global, and the people with Down syndrome we serve, are also fortunate to have our congressional champions and our Crnic Institute scientists who are both brilliant and compassionate.”

About the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome
The Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome is one of the only academic research centers fully devoted to improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through advanced biomedical research, spanning from basic science to translational and clinical investigations. Founded through the generous support and partnership of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation, the Anna and John J. Sie Foundation, and the University of Colorado, the Crnic Institute supports a thriving Down syndrome research program involving over 50 research teams across four campuses on the Colorado Front Range. To learn more, visit www.crnicinstitute.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @CrnicInstitute.

About the Global Down Syndrome Foundation
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 150 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

GLOBAL’s widely-circulated medical publications include GLOBAL Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal Testing and Information about Down Syndrome, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome World^TM. GLOBAL organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (Facebook, Twitter @GDSFoundation, Instagram @globaldownsyndrome).

At the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL), we are simultaneously saddened and enraged by the tragic death of Nathaniel Julius, a 16-year-old with Down syndrome from Eldorado Park South Africa, who was shot and killed earlier this week during a police/gang-related shootout. Today, two officers involved in the shooting were arrested and charged with the murder of Nathaniel. We hope that the people responsible for this senseless killing are brought to justice. Our hearts go out to Nathaniel’s family, friends, and community during this difficult time.

*(As seen in GLOBAL’s social media on September, 1st). GLOBAL continues to follow the Nathaniel Julius case, as the now three suspected officers face the courts. We hope justice is served and our hearts go out to Nathaniel’s family and the community. See GLOBAL’s social media to keep up to date on this story.

GLOBAL’s Virtual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show attracts an impressive roster of celebrities with a NEW DATE – Saturday, November 14, 2020

Press Contacts:

Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (720) 320-3832
Rejena Carmichael | rcarmichael@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (240) 603-5494

DENVER, CO August 26, 2020 – Today, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) announced two powerful women who will receive this year’s Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Awards: Grey’s Anatomy star Caterina Scorsone and Spanish model Marián Ávila. Celebrities are showing up in full force to support GLOBAL and honor the accomplished awardees.

The awards will be presented during GLOBAL’s annual Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest fundraiser for Down syndrome in the world, having raised over $20 million for life-changing research and medical care. Due to COVID-19 and restrictions on in-person gatherings, the event will be held virtually with a new date: Saturday, November 14, 2020.

Caterina Scorsone has starred in numerous television and film roles, portraying powerfully complex characters that have captured the hearts of audiences around the world. She is most well-known for playing the reckless, yet compelling “Dr. Amelia Shepherd” on ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy. Scorsone has three beautiful children including her three-year-old, Pippa, who was born with Down syndrome. Since the birth of Pippa, Scorsone has been a consistent supporter of GLOBAL’s work. For the last three years, Scorsone has used her formidable platform to promote greater understanding and awareness, end stigmas around people who are differently-abled, and to encourage greater access and inclusion.

Marián Ávila is an accomplished Spanish model from Barcelona, who happens to have Down syndrome. She has modelled in ad campaigns for big name brands like Levi’s and El Corte Ingles and participated in the fashion industry’s biggest Fashion Weeks, including New York Fashion Week. She has been featured in worldwide media, including leading publications such as New York Times, Vanity Fair, and Harper’s Bazaar. Ávila uses social media to meet other people and gain visibility, without judgements or labels, and to help others. She calls herself a feminist and an advocate of human rights, family, and friendship.

Other confirmed celebrities include Academy and Grammy Award winner Jamie Foxx; award-winning actors John C. McGinley, Zack Gottsagen, Jamie Brewer, and Megan Bomgaars; Denver Broncos’ Brandon McManus, world-renowned swimmer Karen Gaffney, and Colorado Rapids’ Kellyn Acosta; award-winning speakers, journalists, and TV anchors DeOndra Dixon, Frank Stephens, Kyra Phillips, John Roberts, Kim Christiansen, and Tom Green; R&B power couple Ronnie & Shamari DeVoe; and supermodel Amanda Booth. More celebrities and self-advocates will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show will consist of a VIP Reception with more intimate celebrity experiences for table sponsors and a quality virtual event on Saturday November 14, 2020. The event will feature GLOBAL’s 2020 Ambassador Walt Snodgrass, 18 beautiful models from 7 states and 2 countries, honorees and celebrities, and special segments including a dance battle between GLOBAL Ambassador DeOndra Dixon and her big brother Jamie Foxx.

“I know that COVID-19 has led to tough times for so many,” says GLOBAL Ambassador DeOndra Dixon, “but we have to pull together and continue to support GLOBAL and people with Down syndrome in need. I will miss the runway and the audience, but I am excited to make the virtual event a success and beat my brother in an epic dance battle!”

“Most people with Down syndrome are high risk for COVID-19, so we have put a lot of effort into education and protection over the last five months,” says GLOBAL President and CEO, Michelle Sie Whitten. “The pandemic has presented GLOBAL with many challenges this year, and we’ve met each one with strength, clarity of purpose, and compassion. We hope that people will support our first virtual event and that they know we will work hard to truly save and transform lives.”

In response to the world-wide pandemic, GLOBAL has worked hard to get out multiple versions of an informative Q&A on COVID-19/Down syndrome, provide over 140 families and 42 Down syndrome organizations with COVID-19 Emergency Relief Global Grants, and support legislation that fights discrimination against those with disabilities during crisis triage care situations.

The Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show allows GLOBAL to protect people with Down syndrome during this pandemic with their COVID-19 initiatives, provide world-class care to over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries, and fund over 200 scientists working on Down syndrome research with a focus on Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. The event also underwrites our advocacy in D.C., resulting in a tripling of the National Institutes of Health Down syndrome research budget, as well as outreach to over 12,000 families.

To learn more, visit: www.bebeautifulbeyourself.org

 

About Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. Global has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, Global is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. Global has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Global’s widely-circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal Testing and Information about Down Syndrome, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome WorldTM. Global also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (facebook & twitter:@GDSFoundation)(instagram:@globaldownsyndrome).

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, GLOBAL helps provide economic support, shelter, food, and medical care to Down Syndrome Organizations and the Families they serve in 23 states and 4 countries

Press Contacts:

Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (720) 320-3832 Rejena Carmichael | rcarmichael@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (240) 603-5494

DENVER, CO July 23, 2020 – Today, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) will provide over $116,000 in COVID-19 Emergency Relief Global Grants (GLOBAL Grants). The grants support over 140 families and 42 Down syndrome organizations in 23 states and 4 countries (Albania, Honduras, Kosovo, and Uganda). GLOBAL Grants are providing food, medical care, shelter support, and other critical assistance to individuals with Down syndrome and their families facing crises during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“GLOBAL is struggling financially too but we decided to convert our educational grants to COVID-19 emergency grants because the need is so great right now, and we simply needed to tap our reserves and help our Down syndrome community,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, GLOBAL President and CEO. “We didn’t think we could fund the overwhelming number of family grants but with the incredible generosity of The Salah Foundation, a private invitation-only foundation, we were able to fund every single one. My staff were literally crying as they read the applications and we feel beyond blessed to provide some modest relief.”

Below are some examples of the GLOBAL Grants:

• In St. Louis, a grandmother and her two grandchildren who she adopted, one of whom has Down syndrome, were left homeless for four months due to limited resources and social support during this time. The GLOBAL Grant was able to pay the rent to help the family get back on their feet.
• In Albania, desperately-needed food packages were sent to 56 individuals with Down syndrome and their families that will help them get through the winter as jobs and government support have dried up.
• In West Michigan, a father who is a disabled veteran and a mother who was temporarily laid off from her special education job due to COVID-19 could not pay their medical bills for their child with Down syndrome who recently had heart surgery. The GLOBAL Grants provided important interim relief for the family of six.
• In Atlanta, the GLOBAL Grant helped keep the lights on at Adult Disability Medical Healthcare allowing the clinic to continue to provide critical and high-quality care virtually to their patients including care associated with COVID-19.

“Many of our donors have frozen their support, project grants have been postponed, and unfortunately, our government left the non-profit sector out of financial support packages,” says Emanuela Zaimi, Executive Director of Down Syndrome Albania Foundation. “Feeling hopeless and exhausted, we needed support and luckily GLOBAL stepped in and provided this amazingly generous grant, making a world of difference for 56 families of our community. We are very grateful to GLOBAL and to anyone who contributes to its mission, as this help reaches us too!”

Martine Hobson, Executive Director of Down Syndrome Association of Memphis & the Mid-South, says, “We’ve been GLOBAL members for years. To see how they’ve supported Down syndrome organizations on a national scale and now supporting us in this very personalized way is a testament to their leadership and dedication to every person with Down syndrome.

“I am so proud to be part of the GLOBAL team during this crisis,” says Ashley Sparhawk, GLOBAL Grants Program Manager. “It took a lot of time and work, but we have a wonderful GLOBAL Membership Advisory Board that helped and the generous Salah Foundation gift. At GLOBAL, we feel personally connected to all the professionals and families that are struggling through this difficult time and we are doing everything we can to lend a helping hand.”

The following 42 organizations received GLOBAL Grants:

GLOBAL is working hard to protect and support people with Down syndrome during the pandemic. In addition to providing COVID-19 Emergency Relief Global Grants, GLOBAL is creating important resources like the Down syndrome/COVID-19 Q&A, and supporting legislation that prohibits discrimination so that people with Down syndrome and other disabilities can receive COVID-19 medical care in the event there is medical care rationing. Most recently, GLOBAL provided over 31,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are wards of the state in Colorado.

To get the latest COVID-19 information and GLOBAL resources, visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org/covid-19

To learn more about GLOBAL’s membership program, visit www.globaldownsyndrome.org/become-a-member/

About Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. Global has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, Global is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. Global has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Global’s widely-circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal Testing and Information about Down Syndrome, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome WorldTM. Global also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (facebook & twitter:@GDSFoundation)(instagram:@globaldownsyndrome).

Jamie Foxx, DeOndra Dixon, Caterina Scorsone, John C. McGinley, Walt Snodgrass and more support the World’s Largest Event Benefitting People with Down Syndrome

Press Contacts:

Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (720) 320-3832 Rejena Carmichael | rcarmichael@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (240) 603-5494

DENVER, CO June 30, 2020 – Today, the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) announced an impressive roster of dedicated celebrity supporters for its marquee Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show scheduled for Saturday, October 3. The annual event is the largest fundraiser for Down syndrome in the world, raising over $20 million to date for life-saving and transformative research and medical care.

The star-studded roster includes Academy and Grammy Award winner Jamie Foxx; award-winning actors John C. McGinley, Zack Gottsagen, Jamie Brewer, Megan Bomgaars, and Caterina Scorsone; Denver Broncos’ Brandon McManus, world-renowned swimmer Karen Gaffney, and Colorado Rapids’ Kellyn Acosta; award-winning speakers, journalists, and TV anchors DeOndra Dixon, Frank Stephens, Kyra Phillips, John Roberts, Kim Christiansen, and Tom Green; R&B power couple Ronnie & Shamari DeVoe; and supermodel Amanda Booth. A full roster of celebrities will be announced in the coming weeks.

The event will honor GLOBAL Ambassador Walt Snodgrass from Omaha, Nebraska. Walt is a sophomore at Westside High School, where he is fully included. He runs track and plays in the school band, and is part of “Sparklers” Cheer and the unified bowling team. Walt is a staunch advocate for inclusion. His contributions to his family and community, his zest for life, and compassion for others make him beloved wherever her goes. “I love modeling in GLOBAL’s fashion show in Denver, showing the world what people with Down syndrome can do. Together, we are changing the world,” says Walt. During the fashion show, 20 brilliant and beautiful models with Down syndrome will rock the runway, including GLOBAL’s Ambassador.

“At GLOBAL we are taking COVID-19 very seriously, and we are closely monitoring and following government guidelines to determine the format of the fashion show,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, GLOBAL President and CEO. “As of now, we are planning a smaller in-person event and a larger virtual component that we hope will be every bit as magical and inspiring.”

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, GLOBAL has been a leader for the Down syndrome community – creating important resources like the Down syndrome/COVID-19 Q&A and supporting legislation that prohibits discrimination so that people with Down syndrome and other disabilities can receive COVID-19 medical care in the event there is medical care rationing. GLOBAL also provided COVID-19 Emergency Relief Global Grants to over 100 individuals with Down syndrome and their families needing food, medicine, and shelter, and most recently GLOBAL provided over 31,000 pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who are wards of the state in Colorado.

Proceeds from GLOBAL’s Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show underwrite GLOBAL’s direct help to the community, excellent quality health care to over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries, and transformative research focused on the relationship between Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease, solid tumors, autoimmune disorders and more.

To learn more, visit: bebeautifulbeyourself.org

About Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. Global has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, Global is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. Global has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Global’s widely-circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal Testing and Information about Down Syndrome, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome WorldTM. Global also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (facebook & twitter:@GDSFoundation)(instagram:@globaldownsyndrome).

Lifespan of Resources will have a National and International Impact

Press Contacts:
GLOBAL: Rejena Carmichael | rcarmichael@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (240) 603-5494
NDSC: Rhonda Rice | rhonda@ndsccenter.org | C: (678) 770-6641
IMDSA: Brandy Hellard | bhellard@imdsa.org | C: (513) 571-4186

DENVER, ATLANTA, Stow MA. May 07, 2020– Today, Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL), the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC), and the International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association (IMDSA) have announced that they will expand existing collaborations aimed at consolidating and creating Down syndrome resources across the lifespan for families.

The three national organizations will contribute funding, national and international distribution, and coordinated annual staffing associated with the Prenatal Testing & Down Syndrome Information pamphlet, the NDSC Annual Convention Global Down Syndrome Research Roundtable, the IMDSA Research & Retreat conference, and the Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome.

“Our organizations have been collaborating for years on these important print and conference resources,” says Michelle Sie Whitten, President and CEO of GLOBAL. “To be able to make our existing collaborative resources available for free, in different modalities, and in many different languages, will have a wonderful national and international impact.”

“NDSC is proud to help support numerous Down syndrome initiatives and organizations that help our self-advocates and families,” says David Tolleson, Executive Director of NDSC. “To have a strategic plan to link our existing collaborations – from prenatal to adult care – is so important for our self-advocates and families dealing with issues across the lifespan.”

“I so appreciate this opportunity to ensure that people with mosaic Down syndrome, and the issues they face at various stages of life, will be included in future NDSC-GLOBAL national research and medical care roundtables,” said Brandy Hellard, President of IMDSA. “We are excited to help distribute the prenatal and adult guidelines at our IMDSA Research & Retreat conference and to dovetail our research to support future iterations of the guidelines.”

Expanding Collaborations:

• Prenatal Testing & Down Syndrome Information pamphlet: This resource is a result of nationwide research that included input from 400 pregnant women and over 400 clinicians working with pregnant women. It is available for free in English, Spanish & Icelandic and will expand to several other languages in the next two years. Based on feedback from genetic counselors, the additional languages will include Arabic, Nepalese, Bengalese, French, and Greek.
• NDSC Annual Convention Global Down Syndrome Research Roundtable: This resource attracts between 400-500 attendees each year. The collaboration will expand to have a virtual component that can reach more attendees and will include streams on mosaicism, autism, and other important but small sub-populations.
• IMDSA Research & Retreat conference: This resource is an annual conference attracting attendees from all over the world each year. The collaboration will expand to have a virtual component that can reach more attendees and will also have a sub-focus of supporting the Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome.
• Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome: This resource will be published after four years of work incorporating eleven authors who are the lead clinicians serving adults with Down syndrome across the United States. The collaboration will include joint professional surveys and concerted support for guidelines questions that have little or no research today.

To access the resource, families, friends and professionals can visit the websites of GLOBAL, NDSC, and IMDSA.

Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL)
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome.

National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC)
The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to an improved world for individuals with Down syndrome.

International Mosaic Down Syndrome (IMDSA)
International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association (IMDSA) is designed to provide support, information and research to any family, individual or professional whose life has been affected by mosaic Down syndrome.

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140 Organizations Help Ensure People with Disabilities Will Receive Equitable Treatment under Colorado’s Newly Published “Critical Care Triage Guidance for Crisis Standards of Care”

Press Contacts:
GLOBAL: Anca Call | acall@globaldownsyndrome.org | C: (720) 320-3832
CCDC: Julie Reiskin | jreiskin@ccdconline.org | C: (303) 667-4216
The Arc of Colorado: Christiano Sosa | csosa@thearcofco.org | C: (970) 219-5925

DENVER, April 9, 2020 – The Governor’s Expert Emergency Epidemic Response Committee developed Crisis Standards of Care (CSC) after collaboration with experts and communities. Governor Polis has authorized the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment to enact the standards when or if necessary.

The Colorado Cross Disability Coalition (CCDC), The Arc of Colorado, and over 140 organizations thank Gov. Jared Polis for ensuring that people with disabilities and other vulnerable populations receive equitable care under the CSC during the COVID-19 epidemic and other crisis situations.

Specifically, the revised CSC Plan provides standards that hospitals and other health care practitioners should implement once activated by the Chief Medical Officer for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE): (1) disallow medical “rationing” based on disability alone, (2) prevent other discrimination by establishing a blinded triage process, (3) specify that all hospitals in Colorado have a plan for providing effective communication accommodations with/for people who are disabled, and (4) clarify that no person who uses a ventilator as part of their regular care will have their ventilator taken away or receive less than equitable care.

“We are grateful to Gov. Polis and his team for their leadership in waging the war against COVID-19 and for ensuring that American civil rights and ethical values are upheld – even, and especially, when it comes to emergencies where medical care resources may become scarce and hard decisions must be made,” says Julie Reiskin, Executive Director of the CCDC.

“Every resident in this state deserves and should receive equitable care, even during the most uncertain of times,” says Lt. Governor Dianne Primavera. “Our Crisis Standards of Care guidelines are informed by ethicists, physicians, and experts, including those in the Colorado disability community who have been intimately involved with the response to the COVID-19 pandemic. When a crisis like this hits, we must protect everyone’s rights, civil liberties and health.”

“My family and I were appalled when we learned some states are creating policies that discriminate against people with disabilities and would absolutely jeopardize the life of my daughter,” says Dominic Capuano, father of a 12-year-old with Down syndrome from Littleton, Colorado. “We are just so grateful that our Governor, the CCDC, the Arc of Colorado, and the Global Down Syndrome Foundation are getting this out right before the peak of COVID-19 so there is no doubt that our Clarissa can get the care she needs if she needs it.”

While Reiskin acknowledges that some further revisions may be needed to the guidelines around care allocation on the basis of resource-utilization requirements/duration of mechanical ventilation, Colorado’s CSC Plan is authorized through executive order of the Governor for implementation by CDPHE’s Chief Medical Officer. Activation of crisis standards in the Plan provides the legal authorization for its implementation and use in health care settings, in addition to liability protections for those providers that follow its terms.

The Colorado CSC Plan provisions are also in stark contrast to those in other states, which in two cases specifically state that people with disabilities or medical conditions using a ventilator could have their ventilator taken away so that a more able-bodied person can be treated for COVID-19.

The Arc and the Center for Public Representation (CPR) have taken the lead with other disability organizations to file complaints to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights (OCR) against the states of Alabama, Kansas, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Washington for publishing or having COVID-19 related guidelines that would blatantly and illegally discriminate against people with disabilities.

Under the Alabama Department of Public Health’s Emergency Operations Plan, for children and adults, hospitals are ordered to “not offer mechanical ventilator support for patients” with “severe or profound mental retardation,” “moderate to severe dementia,” and “severe traumatic brain injury.”

In Kansas, the state recently developed a protocol called the “Toolkit for COVID-19.” The protocol specifically withholds life-saving treatment from patients based on their disability diagnosis – without an individualized assessment of their prospects for recovery – including people with “advanced untreatable neuromuscular disease,” people with “advanced or irreversible immunocompromise,” and people with some forms of cancer. In addition, hospitals could take away ventilators from individuals with disabilities or medical conditions who regularly use their own ventilators.

The Interim Pennsylvania Crisis Standards of Care for Pandemic Guidelines were just published on March 22, 2020 and discriminate against and jeopardize the lives of people with disabilities. For children and adults, the “scoring” of who gets care and who doesn’t takes into account long-term survival. The guidelines also discriminate against people with preexisting conditions that are disabilities and those with “severely life-limiting” co-morbid diagnoses, which can be left to interpretation.

The standing Guidelines for the Ethical Allocation of Scarce Resources in Tennessee exclude many people with disabilities from critical care, including ventilators. They further exclude people with metastatic cancer, some people with dementia, and some people with traumatic brain injury.

In Washington state, the Department of Health published descriptions of the goals and flow charts associated with emergency COVID-19 treatment that mirror the existing policy of the state-run University of Washington Medical Center (UWMC). Under this policy, the priority would be to uniformly treat people who are younger and healthier and to leave those who are older and sicker—including people with disabilities—to die.

According to The Arc and the CPR, all five states have protocols or guidelines in place that discriminate against people with disabilities and violate federal disability rights laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and places the numerous lives at serious risk.

“Our civil rights laws protect the equal dignity of every human life from ruthless utilitarianism,” says Roger Severino, OCR Director. “HHS is committed to leaving no one behind during an emergency and helping health care providers meet that goal. Persons with disabilities, with limited English skills, and older persons should not be put at the end of the line for health care during emergencies.”

OCR has issued guidelines and statements underscoring that the policies associated with these states are aberrations in humanity and ethics, violate federal law, and that legal action can be taken if these policies are carried out.

The 140+ disability organizations that helped result in an ethical CSC guideline in Colorado includes the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, The Arc of Colorado, arc Thrift Stores, Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL), Anti-Defamation League (ADL), American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Atlantis Community, Inc., The Denver Foundation, Special Olympics Colorado, El Grupo Vida, One Colorado, Atlantis ADAPT, Disability Law Colorado, and Alliance Colorado.

Learn more about how you can help and where you can file a complaint if you believe you are facing discrimination in COVID-19 or other care.

The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition (CCDC)
The Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition is the largest disability rights organization in Colorado that is run by and for people with all types of disabilities with a mission to advocate for social justice.

The Arc of Colorado
The Arc of Colorado promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and actively supports their full inclusion and participation in the community throughout their lifetimes.

Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL)
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

About Global Down Syndrome Foundation

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (Global) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. Global has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,000 patients with Down syndrome from 28 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, Global is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. Global has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.

Global’s widely-circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal Testing and Information about Down Syndrome, and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome WorldTM. Global also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (facebook & twitter:@GDSFoundation)(instagram:@globaldownsyndrome).