World Down Syndrome Day is annually observed on March 21 which begins in 2012 to raise public awareness about Down syndrome. Down syndrome is also known as trisomy 21. It is a genetic disorder caused by the presence of all or part of a third copy of chromosome 21. Basically Down syndrome is a congenital disorder caused by having an extra 21 chromosome. Effects of having one are physical growth delays, characteristic facial appearance, weak muscle tone and mild to moderate intellectual disability.
March 21 is the day set aside to celebrate the triplication of chromosome 21 that is the genetic composition of people with Down syndrome. This special event has been created to generate awareness about this condition and their abilities and possibilities of people with Down syndrome.
Today, my friends and I are travelling to Cebu city for a long planned vacation. Nikki, a registered nurse, came across a post in Facebook about World Down Syndrome Day. North Shore Connexions Society in North Vancouver asked for support by wearing mismatched socks to raise awareness about Down syndrome. Of course, we all excitedly agreed to support the said activity. So the night before, we planned on wearing mismatched socks going to Cebu.
So in the airport while waiting for our flight, we took of our shoes and took pictures of our socks so we can post it online with a hashtag #WDSD18 #lotsofsocks #connectwithsox #downsyndrome.
So you may be wondering.
Why mismatched socks?
MISMATCHED SOCKS is the sign of a genius. Albert Einstein was rumored to wear mismatched socks, so if the rumors are true, and what is true for Albert Einstein makes it true for everyone who shares any of his traits, then that means that a person who wears mismatches socks is a genius.
Even we are from the Philippines, we believed that everyone should be aware about Down syndrome, that this is not a sickness and people who have one, needs special attention with continuous support and unconditional love and care from their friends and family. Here in the Philippines, we’re also struggling with a lot of cases of Down syndrome. Stereotypes are everywhere as well which adds more to the social struggles of people with Down syndrome. I happen to know a friend whose sister has Down syndrome and I have seen how the whole family took care of her and showed her how much they loved her. She grew up to be the sweetest and very smart. Though she has battles on her own yet she is mentally strong and sometimes she goes beyond of what is expected from her surprisingly.
I personally believe that we should change people’s perceptions about Down syndrome. People tend to be insensitive and think of them as mentally or physically disabled. You can teach people with Down syndrome, you can talk to them, you can interact with them and most especially you can touch them. They may not be able to express it well but you know what they are trying to do or say. They just need a little assistance from us who can do it for them. And if you do, you’re going to be amazed of how smart they are.