A local organization is recognizing October as Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
Ascend Service’s Executive Director Diana Genske explained on Building Full Lives Podcast that the month is designed to raise awareness and celebrate the many abilities for those with down syndrome.
Genske says 1 in 272 people are born with it, and while that’s not a huge part of the population, it’s still big.
She continues saying it’s important to see that even though someone might have down syndrome, they still have a lot of abilities.
“I think there’s always this perception like, and I’m not going to say they’re not cute, but people think they’re cute and they’re children,” she explained. “When they are adults, they’re adults.”
Genske says people need to continue to advocate that someone who has Down syndrome can work, have abilities, and they’re just like everyone else.
Down syndrome occurs when someone has an exact copy of chromosome 21 when they get their 23 chromosomes from one of their parents.
According to the National Down Syndrome Society, this can cause low muscle tone, small stature, and an upward slant to the eyes.
Genske finishes saying it’s important to read up on the topic.
The Building Full Lives with Ascend Services Podcast is available online at Seehaferpodcasts.com.
You can also listen every Monday morning at 10:30 am on WOMT.
