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Down Syndrome Awareness Month is October, and more than 300 special walks are being held nationwide to help promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome, as well as to raise money for the National Down Syndrome Society and their local affiliates.

In the Washington, D.C. area, the 2010 Northern Virginia Buddy Walk is scheduled for Saturday, September 25 at 10 a.m. at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, VA. Organizers are still seeking walkers and those willing to support walkers.

“It’s exciting to see the community coming together to support people with Down Syndrome and their families,” says Jennifer Wade Greiner, Program director for

Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia (DSANV.)

The one-mile walk is expected to draw over 2,000 participants and will be followed by a festival celebrating the more than 400,000 people living with Down syndrome in the United States, including many Asian Americans.

“Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels. However, since there is no official Down syndrome registry in the U.S., it is impossible to calculate the number of Asian Americans who are affected. ” says Sarah Schleider, Vice President Marketing & Communications for the National Down Syndrome Society. “The condition occurs when an individual has three, rather than two, copies of the 21st chromosome. This additional genetic material alters the course of development and causes the characteristics associated with Down syndrome. It is the most commonly occurring chromosomal condition. One in every 733 babies is born with Down syndrome.”

Clarette Yen of Arlington, VA, was surprised when her now one-year-old daughter, Flora Yi-lan Gutowski, was diagnosed with Down syndrome at birth. However, she and her family consider the diagnosis a blessing.

“Flora has really transformed our lives and perspective for the better,” says Yen. “Having a child with a disability has taught us not to take anything for granted. Every step, every milestone along the way for Flora has been a blessing, once you realize how much work she has to put in to get there. We have also realized that we always have to be on our toes to be the best advocate for our child.”

In addition, Yen and her family have discovered how much effort is required to provide care to a child with Down syndrome.

“As part of her early intervention services, Flora sees a speech therapist and a physical therapist every week and an occupational therapist every other week.  She also sees a number of specialists -- including a geneticist, cardiologist, endocrinologist, and otolaryngologist -- on a regular basis, in addition to a pediatrician. I think that I am starting to understand what it means when they say that it takes a village to raise a child,” says Yen. “However, despite the additional doctors' appointments and therapy sessions, Flora is just like a typical child in that she absolutely adores and tries her best to emulate her older brother Grant, likes to play favorites with her mommy and daddy, and can usually be found each weekend at the park, zoo or swimming pool.” The Northern Virginia Buddy Walk will directly benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Northern Virginia (DSANV), an organization which supports individuals with Down syndrome and their families living in the Northern Virginia region

“DSANV hopes to raise $200,000 from this year’s Buddy Walk,” says Megan Ferguson, 2010 Buddy Walk Co-Chair. “These funds will be used to provide social events, educational programming, and advocacy efforts. The Learning Program is an example of an educational program that benefits from Buddy Walk fundraising. The program, piloted by the association last year, utilizes the modality strengths of individuals with Down syndrome thus improving their learning potential.”

Yen contacted DSANV a week after Flora was born and found the organization to be a great resource to her family.

“My first point of contact with DSANV was with the Director of the Parent to Parent program. Within days, she paired me up with a mentor who has a 4 year-old daughter with Down syndrome. She has been an invaluable source of advice and friendship,” says Yen. “DSANV also provided us with educational materials about raising a child with Down syndrome and access to a member listserv, which not only allows us to ask questions and provide advice, but also informs us of issues down the road for us once Flora starts school. Ultimately, individuals with Down syndrome (and their families who love and support them) want to be accepted, included, and valued just like everyone else.”

For more information about the 2010 Northern Virginia Buddy Walk:

Visit http://buddywalk.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=426615

Anyone can register to participate over the website or can register the day of the walk starting at 8:00 a.m. In addition to the walk, there will be other family-friendly festivities, including live entertainment, moon bounce, petting zoo, rock climbing wall, and face painting. 
Asian parents who have a child with Down syndrome may also visit the following support group:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/asianparentsgroup/