In honor of World Down Syndrome Day, March 21, we are honored to introduce you to Dee, who attends Living Resources Day Community Opportunities Program (DCOP).
Dee is 25 years old and her hobbies include swimming and coloring, and she enjoys eating popcorn while watching movies. She calls herself “a special needs kid,” not only due to her Down syndrome, but she also shared that when she was three years old, she was diagnosed with leukemia and required a bone marrow transplant. Dee’s optimism is palpable. As she said, “I survived it and I feel good about it. My grandfather said, “I am strong like a bull!”
Dee has been participating in the DCOP program for about a year and she loves it. She smiled while saying “It is really helpful, I like it- it’s fun!” She particularly enjoys holiday-themed parties such as Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter. If she had to pick a favorite activity, she would choose art class day, but honestly, Dee enjoys every small moment of her day, including socializing with her friends while having lunch. As she said, “I enjoy myself in the moment, I enjoy myself in life.”
Wouldn’t it be amazing if everyone had such a positive outlook?
Down syndrome is a condition in which a person is born with an extra chromosome. Typically, people are born with 46 chromosomes, but babies with Down syndrome have an extra copy of one of these chromosomes, specifically chromosome 21. World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated annually on March 21. The date, March 21st, signifies that people with Down syndrome have an extra copy of the 21st chromosome.