BUSTING THE MYTH….

Today as recognized all around world is the World Down Syndrome day. The 21st of March was chosen to signify the trisomy of the 21st Chromosome.

Curious about Down syndrome, please learn more here >>http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/ab…/what-is-downs-syndrome/.

Thinking about today for many families around the world, my heart goes to families like us living in Nigeria. I'm very much aware that majority of the Nigerian society still has a long way to go when to comes to awareness and acceptance of people with down syndrome.

Please read this blog post and you will see that a lot of our friends with this condition are still largely marginalized in the society over therehttp://wdsdgroup.blogspot.co.uk/…/…/whilst-were-waiting.html

By the way, we are the family described in the blogpost. Our daughter had a hole in her heart when she was born and she was diagnosed on the same day she was born. It really breaks my heart that some DS children with this heart defect in Nigeria will likely have to be sent to India for surgery.

Perhaps, you can think about families like this when casting your votes this month. Enough of North versus south, just vote the right leader and improve the chances of these special children. In this day and age, these children shouldn't be locked away in Nigerian homes like prisoners and they shouldn't be mocked by taking them for deliverance. They can achieve anything you want them to achieve like any other child. It just takes them a little longer to learn compared to children without this condition. There is nothing like a typical child anyway. There has to be variety in life. Difference is okay.

Down syndrome is NOT a disease, it is NOT contagious. Infact Ignorance is the greatest disease. Down syndrome is simply the presence of an extra chromosome 21 in the body’s cells. It is not hereditary and it is not anything evil at all. In most cases, downs syndrome comes with conditions like heart defect and most are treatable and some are not treatable. Every child is not the same.

To our fellow Christians, everyone appreciate prayers but this condition is not present because we do not know how to pray. You know what 'Random' means right? Just like flipping a coin so for me the greatest prayer is for people of the world to love each other more. There was an interview I read a while ago about a disabled Nigerian musician. He fell into a gutter, a lady who was nearby started speaking loudly in tongues rather than extending a helping hand to get this blind man out of the gutter. So it is as simple as learning how to show love first before casting out anything!

There are several families in Lagos and many other Naija states with Down Syndrome, please show them love and not pity. Instead of a silly stare, perhaps you can go over to say 'hello'. This condition happens randomly like winning a lottery so quit asking 'why' questions as well.

My daughter, Joy is very lucky because there are many opportunities for her blossom here. It has certainly not been an easy ride as well with hospital visits and all but life isn't supposed to be a Cinderella story anyway. My personal opinion about any general disability is that it is simply a part of the variety of life. We can't deny that fact. People acquire random disabilities via car accidents or as they age. Nothing makes anything out of the world.

There is so much to say but I hope that you will remember these words when next you decide to mock anybody with down syndrome or any other disability. For those who want to support the work of down syndrome association in Lagos (they actually cover West Africa) , this is their websitehttp://downsyndrome-ng.org/. They can do with more volunteers. My younger sister, Tope has volunteered and raised funds for this charity in Nigeria. With my small business, we are hoping to send donations as well. Perhaps, we can all collectively do more 

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Thank you 

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