Down Syndrome Kid Inspires With "I Survived Abortion" Sign | LifeNews.com

Down Syndrome Kid Inspires With "I Survived Abortion" Sign | LifeNews.com

This photo has been going viral around Facebook, spreading the message that less than 10% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome make it to birth.

Keep it going, till these wonderful gifts of God are allowed to be born and grace the world with their gifts.
Read Kurt Kondrich's latest piece about the inalienable right to life of those with Down syndrome in Renew America. 
AND pass it on!

Christina's show on Crossroads TV program

 The show which features my daughters and I is now available online at:http://www.ortv.org/crossroads.html.  Just click on the date of the show: April 23, 2011, and it should pop up.

 We are on at 8:30 after the piece about the Pope John Paul II exhibit at the Knights of Columbus Museum. 

The Arc does a good job of describing Down syndrome on its site

I often cringe at the dated descriptions of Trisomy 21 on the web, but this page on Down syndrome at the ARC website was so positive, I had to share it.

"Life expectancy for people with Down syndrome has increased dramatically in recent decades - from 25 in 1983 to 60 today.  Researchers are making great strides in identifying the genes on Chromosome 21 that cause the characteristics of Down syndrome.  Many feel strongly that it will be possible to improve, correct or prevent many of the problems associated with Down syndrome in the future."

You can always tell when someone who is writing about Down syndrome has actually had contact with someone  with Down syndrome. They see their strengths and have a sense of hope for their future.
Good for you, ARC!

World Down Syndrome Day; An Extra Special Missionary

That's the title of the documentary Gabriela my 17 year old made to describe the missionary spirit in her sister Christina with Down syndrome. She spreads God's love everywhere she goes just by being who she is.
Watch the film on the Goodness Reigns website  here, and, if you like it, please vote for it in the People's Choice Competition.
Happy World Down syndrome day!

Fun facts about Down syndrome

Did you know that 1 of five people with Down syndrome play a musical instrument? No?
Then hop on over to All About the Enskats to learn some fun and interesting facts about those who have designer genes!

Discussion over at Faith and Family Blog

In my new role as director of International Down Syndrome Coalition for Life, I led the discussion when Danielle Bean blogged about Jennifer Anniston using the word "retard" as a pejorative. Several members, at my request, joined in to explain why banning the use of 'the R word' was more than political correctness run amok, it was a refusal to join in on the dehumanization of our fellow man.
 Some, unlike me, object to the clinical use of the term retarded, while I only object to the term "retard" as a derogatory word. The word retard in French means slow, and yes, Christina learns more slowly than others. It is a simple, measurable fact which in NO WAY makes her less worthy of my love or a place in society.  I know words can sound dated; when I lived in London, I passed the "Spastics Society" building every day, wondering how the Brits didn't find that term offensive. I am not so concerned with the evolution of terms throughout time, as the intentional dehumanizing of an entire class of people who are slated for destruction, as evidenced by the 90% abortion rate.
We were battling an intense barrage of people who refused to listen to our side of things, and were fed up with banned words. I understand, with politically correctness dictating so many of our actions in society, that it can be frustrating, however, Catholics must guard their speech and never be a party to the Culture of Death, no matter how burdensome.
 Danielle remained our champion, as you can see by her follow up post in Faith and Family Live blog, where she shows appreciation for my contribution to the conversation.She also expressed so much sorrow at the horrible statistic which haunts my life; 90% of babies diagnosed with Down syndrome in the womb are aborted.
Thanks, Danielle!

A sneak peek into my book

If I am not blogging much these days, its because I am treasure-hunting. I am contacting Catholic authors who happen to be special mothers and asking them to contribute to my book "A Special Mother is Born". Maybe you know someone who is gifted in writing, and has a story to add to the book. Maybe it's you!
Contact me in the comments below.

Here is my latest find, a rare jewel of a poem from one of those living saints you see in church, infinitely patient, with eyes that see heaven while she extends her hand to steady her son's shoulders. Her name is Mary von Schlegell. Mary is in her eighties, and is caring for her son Tony, in his forties, at home. Tony has Down syndrome and since he was born before the educational advances which our children enjoy today, the only word he has ever spoken is “Mama”.



Tony


As you my child are the limitation

So are you the sweetest consolation of my life

And imitation of our Lord.



Clearer than all in my heart,

Your hands marked with the strange line

Raise, raise my compassion

Cling around my heart.



Oh beautiful calm face

So small, so quiet beside me,

You have kept me from destruction,

Oh how can we ever fathom



The strange economy of a loving God;

Why does our trust so often fail

With salvation springing even here along our path?

How the International Down Syndrome Coalition is changing hearts

My friend Diane from IDSC has given me permission to share from her email today. I have been blogging to save lives of babies in danger of abortion because they have Down syndrome for three years. I think I have a handle on how horrible the thinking is about our beloved children, yet Diane's email today left me breathless, and reminded me just how important our internet presence is. We willnever know how many lives we have saved until we meet in heaven. But keep up the good work, Diane, you can see that God has a lot more work for you out there.

Finally, we wanted to share a little information with you. We like to check to see what people will type in their google search engine to find us. We have been surprised to find out that many who are considering abortion are finding us. They are also exiting out of the site on the great pro life resources that we have available for them. We thought you may want to see what some of the words they type into the search engine are. I have copied these exactly as they are, and they are a small sample:

choosing to terminate a downs baby
is down syndrome incompatible with life
do children suffer from Down syndrome
parents starving baby down syndrome
ending pregnancy for down syndrome
choosing to terminate a pregnancy for down syndrome
option to terminate the life of a baby with down syndrome
life for the suffer of down syndrome
our baby has down syndrome
federal law concerning "down syndrome" (I have no clue what this would mean.)

Please continue to keep these families in your thoughts and prayers. We hope that any information we have to offere will help them as they make their decision for their child. We are so glad that the IDSC is coming up so often in search engines when they are looking for information concerning abortion of their child who happens to have Down syndrome. These words can take your breath away. Real people, needing real solutions are finding us!

Thanks to all of you helping to get the word out there, people are finding us!

Submit your photos for Times Square Montage

from NDSS
Celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Buddy Walk® by entering the Times Square Video Contest. The video, which showcases individuals with Down syndrome from all over the world, will air on a jumbo screen in the heart of Times Square on September 26, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. The New York City Buddy Walk will immediately follow the video presentation at the Great Hill in Central Park.
Each year, NDSS receives thousands of photo submissions for the Times Square Video Contest. Because the Buddy Walk promotes acceptance and inclusion of individuals with Down syndrome, the winning photographs feature children, teens and adults with Down syndrome working, playing and learning with friends and family.
For more information, or to submit a photo, please click here. The deadline for submitting photos is July 15, 2009.
ONE photo per individual can be submitted to the contest. Please note that this is different than in the past. If you send more than one photo, NDSS will only use the first submission.
Winners will be contacted by a representative from NDSS via email starting the week of August 3, 2009. You will not be contacted if your photo is not selected. Photographs will not be returned.
Click here to view the 2008 Times Square Video.
For further questions about the contest, contact me at timessquarevideo@ndss.org.

I'm speaking at the Pro-life Coffee House May 9

If you would like to hear me explain how God has blessed us, and particularly what a child with Down syndrome gives to a family, come to the
Pro Life Coffee House
Academy of the Holy Family,
W Main Street
Baltic, CT
on Saturday, May 9 at 7PM.

You will also hear from members of the Smith family, parents of Christy's church buddy, 7 year old Tommy. You will be blessed to hear of his parents' unselfish gifts of their time to take care of Tommy, and the joy he in turn gives to the whole family.

Come and share an evening of the joy of special parenthood!

Lifted up by Down syndrome

Hidden Treasures Montage (my girls are in the middle)

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

A special mother's worst nightmare

Is this kind of "oversight" happening to her child.
If we kill 90% of our babies with Down syndrome in the womb, should we be surprised that medical workers will value such people less than others, and accidentally allow them to starve?
HT Life Site News

Down syndrome and IQ

I have read that there is a 60 spread in IQ scores for individuals with Down syndrome. Here is a blog with a lot to say on this topic.

That being said, IQ is NOT a determinant of a person's future happiness, or their worth. I took the exam for MENSA, as a project for Psychological Testing course in my BA in Psychology. By the way, I passed, but so far won't pay the fee, so I'm not an official member. Intelligence has made learning easy for me, but it has often made me lonely. Here's an example of how intelligence can isolate you. I attended a Mensa meeting for brunch in Houlihan's a mall-based restaurant, full of loud chatter one Sunday morning. Talk about geeks; these guys were doing calculus problems on cloth napkins for fun, and proudly displaying the answers to the waitress who was NOT impressed. Neither was I.

Christina scores a 70 IQ on her tests, which bodes well for her educational future, she will learn to read and have a job, etc. But I have more faith in her go-getter personality and her persistance at a task she is interested in. She will be a happy, beloved woman, of that I have no doubt. I want to quote from a thank you note I received today from her teacher's aide in her typical Kindergarten class.

"The gift I cherish the most is your gift of allowing me to work with your beautiful daughter.

Christina has truly brought new meaning to my life. I have learned so much from her,and look forward to getting back with here after vacation. "

That is true intelligence, having the ability to touch someone so profoundly in only three months with limited verbal skills, but with a limitless ability to love.

Christina has much to teach me as well.

I'll share it with you here.

A Mother's hearfelt plea for President elect Obama

A true show of Christian charity from Elizabeth who writes at The Divine Gift of Motherhood.

I have been giving a great deal of thought to the issue of what to do as a Pro-Life advocate in a country which will now be led by a President and Congress that is largely pro-choice. President-Elect Barack Obama comes to this position with a great deal of emotional baggage. Perhaps he perceived himself as a burden on his mother and grandmother; else why would he see a child as "punishment" for a mother with an unintended pregnancy?
My thought is that it is possible to change his heart, if he hears enough personal stories to persuade him otherwise. If every mother wrote to him her own personal story of motherhood, and why she is against abortion, I do think it could have an effect upon him. I think people should start writing to him now, as he collects his thoughts on his first actions to take when he is sworn into office.
You can reach Senator Barack Obama at:
713 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20510
202-224-2854
obama.senate.gov/contact/
A hand-written, heartfelt letter is always the best, but any contact is better than none at all.

Young woman with Down syndrome voted Homecoming Queen

This is wonderful! It shows the power of inclusion, and the goodness of the people of Council Bluffs Iowa.
Read the entire story here.