World Down Syndrome Day

Did you know Down Syndrome - a disorder that occurs when there is an excess of the 21st chromosome - affects about 6,000 babies each year? March 21 of each year is chosen as "World Down Syndrome Day" to show off the unusual nature of Down Syndrome when a person has 3 21st chromosomes. On this day, the world celebrates Syndrome Day. Down World as an event to raise community awareness, promote inclusion, support health protection and encourage community support for people living with Down Syndrome.

The reason for choosing March 21 is because the English abbreviation is 3.21st, which refers to the condition in which a person has 3 chromosomes 21, the main cause of Down Syndrome.

History of World Down Syndrome Day

Since 2012, March 21 every year has been recognized by the United Nations as "World Down Syndrome Day", with many activities and events aimed at raising public awareness about this disease, and create a global voice to advocate for rights, inclusion and equality for patients with Down syndrome.

Causes of Down Syndrome: Down Syndrome is named after the British doctor John Langdon Down, who first fully described the syndrome in 1887. Years later in 1957, the geneticist and French pediatrician Jérôme Lejeune just found the cause of Down Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder.

Basically, the normal person has a total of 46 chromosomes (divided into 23 pairs of chromosomes), of which half are inherited from the father, the other half are inherited from the mother, each chromosome contains genes necessary for the body's growth. While patients with Down syndrome are caused by an extra chromosome number 21 in the genome, also known as trisomy 21 or trisomy 21, which is the most common inherited chromosomal disorder, one out of every 700 babies born has Down syndrome.

According to statistics, the older the mother, the higher the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome: at the age of 30, the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome is about 1 in 1000, meaning that every 1,000 women 30 years old, only 1 will give birth to a baby with Down syndrome. However, this risk increases to 1 in 400 in a 35-year-old woman and 1 in 60 in a 42-year-old woman.

Witness the rising incidence of Down syndrome and its impact on people's lives.

1990: AFRT Association was established

AFRT (French Association for Down Syndrome Research) - was established to support and promote research on Down syndrome.

2005: Down syndrome date selected

The year marked the first meeting organized by the AFRT and was the year in which March 21 was chosen as the symbolic date for Down syndrome.

2007: Recognition by the World Health Organization.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes March 21 as World Down Syndrome Day.

2011: UN Recognition

The United Nations supports whose recognition of March 21 and also recognizes this day as World Down Syndrome Day.

2012: World Down Syndrome Day is celebrated for the first time

Marks the first year that World Down Syndrome Day has been celebrated and is continued every year on March 21.

How to celebrate World Down Syndrome Day

Join events

Show your support by attending an event honoring World Down Syndrome Day or donating to a charity. Furthermore, you can also drive your friends' engagement through social media by using the hashtag #WDSD21 to spread the word, encouraging others to do the same.

Use a combination of blue and yellow objects

The colors representing Down syndrome are blue and yellow. On World Down Syndrome Day, you can show your support by dressing in blue or yellow, decorating dishes with yellow and blue ice cream, decorating your office with flowers or colored balloons with blue and yellow… It doesn't matter how you mix these colors, make sure you use them.

Event organization

Take the initiative to organize your own event to raise funds and raise public awareness about Down syndrome. Planning a walk, hosting a bagel sale, organizing a lottery sale, or holding a school fair are all fun events that will benefit people with Down syndrome.

Why is World Down Syndrome Day important?

It raises public awareness about Down syndrome

In the United States alone, Down Syndrome affects about 400,000 families. World Down Syndrome Day helps raise public awareness about Down Syndrome and offers options to encourage people with Down Syndrome to participate in daily activities so they can live life to the fullest, meaning and contribution to their community.

It empowers people living with Down syndrome

The achievements and contributions of people with Down Syndrome are often overlooked or forgotten. However, the event helps to affirm, highlight the positive changes they make in their communities and earn the recognition they deserve.

It helps raise money for Down syndrome research.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 out of every 1,000 babies born has Down syndrome. However, the cause is still unanswered. By donating to Down Syndrome charities, you're helping those currently living with Down Syndrome and helping scientists get closer to finding the cause.