Down's Syndrome Awareness Week

Celebrate Down's Syndrome Awareness Week!

This year, Down's Syndrome Awareness Week (19-25 March) includes the first United Nations-recognised World Down's Syndrome Day (Wednesday, 21 March)!

Last year, our members and supporters amazed us with their awareness activities throughout March. Below is a list of what some of our supporters did to mark the occasion.

What will you do this year to make Scotland aware?

• Follow us on Twitter! We will be tweeting facts about Down's syndrome to celebrities and politicians in hopes to retweet the awareness! If you're on Twitter, please retweet our tweets on World Down's Syndrome Day!
• Join us for our Facebook and Twitter Q&A from noon to 1 pm on World Down's Syndrome Day! Our Family Support Service Team will be available to answer any questions you may have.
• Sign up to our 3rd annual Do a Dish for Down's Syndrome fundraising and awareness campaign. Organise a coffee morning with friends and community members; hold a cake bake at schools or organise a potluck at work.
• Spread more awareness by getting your hairdresser to hold a Do a Dish for Down's Syndrome day! Ask your hairdresser if they can 1) put up our 9 Facts about Down's syndrome in every mirror during 1 or more days during Down's Syndrome Awareness Week, 2) bring in tray bakes, biscuits or sweets and offer them to clients for a donation to Down's Syndrome Scotland 3) Post your clients' haircuts/styles during the awareness event on our Facebook fan page! If your hairdresser has signed on, please e-mail Heather to be sent 9 Facts about Down's Syndrome fact sheets and a collection box.

• Cindy Bremner created 100 ribbon pins with Down's Syndrome Scotland's colours (green, blue and pink).
• Cindy also sent her daughter to school with blue, green and pink painted nails in hopes to get students talking about awareness.
• Diane Neish tattooed (permanently!) a bracelet with three copies of chromosome 21 as charms.
• Katrina Leese held a Do a Dish for Down's Syndrome event at her workplace and raised £762 as well as got her son's nursery to hold a Do a Dish for Down's Syndrome and raised £70!
• Rachel Garson held a coffee morning at her local community and raised £182!
• Claire Blanch got her son's nursery to hold a cake bake on World Down's Syndrome Day and raised £45.
• Neil Wright dyed his hair pink for awareness as well as a fundraiser.
• Hazel and Rachel Size baked cakes for Do a Dish. View Rachel and Hazel's comic interpretation of their past Do a Dish cake bake.
• Supporters throughout Scotland made dishes and included family, friends, co-workers, schools and community members in our Do a Dish for Down's Syndrome awareness and fundraising campaign.
• The Grampian Branch of DS Scotland held a sold-out ceilidh on 26 March.
• Sarah Brown, wife of former PM Gordon Brown, retweeted our awareness message to her 1,133,001 followers. It was then retweeted by 91 of her followers around the world!
• Nicola Sturgeon, SNP Deputy Leader and Cabinet Secretary for Health, retweeted our awareness message and fact about Down's syndrome to her 2,795 followers. It was then retweeted by 15 of her followers!

If you have a fundraising event and would like a fundraising pack or if you would like to be notified of next year's Down's Syndrome Awareness Week and our Do a Dish campaign please e-mail Heather. If you would like to raise more awareness please contact Heather for leaflets. Also visit our Facebook and Twitter pages to be inspired by others who've raised awareness!