Friday, December 23, 2011

What to give your doctor for Christmas

This press release just came out announcing a wonderful booklet on Down syndrome which you can get for FREE for your healthcare professional. I have a copy of the patient version, it has lovely photos of children with Down syndrome doing all sorts of things, and although it mentions 'termination' as a option, it warns the mother that those who abort often suffer traumatic stress afterward. It is written in English and Spanish and can be purchased for $15 for patients, and obtained for free by doctors.


Nationally Recommended Prenatal Down Syndrome Diagnosis Booklets Available Free to Medical Providers

Atlanta, GA, December 23, 2011 --(PR.com)-- This week, Canister launched a revamped Lettercase program to distribute free copies of "Understanding a Down Syndrome Diagnosis" to medical providers nationwide. The booklets, authored by Stephanie Meredith, were created with input from representatives of the national medical organizations, including the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American College of Medical Genetics, and the National Society of Genetic Counselors, and the national Down syndrome organizations.

The booklet contains accurate, up-to-date, and balanced prenatal information about Down syndrome for patients learning about a prenatal diagnosis from their physician. The booklet covers available health and education services, common medical conditions for babies with Down syndrome, information about pregnancy options, and helpful resources about the condition. The booklet also includes a Spanish translation and has been optimized for different reading levels.

Practicing medical providers who are involved in delivering Down syndrome diagnoses are eligible for a free copy of the booklet at www.lettercase.org, and medical facilities may also purchase additional copies as needed. The philanthropic program is funded exclusively by the creators of the booklet, Canister, a small design studio in Atlanta, GA.

Justin Meredith, the owner of Canister, explained, "We created these booklets four years ago to fill a void of resources for expectant parents learning about a Down syndrome diagnosis. Since that time, we have distributed nearly 20,000 booklets and been fortunate enough to receive feedback and assistance from representatives of the national medical and Down syndrome organizations. The medical professionals have always been the keystone of our program, so we've dedicated our professional skill and funding capacity to make this resource available to them."

Other philanthropic work by Canister includes the Rose Pedal cystic fibrosis cycling event, TEDx Salt Lake City, art museums, DownSyndromePregnancy.org, and breast cancer and leukemia resources

Canister
Justin Meredith
            646-262-9903      
Contact
canisterco.com


Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Monday, October 10, 2011

Pre-orders for our book "A Special Mother is Born" are now being accepted!

Eileen Haupt and 32 other parents of special needs children, including 19 with Down syndrome have collaborated on the book "A Special Mother is Born".

Great news for those of you who have been wondering when the book will be available!
WestBow Press has said that the books are coming within three weeks!

Just  leave your shipping address and secure payment of $22.50 ($19.95 plus $2.55 shipping for a total of $22.50) by credit or debit card at the paypal button in the margin on the right, and I will ship your book to your home in one month.

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

The book cover for "A Special Mother is Born" is in!

To keep up with the progress of the book, and for information on where to buy it when it goes on sale next month, go to my blog A Special Mother is Born. 

Thursday, August 25, 2011

If you missed us on "Faith and Culture" the first time, here's your chance

Show host Colleen Carrroll Campbell just informed us that EWTN is re-airing our "Faith and Culture" interview on the following dates and times, according to the online schedule.
Sunday Sept. 18 at 5:00 PM EST, 
Monday Sept 19 at 2:30 PM EST 
Wednesday Sept 21 at 11PM EST. 

Its called "Keeping Infants with Down Syndrome".
If you miss this, its not archived, you'll have to purchase the DVD in the EWTN Catalogue. 

Thursday, July 7, 2011

A Special Mother is Born has a blog and a Facebook page

Leticia's book "A Special Mother is Born" will be out within a month. It contains 33 stories from parents of special needs children and tells how God blessed their lives through parenting their children.
In this book, Eileen Haupt tells the story of her daughter Sadie's birth, and many KIDS members share their inspiring stories.
Leticia will be posting endorsements and reviews this month in anticipation of the book's release on the new blog dedicated to the book called, appropriately, A Special Mother is Born. 
Be sure to like our page on Facebook.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Welcome Drew Mariani listeners!

Drew Mariani was kind enough to give us his support for our kids on his show on Relevant Radio today, he was shocked when he read the statistic which is all too familiar to us; that 92%. If you are from his show, please leave a comment below to say hello and join our Facebook group. 
. Thank you Drew, for allowing me to share the joy Christina brings into my family. 

Monday, June 27, 2011

KIDS to be discussed on the Drew Mariani Show Tomorrow.

I will be discussing KIDS tomorrow at 3:30 EST on the Drew Mariani Show on Relevant Radio.
Tune in if you get the chance.

Friday, June 24, 2011

Mike Sullivan loves our kids!


Read my blog post over at National Right to Life News about Mike Sullivan, the engineer from New Zealand who is suing  his government over eugenic abortion in the International Criminal Court. I hope this idea catches on, it means that this could be done in every nation which has signed onto the Rome Treaty and has universal pre-natal testing for Down syndrome and other anomalies.
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Wednesday, June 22, 2011

New Zealander Mike Sullivan stands up for our children


 Following TV3's 60 Minutes(on New Zealand television) documentary on June 12 “Down but not out'', parents of children with Down syndrome announced they will lodge a complaint with the International Criminal Court against the Governments screening programme for Down syndrome.

The basis of the parents' complaint is that the Government's antenatal screening programme specifically targets foetuses with Down syndrome and other rare genetic conditions, through the prevention of their births.

 The 60 Minutes documentary was introduced with the statement “people with Down syndrome may soon disappear from the face of the earth.'' 60 Minutes revealed the new screening programme was introduced without public consultation and the Ministry of Health “did not bother'' asking the opinion of anyone who has Down syndrome, about the programme.

Mike Sullivan, father of three-year-old Rebecca Sullivan who has Down syndrome, featured in the 60 Minutes documentary. He said people with Down syndrome and other disabilities are human beings who live full and rewarding lives. “They must be treated on an equal basis with other members of our society, without any form of discrimination.''

De-Anne Jensen, mother of three with her oldest son having Down syndrome also featured on 60 Minutes. “Government documents say it costs less not to have children with Down syndrome around, so it looks like they are working to do away with Down syndrome. It's cheaper; you don't have to pay for the special needs things. The Government and medical experts are putting a monetary value on our baby's lives,'' Mrs Jensen said.

 The parents' complaint references Government Cabinet papers obtained under the Official Information Act stating the outcomes of the programme will be a reduction in the number of births of
people with Down syndrome, with around 90% of unborn children diagnosed with the condition being terminated. The persecution of an identifiable group of the civilian population through the prevention of births is specifically prohibited under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, to which New Zealand is signatory.

The group is supported by parents with other disabilities that are being similarly targeted and other organisations who support their concerns.

The groups position statement is that genetic screening must not be used to prevent the birth of unborn children with Down syndrome, or cause harm to any unborn child.

The group recognises genetic testing may help some parents prepare for the birth of a child with Down syndrome. Any testing must respect the life and integrity of the unborn child, cause no harm, be only directed towards safeguarding or healing the unborn child and be presented in a way that does not discriminate against people with Down syndrome or any disability. Any testing must be developed in full engagement with those with Down syndrome.

See Mike Sullivan's interview on 60 Minutes. 
For further
information contact:

Mike Sullivan, 09
436 1498 0r 021 406 266 
mike.b.sullivan@xtra.co.nz

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Welcome Faith and Culture Viewers!

If you are looking up this blog after seeing Eileen and I interviewed by Colleen Carroll Campbell on "Faith and Culture", welcome! We are happy you are here, and welcome you to KIDS Keep Infants with Down Syndrome, an organization begun to help moms make the decision to keep their child with Down syndrome and give them life.
We want you to know that you are not alone, that life with a child with Down syndrome is a challenge, but there are rewards beyond what you can imagine. As Eileen says "the diagnosis of Down syndrome can never tell you the joy this child will bring to your life". We want to tell you about life with our daughters and hear your story.
We want to get to know you, so leave a comment so we can welcome you into our online family!
Come over to my blog Cause of Our Joy, to share in the daily life with my nine year old Christina, and see why she is the cause of my joy.

Friday, June 3, 2011

KIDS on EWTN's "Faith and Culture"

Leticia and Eileen are going to be guests on EWTN's "Faith & Culture" show, hosted by Colleen Carroll Campbell, this coming Sunday!  We will discuss KIDS, the high abortion rate of babies with Down syndrome, the blessings of having a child with Down syndrome, and other issues related to Down syndrome.
The time is not convenient for church-goers, but it also repeats on Wednesday.  So here are the times. 
Sunday 6/5 @ 10:30 a.m.  EST
Wednesday 6/8 @ 11:00 p.m. EST

If you don't subscribe to cable TV, but you have high-speed internet access, you can watch EWTN on-line at this link: http://www.ewtn.com/audiovideo/index.asp  (I have good luck with the 300K speed)
We would be honored if you would watch the show, if your schedule allows.
We are so grateful that God has given us this opportunity to reach such a wide audience to raise awareness about the plight of unborn babies with Down syndrome.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Down Syndrome Population Faces Perfect Storm

Eileen's commentary about the new prenatal test for diagnosing Down syndrome that it is on the horizon was printed in the Burlington Free PressDown Syndrome Population Faces Perfect Storm 

(The first sentence displayed on the on-line version is actually not the first sentence of the commentary; it is a sentence that the printed version used as a quote in a box to highlight it.  Just thought I'd mention it, because I think it reads very awkward.)

Hoping it will cause those who have a heart for the disabled and who consider themselves pro-choice to rethink their views on abortion.

Monday, May 2, 2011

See Eileen and Leticia discuss founding KIDS on TV June 5 and 8

Eileen and I taped an episode of one of Colleen Carroll Campbell's show "Faith and Culture" about KIDS. 

It will be aired on Sunday June 5 at 10:30 AM and on Wednesday June 8  at 11:00 PM on EWTN.
 If you don't get EWTN you can live stream it on the internet at those times or watch archived shows by going to EWTN or Colleen Carroll Campbell's website. 
Hope you can tune in. Leave a comment and tell us how we did!

Monday, April 25, 2011

Christina's show on Crossroads TV program

 The show which features my daughters and I is now available online at:http://www.ortv.org/crossroads.html.  Just click on the date of the show: April 23, 2011, and it should pop up.
 We are on at 8:30 after the piece about the Pope John Paul II exhibit at the Knights of Columbus Museum. 

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Crossroads Show to be aired Saturday

The Archdiocese of Hartford's TV show "Crossroads" will feature my daughters tomorrow on Channel 20 at 10:30 AM CCTV. You can get it across the state of  CT. 
 It focuses on the documentary Gabbi did on her sister with Down syndrome for a film competition and their close relationship. I got in a few words as well!
If you miss it, I can post a link 

Monday, March 28, 2011

The National Institute of Health wants to know if you want Down syndrome research funding


The NIH has decided to gather info (Request for Information or RFI) regarding an interest in Ds research, data base and bio bank.  They want to receive responses by April 1, 2011, in order to decide if there is enough interest to move in that direction.  We feel this is clearly a move in the right direction and would love for you to send your email of support.  You can write your own or simply modify the wording in the first sentence....As a friend(uncle, relative, etc) of a child with Down syndrome who has five siblings, .....  

FYI, the majority of individuals with Ds start with Alzheimer-like symptoms in their 40s.  This will dramatically impact the entire family and there is currently a human clinical trial being conducted on just this topic.  Of course the majority of funding is through private donations, so to have the support of NIH in funding Ds research more fairly (currently Ds is the most common genetic chromosomal abnormality, yet it is funded by far the lowest) hopefully more breakthroughs will be found to improve cognition and delay the later loss.

 If you do write an email please send to:   dsrdrfi@mail.nih.gov and cc: nihresponse@globaldownsyndrome.org   with subject:  RESPONSE TO NIH DOWN SYNDROME RESEARCH DATABASE & BIOBANK RFI

Please pass along to anyone else who may be willing to send an email. 

Monday, March 21, 2011

World Down Syndrome Day

My daughter Gabriela, age 17, made a seven minute documentary on how her sister Christina aged 9 with Trisomy 21,  brings joy to our family.
View it here, and if you like it, give it your vote for the Goodness Reigns People's Choice Competition.

World Down Syndrome Day

Today is World Down Syndrome Day, a day when advocates and families around the world celebrate those who have Down syndrome and raise awareness about this genetic condition.  March 21st (3/21) was chosen to signify the 3 copies  (instead of the usual 2) of chromosome 21, which are present in individuals with Down syndrome. 

IDSC for Life has put together this beautiful photo montage of children and adults with Down syndrome.  Enjoy!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Interview with Dr Jerome Lejeune's daughter

It was one of the greatest honors of my life to meet Clara Lejeune Gaymard, daughter and biographer of my great hero, Dr Jerome Lejeune. I met with her at the New York Encounter last month.Dr Lejeune is the geneticist who discovered Trisomy 21, the cause of Down syndrome, and he dedicated his life to researching a cure in order to save them from the 92% abortion rate.

Mrs Lejeune Gaymard. is an international businesswoman, travelling the world for GE while raising nine children. Her wonderful book "Life is a Blessing" is now availalble from the National Catholic Bioethics Center e-store.
Here is the interview at the National Catholic Register.

Thursday, February 10, 2011

"Faith and Culture" show is airing soon on EWTN

Host of EWTN's program. "Faith and Culture", Colleen Carroll Campbell is finalizing the show where she interviewed Eileen and Leticia. Check here for air dates, coming soon.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

A big THANK YOU to the National Right to Life Committee for hosting KIDS!

We are so grateful to the National Right to Life Committee  for hosting our KIDS event for the past 3 years!  NRLC generously provided sandwiches and refreshments and a warm place to meet, just blocks from the march.  They are very accommodating and are great friends to KIDS.  We so appreciate their generosity!

KIDS highlighted in Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers' newsletter

We are delighted that Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers highlighted KIDS in her recent e-mail newsletter!  The KIDS event is one of the two pro-life events that the congresswoman joined on the day of the March for Life.  We are honored that she joined us again this year.


Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers joins KIDS families and friends.

She had this to say about KIDS:
"...a wonderful organization that works to protect unborn children who have Trisomy 21 and increase awareness about what blessings these children are."
She knows what we know - that our children with Down syndrome are blessings!  Thank you, Rep. McMorris Rodgers!  We are proud to call you a friend of KIDS!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Leticia's EWTN interview is being re-aired Saturday around 4:30PM

Leticia was interviewed with KIDS member Dr Judith Mascolo by Teresa Tomeo as part of the live EWTN coverage of the March for Life on Saturday, January 29 at 2PM.
Our interview, which was very brief, was done immediately after the Verizon Center Mass. I estimate that it will be aired between 4:30 and 5PM EST tomorrow.
Go here to watch EWTN on your computer if you do not have the channel on TV.

Leticia's latest commentary published in National Right to Life News Today

Leticia's recent commentary No More "Mental Retardation." So? was printed in yet another pro-life news website, National Right to Life News Today, a news resource of the National Right to Life Committee.

Her article is enhanced by the photographs taken by her talented daughter Gabriella at the 2011 March for Life in DC. 

Why is replacing the term "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" not enough?  Check out Leticia's commentary to read what she has to say about it.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

KIDS events in DC on January 24, the March for Life

Agenda for National Right to Life Committee Headquarters at 512 10th Street, Washington DC
  • 10:45 - Melissa and Neil and their 2 beautiful children will be at NRLC by 10:45 to greet KIDS families.
  • 11:00  KIDS families may start arriving.  
  • 11:00-11:30 - Leticia is meeting EWTN for an interview behind the stage of the March for Life at the Mall and 4th Street. 
  • ALL KIDS members are welcome to join us and hold signs for the interview. 
  •  Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers will arrive at 12:15  for a brief update on her work on behalf of our children
  • Madame Valerie Guilloux of the Jerome Lejeune Foundation will address the group and present Congresswoman McMorris Rogers with a copy of "Life is a Blessing".
  • After a brief brunch, KIDS families will march!
Join us Monday to show your support for babies with Down syndrome and their right to be born!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

We are marching in Washington on January 24; join us!

For immediate release:
FAMILES WHO HAVE CHILDREN WITH DOWN SYNDROME

TO MARCH TOGETHER IN THE 2011 MARCH FOR LIFE in D.C.

TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF ABORTING

BABIES WITH DOWN SYNDROME

KIDS (Keep Infants with Down Syndrome), a group comprised of families who have children with Down syndrome, will meet for the third year in a row and walk together in the 2011 March for Life in Washington, D.C.

DATE & TIME: Monday, January 24, 2011, 11:00 a.m. to Noon

LOCATION: National Right to Life Committee, 512 10th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.

PURPOSE: Meet for refreshments prior to walking together in the 2011 March for Life

This event is open to individuals with Down syndrome and their families and friends.

KIDS aims to raise awareness about the tragic 90% abortion rate of babies prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome, to challenge the misinformation that often leads mothers to abort their babies with Down syndrome, and to proclaim the joy their children bring to their families and communities!

Through the generosity of the National Right to Life Committee, we have a convenient location to congregate, just blocks from the start of the march, and sandwiches and refreshments to enjoy before we join the march.

For more information please contact Eileen Haupt or Leticia Velasquez.

Eileen Haupt Leticia Velasquez

802-899-4882 860-336-1835

vteileen@comcast.net marysjoys@yahoo.com