PRESS RELEASE - Down Syndrome International announces recipients of 2012 World Down Syndrome Day Awards - Down Syndrome International, 21 March 2012

Wed, 2012-03-21

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release on Wednesday 21 March 2012

DOWN SYNDROME INTERNATIONAL ANNOUNCES RECIPIENTS OF 2012 WORLD DOWN SYNDROME DAY AWARDS

On Wednesday 21 March 2012, World Down Syndrome Day, Down Syndrome International (DSi) is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2012 World Down Syndrome Day Awards.

2012 is the third year of the World Down Syndrome Day Awards, presented to individuals or organisations whose voluntary, professional or scientific activities have strengthened and enriched the lives of people with Down syndrome, or contributed to scientific advancement related to Down syndrome.

This year’s recipients are as follows:

Voluntary and Professional Awards

5 individuals with Down syndrome receive awards for outstanding self-advocacy:

Robert Pio Hajjar (Canada) – Motivational speaker, former athlete and Founder of Ideal-Way Inc.
Prathamesh Date (India) – Worked in software, newspaper, library and logistics.
María Alejandra Villanueva (Peru) – Fought successfully for the right of people with intellectual disabilities to vote in Peru.
Sheri Brynard (South Africa) – Outstanding academic achiever and motivational speaker.
Rafael Calderón-Almendros (Spain) – Acclaimed academic and performance musician.

3 individuals receive awards for outstanding voluntary and professional activities:

Sahira Abdul Lateef Mustafa (Iraq) – Founder and President of Down Syndrome Association of Iraq and Head Teacher of Hiba Centre for Down Syndrome in Baghdad.
Christy Lynch (Ireland) – Advocate of employment and community integration and CEO of KARE, Ireland.
Dr Abdulrahman AlSwaid (Saudi Arabia) – Paediatrician and Medical Geneticist and founder of Arabic voluntary family support and awareness forum Werathah.com.

All recipients are invited to a formal presentation of World Down Syndrome Day Awards for the years 2010-2012 taking place at the 11th World Down Syndrome Congress (WDSC) in Cape Town, South Africa from 15-17 August 2012.

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For further information on the recipients of the 2012 World Down Syndrome Day Awards or to learn more about World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD), please visit the DSi website www.ds-int.org or the WDSD website www.worlddownsyndromeday.org. For further information on the WDSC please visit the website www.wdsc2012.org.za.

Press Contact:

Andrew Boys - Tel: 020 8614 5124 Mob: 07810 153294 Email: contact@ds-int.org

Down Syndrome International –
Langdon Down Centre, 2A Langdon Park, Teddington, Middlesex, United Kingdom, TW11 9PS.
Website: www.ds-int.org

Editors Notes:

Down Syndrome International (DSi) is a UK based international charity, comprising a membership of individuals and organisations from all over the World, committed to ensuring quality of life and human rights for all people with Down syndrome. Our members include people with Down syndrome, parents, family members and friends, carers, professionals, practitioners, researchers, organisations and people who are interested in Down syndrome.

World Down Syndrome Day is a global awareness day observed on 21 March each year. This date (21/3) represents the 3 copies of chromosome 21, which is unique to people with Down syndrome, and people and organisations worldwide celebrate on this day in a variety of different ways.

Down syndrome is a life-long genetic condition from conception. All people with Down syndrome will have some degree of learning disability but many will go on to lead full and semi-independent lives.

There is estimated to be up to 7 million people who have Down syndrome living worldwide.

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