Tim Borquez

Fred and I are trying to raise Tim, our 11-year old son with Down syndrome, to be independent and to that end often give him a long leash and see how things go. Recently, while Tim and I were returning something to Target, Tim stated he was hungry and was going to go get something to eat. I told him I didn't have any money, but he started off for the food court anyway. I was confident he would be back after discovering no money equaled no food. I finished my transaction and was heading to the concession area and there was Tim coming back toward me with a hot dog and chips! I rushed him over to the cashier and asked if Tim had just stiffed him.
"No, that man over there payed for him" was his reply. I looked over at the gentleman he pointed out and when I offered to pay him back he declined my money with kind words telling me of his sister with Down syndrome, who lives in the Philippines, and how I should be grateful Tim could talk because his sister couldn't due to lack of services there in his country.
I am so grateful for the opportunities we have here in our country and especially for Club 21, where Tim can continue to gain the confidence he needs to grow into the independent person we dream he can be. As our services are threatened by our struggling economy, please help us to keep the doors of Club 21 open so we can continue to help our kids with Down syndrome on their way to becoming valued members of our society.

Club 21 is dedicated to helping parents navigate their child's educational pathway. Tim eagerly attends the ECAR program (Every Child A Reader) weekly at Club 21 and is gaining more and more reading skills. I am learning new ways to help him as well and I am grateful there is a Club 21!

Please donate at www.clubtwentyone.org <http://www.clubtwentyone.org/> . Thank you in advance!
 

The Brown-Home Family

We love that Benjamin wakes up every morning with a beautiful smile. He always has a smile for us when we come home from being out. He loves to work hard and will smile when he accomplishes something. Like every kid he enjoys praise and will clap his hands when he gets something right. He loves to clap his hands to show he is happy and to greet you! We love that at just 10 months old, he is already starting to use sign language to communicate with us. His favorite activity is reading. We can't read bedtime stories to him because he gets so pumped and excited for story time. He tries to hold the books himself and touches all the pictures He's our little book-worm and we love it!

Benjamin has enriched our lives so much. He makes us so happy and proud. He makes us want to be better people and to make this world a better place. He has taught us to take joy in the simplest things in life. There isn't a day that goes by where we aren't laughing and smiling because of him. As a teacher, Benjamin has really opened my eyes to the fact that every kid is very unique and learns in their own way. I am a more patient teacher because of him. Benjamin has taught us that kids/people with special needs really are more like "typical" kids/people than not.

Just two days ago Benjamin started using his signs to communicate. He woke up, smiling and doing the sign for milk. When we gave him his juice first (because it has his Rx in it), he refused it and kept signing for milk. When we gave him his milk, he was a very happy lil' guy =) We are so happy to see him communicating at such a young age.

We have the same expectations for Benjamin as we would for any child of ours. We expect him to go to school, join sports, clubs, make friends, graduate, go on to college, live independently, fall in love, marry and become a positive contributor to society.

We had a prenatal diagnosis and it was a very scary time. The limited information we had at the time was very grim and outdated. But as we learned more about Down syndrome, it really became less scary! I would tell parents to go to CLub 21 First Steps and meets the babies and their families. It really is going to be OK. Yes, it is true that there will be some extra doctor appointments and regular therapy, but it really isn't a big deal. As with any child, you would do anything and everything to make sure they have the best care and every opportunity possible. Your child is going to be beautiful and bright.

He or she will have a wonderful life full of opportunities and you will meet the best people in the world because of your child. Like any child, your son or daughter will make you and your family so happy and so proud. He or she will make you a better person. A lot of our friends and family tell us that Benjamin is lucky to have us as parents and we always correct them, we are the lucky ones to have him. Benjamin is simply perfect and we are just so in love with our son.

Gretchen Conway

Our daughter, Gretchen, is almost 8-years old and while our road has had its bumps; we would never change the fact that she has Down syndrome.  I wish things were easier for her, but she is hands down the best thing that has happened to our family and friends.  She has taught us to not sweat the small stuff, to appreciate even the smallest accomplishments and just about anything can be funny.  Our other daughters have incredible empathy for others and we are all better people for having Gretchen in our lives.  When Gretchen was born, I really didn't know what to expect.  Today we have conversations that I never could have imagined.  

 She is the first person with Down syndrome to attend our local catholic school with her sisters and she absolutely holding her own.  My dad just attended Grandparents Day with her and said she was a rock star in that everyone knows her.  All the kids watch out for her and the other 26 kids in her class have learned as much from her as she has learned from them.  She is constantly exceeding our expectations.  She is reading at grade level, doing addition and subtraction, and is always telling me things she has learned that I never thought she would. She is on a typical swim team and for a couple minutes while she is racing she doesn't have Down syndrome because of the goggles.  When she takes them off, there isn't a dry eye in the house. Her coach, knowing she wouldn't get a ribbon, bought her a medal to celebrate her first swim meet.  She was so proud of it, she slept with it and wore it to school the next day where I had to explain to her friends why she got a medal and they didn't.  Our hopes for her are the same as for our other two girls. We hope they live happy, healthy productive lives and visit their parents a lot.

My advice to expectant parents is never lower your expectations.  It may take you longer to get there, but it will make your arrival even more sweet.  Always listen to your gut.  You know your child better than any "professional".  Don't let them tell you where your child will learn the best.  Don't read the books of all the things that could medically happen to your child.  They don't even write books about all the things that might happen to a "typically developing" child.  They are a child first; just love them like one.  Take them everywhere.  It is your responsibility to educate others about Down syndrome.  Gretchen constantly tells people about Down syndrome with her words and her actions.  She is constantly showing people she is more alike than different from her peers.  Life is a gift; embrace and enjoy it.