On Friday the 20th of March, Langley Park School for Girls celebrated International Down’s Syndrome Day which takes place on the 21st of March, and this year was the Down’s Syndrome Associations 50th anniversary. It occurs on this day because Down’s Syndrome is a learning disability caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21- hence 21/03. At Langley, Stella Saunder organised a day to wear odd socks -because socks look slightly like chromosomes. We stood by the gates with buckets to collect donations from people wearing both odd and normal socks. Overall, £370 were raised for the Down’s Syndrome Association. The Down’s Syndrome Association is a British charity that endeavours to assist people with Down’s Syndrome to live full and rewarding lives. Their website has plenty of factual information and insightful personal stories.
I asked Stella Saunder why she felt it was important that events like these are organised at school and she said that “It is important to raise awareness and make others feel supported and comfortable”. It is vital that we make sure that both people with Down’s Syndrome and family members feel supported and not isolated from integral communities such as school. She also mentioned that “School is a place that we can easily raise awareness and teach people about Down’s Syndrome”. Often, people are unkind or disrespectful because they’re ignorant and education is the way to break through that.
Down’s Syndrome is still a highly stereotyped condition and it is important that we extend as much kindness and respect to those who have it as well as to those without.
By Sadie Saunder
