Every year, I take the month of January to regroup after the holidays.
I try to get everything in order after the rush, the visitors, and the hustle and bustle of the holidays. I clean up the house, purge what we can pass on to those in need, and set goals for the coming year. I always vow to be just a little bit more organized. I may not always succeed at being as organized as I would like, but I do pick up tips and tricks from my friends to help me a long the way.
And then FEBRUARY comes.
It’s the month of LOVE. It’s the month that my first son was born. It’s the month that our family celebrates with other families ALL OVER the Philippines because we have kids with a little something extra.
In 2002, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo declared February, DOWN SYNDROME CONSCIOUSNESS MONTH under the auspices of the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines Inc. Proclamation Number 157, as we call it, brings an awareness to our cause, and enables our organization to constantly move forward in providing information about our community and our children to those who may not understand or relate to children and adults with Down Syndrome.
What is Down Syndrome?
Typical children are born with 23 chromosomes from their mom and 23 chromosomes from their dad. So they have 23 PAIRS of chromosomes for their genetic make up. (23 +23 = 46 chromosomes)
Children with Down Syndrome have an extra chromosome. (23 +23+ 1= 47 ) The extra chromosome is usually of the 21st pair. This is where the name Trisomy 21 comes in. So that means that children and adults with Down Syndrome will have 3 chromosomes instead of 2 on the 21st pair. Down Syndrome affects about 1 in 800 children.
If you are new to reading this blog, you can read about some of Gelli’s therapies and therapists here. We believe that all the hard work that Gelli has been doing with her therapists is completely worth it’s weight in gold. With her therapists’ help, she is able to crawl, walk, run, talk, listen, and play all at a rate which is not as delayed as it would have been without their help.
Truth is…Gelli will be able to do lots of things just like other kids her age. She just might end up doing them a little later than the rest of the kids at school.
Through out the entire month of February, I am going to challenge myself to publish a post relevant to Down Syndrome and Down Syndrome Consciousness month every day. I have asked some of my friends, family, and bloggers that I know who are willing to share a little bit of their stories and how Down Syndrome factors into their lives to share their stories as well. These will be Featured Guest Posts.
I hope you enjoy this new facet to my blogging. I will see how it goes for this month (28 days in a row has me really stressed) and then if it goes well, I will ask for guests posts regularly.
For now, I would like to share all of the upcoming events, celebrations and fundraisers for the most important month for our organization DSAPI.
Winning Team Jeremy from last year’s Tee Up For Down. Photo Credit: Agnes Lapena
February 6, 2015:
12th Tee-Up for Down
Tagaytay Midlands Golf Club
Shotgun start at 8am
Registration at 6:30am
Ticket: P3,000 (inclusive of Green Fee, Cart, Lunch& Giveaways)
Click on the poster to be taken to DSAPI Facebook Page for Registration Forms
February 8, 2015:
United for Down (FREE Clinic)
8am-5pm
Crown Plaza Manila Galleria
Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City
Team Gellibean continues to grow in love and support each year for the Happy Walk.
February 22, 2015:
13th Happy Walk
7am-4pm
Skydome, SM City North Edsa
Registration Fee: P50 (FREE for Individuals with Down Syndrome)
The staff of Mango Tree was extremely supportive and patient with all of the girls as they learned their jobs for the day for Dine for Down last year.
February 27, 2015:
Dine for Down Take 2
6pm
Highlands Prime Steakhouse in Pasig
If you would like to know more about DSAPI and the activities we will have all month long please visit our Facebook group.
If you would like to know more about our association:
DOWN SYNDROME ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILS., INC. (DSAPI)
2nd Floor, 6372 Agrifina Building
Camia corner Meleguas Streets
Guadalupe Viejo, Makati City, 1211 (near Rockwell)
Contact Numbers: (63-2) 895-36-06 / Tel/Fax: (63-2) 895-96-42
E-mail: dsapi@hotmail.com
Yahoo Groups:http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dsapi/
Office Hours: Monday to Friday from 8:00AM – 6:00PM
Best Buddies will be supporting DSAPI in our month long celebration. To learn more about Best Buddies and how to become a buddy visit Best Buddies Manila Facebook page.
Hmmm… i just wish DSAPI can have one activities be duplicated in other areas like ours.. we would like to always take part in DSAPI’s activities, but the distance wouldn’t allow us…. i am a mom of a cute and adorable 16 month old baby with DS…. i myself would like to participate with the advocacy of spreading the word about down syndrome…. coz i really believe that the more people who are aware of the condition, all the more that our babies will be easily accepted and loved…. but i find it difficult coz i don’t have the time and resources to do so…l do the advocacy in social media sites only… and from time to time, i do it at work….
Hi Amor. Thanks for stopping by. You can always create a community where you are. Batangas isn’t that far and since the only time we really call on our DSAPI family to get together is The Happy Walk, maybe you can try and make it with other people from your area? I think, even if you can’t make it, just by bringing your baby out and around and then answering questions when people have them…you are already creating an awareness and fostering acceptance for all of our children!!
I am so proud of our little Gellibean and her parents and siblings!
Just found your blog this morning, thanks to my friend, Megan (My Stubborn Miss) and her guest post! I’m mom to Owen, who is 5 1/2 years old and has Down syndrome too. He is also half Filipino-American–my husband is a 1st generation Filipino-American; his parents were both born in the Philippines and moved to the US as young adults in the 1970s. I am a blogger too over at http://www.thesumulong3.blogspot.com.
Hi Stephanie!
So thankful for this online community of Mommas who have kids with an extra chromosome. It was actually, my saving grace when Evangelina was born. It was what helped me survive the long nights at home while Gelli was in the NICU recovering from her corrective surgery for Duodenal Atresia. After prepping my three big kids for bed, and tucking everyone in, I would curl up with my breast pump and my laptop searching for parents like me who were sharing their story in cyberspace. Owen’s birth story sounds much like Gelli’s and I’m not sure if I had the choice I would change the fact that I didn’t know…but I sure would change the way the doctors and nurses delivered the news of T-21. I have many things to be thankful for because of the birth of my daughter…even this blog…I’m not sure I would have had the courage to put myself out there, if it weren’t for sharing little pieces of her and our family and our journey.