An important meeting for our children

A very important meeting this week at the Royal Society of Medicine in London.

Prof William Mobley / USA, Prof Michael Crawford / UK, Prof Jacqueline London / France, plus our brain researchers. Discussing medicines and research to improve memory and brain function.
Check our website http://www.dsrf-uk.org/ for more information.

Dont forget to support this research - we are in this together - fighting for our children looking for that miracle. Its just around the corner.

Peter Elliott 
I might add that Dr Jerome Lejeune felt the same way, that we would find a treatment for Down syndrome. May he pray for us from his seat near Our Lord that these good doctors may find a way to help our children.

Cathy McMorris Rogers on the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

Dear Friends,

Today, I join you in celebrating the 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA was a landmark bill - one of the most important civil rights achievements in U.S. history - because it gave more than 50 million Americans the opportunity to live the American Dream.

One of those Americans is my son, Cole, who happened to be born with Down Syndrome.

When Cole was born 3 years ago, the disability community welcomed me and my family with open arms. With their friendship and support, I've found a new focus and passion for being a Member a Congress:
 To make sure that Cole – and all disabled Americans – have the best opportunities for education, employment, and independent living.

Today, I spoke on the House floor to recognize the ADA anniversary (click here to watch it). I also spoke at a press conference with some of the leaders of the original ADA law (including Sen. Tom Harkin, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, former Majority Whip Tony Coehlo, Rep. James Sensenbrenner, and Anthony Imparato, President and CEO of the American Association of People with Disabilities [AAPD]). At the press conference, we reaffirmed our commitment to fulfilling the promise of the ADA – not just expanding opportunities for people with disabilities, but also empowering them to lead independent, successful lives.

In related news, last week I had the privilege of addressing the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) National Convention. You can see my power point presentation – plus some of the highlights of my speech – at my new webpage, Down Syndrome Legislative Updates. Click here to view the page and let me know what you think.
Also, last Wednesday, I had the privilege of receiving the AAPD's "Justice for All Award." In my acceptance speech, I said that, "We've come a long way in 20 years, but we still have a long way to go. Let's use the ADA anniversary as inspiration for creating a 'more perfect union' for people with disabilities and all Americans."
I look forward to continuing to work with the disability community – a community I'm proud to be a part of - on the issues that are important to us. Thank you for your support, leadership, and friendship.

Best Wishes,
Cathy McMorris Rodgers
Member of Congress

The Challenge of Imperfection

Is the title of an interesting article on MercatorNet which talks about the Spanish World Cup coach whose son with Down syndrome helped his team celebrate victory.
I loved the author's description of the absolute necessity of those who are ready for parenthood being ready to commit to  selfless sacrifice, but was disturbed by his quote of President Obama's Inauguration Speech near the end of the piece.

"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition… that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task."

Maybe since he doesn't live in the USA, the author hasn't had acces to the independent media who would inform him how our president has failed to live up to this gradiose rhetoric, especially with regards to the unborn child.
The unborn child in America has never been at greater risk, as under the Obama administration. In less that two years, a billion dollars has been given to Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion business in the world, and for the first time, federal tax dollars are going to be used for abortions, thanks to his health care plan. Doctors like Ezekiel Emmanuel who favor rationing of health care to the healthiest among us are prepared to take over the health care system and ration the care to those whose higher score on "quality of life" calculations merit more attention. In short, those whose genetic predispostions like Down syndrome,  include expensive treatments will be denied care. Sarah Palin fears these "Death Panels" will deny her son Trig medical care. I fear the same for my eight year old with Down syndrome.
I take my responsiblity very seriously as a parent. I was down in Washington DC to protest Obamacare, for the good of my special needs daughter as part of Health Care for Gunner Press Conference on Sept 15, 2009. Were you listening, President Obama? We want you to be responsible for our children's well being, since you chose to take over our health care system.
Our children are precious to us, and you use them only to be the but of your jokes. We are ready to fight for them, and take you out of office.
http://web.me.com/kristanhawkins/www.healthcareforgunner.com/Welcome_Page.html

Do children with Down syndrome feel inferior?

Super post over at Vital Signs blog about the so called breakthrough in prenatal testing for Down syndrome. I wince every time it is said that lives will be saved, because it is simply not true. Typcial babies may be saved the risk of miscarriage posed by Amnio, however the ten percent of babies with Down syndrome who escape the knife at this time, will likely perish. I suppose if you consider them less than human, then they don't count.
You'll have to tell my spunky eight year old Christina she's not worth saving.
I can't.
You see, she thinks she is a beautiful, unique, irreplaceable child of God.
Poor simple girl, what does she know?

I am becoming a Culture of Life speaker

Sometimes I have to pinch myself,  God is changing me so much, I hardly recognize myself.  I was the shy girl whose music teacher recommended she learn violin since she was so quiet, and didn't have the wind for a wind instrument. I was the one who dreaded oral presentations in her high school classes. Now, I am embarking on a career which includes getting up in front of large audiences, both in person and in the media, and giving a speech. You know this is the work of  the Holy Spirit. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined myself speaking in front of a gaggle of cameras on Capitol Hill at an official press conference against Obamacare last September. I participated in a panel discussion of Catholic mothers of children with Down syndrome for the Catholic Speakers Series for the Joint Parish Respect Life Committee and the Faith Formation Office of the Diocese of Brooklyn this spring which included a short TV interview for Currents, a program of Net TV, the diocesan TV station. View the video here.

Here are some of the speaking engagements I have been planned for this year.
I am speaking this Saturday at St Mary's Church in Coventry, CT after the 9AM Mass for the Gospel of Life Society about my founding of Keep Infants with Down Syndrome and my upcoming book "A Special Mother is Born".
 I will be interviewing for Catholic TV in Boston about my book sometime this summer.

Now, I have a major speaking engagement on October 30, 2010. I will be speaking alonside Fr Brian Mullady, OP, author and  popular EWTN show host.
I will be moderating a workshop titled WINNING THE WAR FOR HEARTS AND MINDS OF YOUTH at our Respect Life Conference scheduled for Saturday, October 30, 2010. The Conference will open at 9:00 a.m. and the workshops will start at 9:30 a.m.
I hope to have my book available to purchase at this venue.
See you there!

Worldwide Consecration to Mary on August 15

This is from a Facebook friend. If you haven't tried Facebook, you should, there are so many wonderful Catholics events and groups,  that it is difficult to keep up with them all. I just completed my Marian Consecration as part of my first year of formation in the MIM Militiae Immaculata Mediartrix, the third order of the Franciscans of the Immaculate. I completed my consecration the day before my birthday. It was a life changing experience, I feel closer to Our Lady than ever before in my life. Imagine if there were a mass consecration of souls to her Immaculate Heart? Could we help bring about a mass conversion, bringing the world a step closer to the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart?
See how this might be happening.

As we get closer to August 15th, The Feast day of the Assumption of The Blessed Virgin Mary, our thoughts turn to the Consecration to Jesus through Mary as a way of preparing to celebrate well that wonderful feast day of our mother Mary’s assumption. Because Mary’s assumption is always a blessed day here on Earth and in heaven we need to prepare to celebrate it well. So today, I would like to let you know of the Worldwide Consecration to Jesus through Mary, where by you can consecrate yourself to Jesus through Mary. I would really encourage you to join in the consecration if you can, it’s really wonderful and can take your spiritual life to a higher level. It’s the method of John Paul II, Mother Theresa, and Fr. Corapi.


I recommend you pick up a copy of St. Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary, I am sure you can find a copy at your Parish / Church Book store or any Catholic Book shop in your town.

You can also check out the website:

http://www.icatholicradio.com/station-events/consecrate-yourself/

Also, here is the link to the facebook group, you can join

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=108292985916&ref=ts

just a few words, the Worldwide Consecration to Jesus through Mary was started last year by one of my friends Steven (an employee at the Station of the Cross Catholic Radio) together with Fr Corapi. Where by Catholics Consecrate themselves to Jesus through Mary according to the method of St. Louis De Montfort and its been tried and proven by John Paul II, Mother Theresa, and Fr. Corapi that is I recommend you to join as well and be blessed as join.

Participate in study about how famlies deal with Down syndrome

Below is a message from Dr Marcia Van Riper at UNC Chapel Hill.
She is doing a study about how famlies cope with the diagnosis of Down syndrome. Please participate and encourage others to do the same. We want the message to get out that our children do change our lives, for the better.
Leticia

Our goal is to collect information from a large, diverse group of families. We are planning to use the results of this study to increase awareness about what life is like in families ofchildren with Down syndrome.

If you know parents who might be interested in participating in the
study feel free to share my email
vanriper@email.unc.edu
and the linksbelow with other families.

Here are the links to the online survey.
Link for mothers: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3KBM795

Link for fathers: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/3KBQN5M