Down syndrome Archives - Mardra Sikora

A Healing Balm for the Down Syndrome Community and Allies
A Healing Balm for the Down Syndrome Community and Allies

A Healing Balm for the Down Syndrome Community and Allies

The Global Down Syndrome Foundation each year hosts a fabulous event called Be Beautiful, Be Yourself. At this year’s event on November 14th, we’re going to celebrate. We’re going to cry. We’re going to push forward. I’m the mother of an adult with Down syndrome. There’s so much that I want to tell you, I hardly know where to begin…

Shall I start with 2020 and Covid? Of how scared I am…I fear the possibility that my very breath can bring in a virus that kills people with Down syndrome at

Mardra2020-10-27T13:43:26-05:00Categories: Grown Ups & Downs|Tags: Be Beautiful Be Yourself, CovidImpact, Down syndrome, Global Down Syndrome Foundation|0 Comments

Everyone Needs Help
Everyone Needs Help

Everyone Needs Help

A Gift From the Universe to Change the World

My son, Marcus, and I have had many writing sessions and meetings with collaborators at our neighborhood coffee shop, particularly while we were working on his first book for children and the accompanying animated short. We also wrote the speech we gave at the United Nations building there earlier this year. Today I write solo and the notebook to my right has the lyric, “The universe is resting in my arms” (from Nina Gordan’s song “Tonight”) written and

Mardra2020-06-16T07:17:43-05:00Categories: Grown Ups & Downs|Tags: adult with down syndrome, BBBY Ambassador, Be Beautiful Be Yourself, Black Day, Down syndrome, Global Down Syndrome Foundation, Marcus Models, Marcus Rocks, Marcus Speaking, Marcus' Wisdom, United Nations|5 Comments

Covid-19 and Down Syndrome: Starter Info
Covid-19 and Down Syndrome: Starter Info

Covid-19 and Down Syndrome: Starter Info

Who knows?

I think it’s natural, as a parent, to try to – to want to – protect. Therefore, sometimes we don’t address issues, important stuff, that needs to be faced together, because we don’t want to share the burden of knowledge.

That said, If there’s anything I’ve learned as Marcus’ mom it’s this: never assume he doesn’t know or won’t understand.

Early, often, and honest explanations are important to Marcus’ ability to cope with difficult

Mardra2020-05-06T19:21:50-05:00Categories: Grown Ups & Downs|Tags: adult with down syndrome, CovidImpact, down, Down syndrome, Finish the Sentence Friday, Photo Prompt|2 Comments

Our Story of Down Syndrome: The Short Version
Our Story of Down Syndrome: The Short Version

Our Story of Down Syndrome: The Short Version

For the first 21 years or so of Marcus’ life,

“Down syndrome” didn’t really come up,

and I kept our privacy setting as restricted. Not that I was hiding, I just wasn’t sharing. Why? Well, one reason is because most of those years were pretty, how shall I say this?

Boring.

Not to me, you understand. But to an outsider. Seriously. What exactly is so exciting about going to work and going to school and living in Middle America? Not the stuff of reality TV programming. And I was

Mardra2020-02-17T16:06:03-06:00Categories: Featured on Grown Ups, Grown Ups & Downs|Tags: #WDSD15, adult with down syndrome, Down syndrome, Down syndrome awareness month, life matters, now, then, words matter, World Down Syndrome Day|13 Comments

A Gift From the Universe to Change the World

Who knows?

“Down syndrome” didn’t really come up,

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