Alexander's Angels
wishes you and your family
HAPPY WORLD
DOWN SYNDROME DAY!!!
Down Syndrome International (DSI) has officially
earmarked 21 March as World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD).
The date was chosen to signify the uniqueness of
Down syndrome in the triplication
(trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously
with Down syndrome.
Today World Down Syndrome Day marks the 50th anniversary
of the publication of Professor Jerome Lejeune's
discovery of the extra copy of chromosome 21 which
causes Down Syndrome.
Now known as trisomy-21 because of the third copy
of the 21st chromosome, Down Syndrome was first
described by the English doctor, John Langdon Down,
in 1866 but until Professor Lejeune's publication
in 1959, the ultimate cause of Down Syndrome was
unknown.
Professor Lejeune and Dr Langdon Down are regarded
as the preeminent contributors to our present understanding
of Down Syndrome, not only because of their research
into Down Syndrome, but also because each of them
contributed much of their own time and money to
advocating on behalf of persons with Down Syndrome
and their families.
Down Syndrome organisations around the world this
year will pay tribute to the pioneering work of
Professor Lejeune and celebrate the tremendous advances
in the care and social welfare of people with Down
Syndrome over the past fifty years.
(Text from www.worlddownsyndromeday.org)
Esther Gomez-Nieto
Please, visit our website www.alexandersangels.org
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Friends of APDSF,
Thanks Eiichi for his sharing of the WDSD event
in Tokyo. Here in Hong Kong, the HKDSA also organized
a public event in a big shopping mall, the Olympian
City Plaza, on 21 March, 2009. We have wonderful
performances put together by many groups of our
Association. They include Chinese Opera Show performed
by a group of young people with DS in their traditional
costume for this special cultural performing art,
modern dance, magic show, Dragon Dance (another
highly skiful traditional Chinese performance),
Taokwando, percussion (African drum etc) and singing
in sign language etc. We also set
up game stalls with lots of information about Down
syndrome to share with the participants in the form
of games. We estimated there were approximately
1,500 to 1,700 people who had a chance to witness
the superb talents of our children and adults with
Down syndrome. We promoted the message of "acceptance"
and "integration" throughout the three
hours of fun-filled performance and game program.
The event was a great success.
Even members of the Young Lions Club, our co-organzier
and sponsor, were very impressed by their performances.
Through this special event, we educate the public
about the talents of our children and adults with
Down syndrome. We all look forward to holding more
events like this so that our members can fully integrate
into the community. We woiuld love to hear how people
from other parts of the DS network celebrate this
special day.
Regards,
Christopher So
Director
H.K. Down Syndrome Association
