If We Knew Then - Down Syndrome Podcast

162. Living In The Moment and Taking the Time to Reflect On Life

Follow Stephen while he unexpectedly flies back to Louisiana due to his mother’s illness. He reflects on the importance of experiencing all of life’s moments and truly being present.
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/10/22/162-living-in-the-moment/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.
 

161. Down Syndrome Awareness Month 2023: Bringing Awareness to Our Community’s Potential

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month and in this episode, Stephen and Lori discuss another angle in your next Awareness Campaign. Some of the most important people to make aware of our community's potential are educational professionals. We as parents can advocate but it just might be our children who change the minds of those in charge of their education.
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/10/14/161-down-syndrome-awareness-month-2023-bringing-awareness-to-our-communitys-potential/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

160. The Inclusive Hub: A Gym For People of All Abilities with Liam Starkey

Joining us today is Liam Starkey from The Inclusive Hub. The Hub was started in 2016 helping small groups of Autistic children around Liverpool, England take part in non-contact boxing and fitness sessions. It has now expanded and continues to empower people of all ages and abilities through exercise. 
Website: www.theinclusivehub.co.uk
Order a tee shirt: transalpino.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/liamstarkey84
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_inclusive_hub/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RotundaInclusiveHub
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/10/08/160-the-inclusive-hub/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

159. DSALA and DSC2U: Supporting Our Spanish-Speaking Community

Today we are joined by Sandra Baker from the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles (DSALA) and Dr. Brian Skotko from the Down Syndrome Clinic To You (DSC2U) to discuss their collaboration in supporting Spanish-Speaking families that have a member with Down syndrome.  
DSC2U: www.DSC2U.org
DSALA: www.DSALA.org
DSALA Contact:
(818) 786-0001
info@DSALA.org
NOTES FROM DR. SKOTKO:
We have written a summary paper for the lay audience to help them access and understand all of our research findings (available in English and Spanish).
We have created ready-to-go Facebook posts (English and Spanish) and Twitter posts (English and Spanish), summarizing our research findings.
We also developed this Awareness Building event toolkit, so that Down syndrome groups can continue to host meaningful diversity dialogues in their community.  We provide ready-to-go materials and easy action steps.
Albert Pless and I gave Grand Rounds at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital and our own MGH Genetics Division about our research findings.  The recording for this presentation is available for viewing. 
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/10/01/159-dsala-and-dsc2u/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

158. Best Buddies with Katelyn Quintero

This week we were joined by Katelyn Quintero from Best Buddies International, which is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to establishing a global volunteer movement that creates opportunities for one-to-one friendships, integrated employment, leadership development, and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 
Website: www.bestbuddies.org
Champion of the Year: www.bestbuddieschampion.org
The Walk: www.bestbuddiesfriendshipwalk.org
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/09/24/158-best-buddies-with-katelyn-quintero/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

157. Ruby’s Rainbow with Liz Plachta

We had such fun talking to Liz Plachta, the founder of Ruby’s Rainbow!  Ruby’s Rainbow grants scholarships to students with Down syndrome who are seeking post-secondary education, including enrichment or vocational classes, and helping them achieve their dreams of higher education while spreading awareness of their capabilities and general awesomeness.
Ruby’s Rainbow: www.rubysrainbow.org
WDSD Pledge: www321pledge.org
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RubysRainbow/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rubysrainbow/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rubysrainboworg
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/09/16/157-rubys-rainbow/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

156. GiGi’s Playhouse with Nancy Gianni

Today, we are joined by Nancy Gianni to talk about her foundation, GiGi’s Playhouse, which provides FREE, life-changing therapeutic, educational, and career training programs for 30,000+ individuals of all ages, everyday. GiGi’s Playhouse empowers families by maximizing opportunities for daily achievement and lasting acceptance and in turn, showing the world what individuals with Down syndrome are truly capable of achieving as students, co-workers, volunteers, friends, and valued members of the community.
GiGi’s Playhouse: https://gigisplayhouse.org
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/09/09/156-gigis-playhouse-with-nancy-gianni/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

155. Using Your IEP to Make the Most of Middle School

In this episode we give an update on our son Liam, a 13-year old in middle school, and discuss how far he has come, what supports have helped us navigate his transitions into middle school and how we are helping him find the independence every teen wants to cultivate. 
Citizen's Of The World Middle School: https://www.cwcsilverlake.org
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/09/02/155-using-your-iep-to-make-the-most-of-middle-school/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

154. Revisiting Our Interview with Megyn Price

This is our conversation with actress Megyn Price to discuss inclusion, the importance of encouraging others to express their uniqueness and how her Uncle, who had Down syndrome, affected her family in a positive way.
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/08/27/154-revisiting-our-interview-with-megyn-price/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.
 

153. Revisiting Jad Issa’s Story: A Man with Down Syndrome Raises a Family - An Interview with Sader Issa

This week we revisit the story of Jad Issa, a man with Down Syndrome who is a husband, father and respected citizen. At diagnosis, parents of children with Down syndrome are immediately told all the things their child won’t do. Jad’s life shows us that these preconceptions aren’t only untrue but the very belief in them often cause limitations. As with every child, all things are possible. We hope that this conversation with Jad’s son Sader, a dentist in Damascus, brings comfort to parents to believe in what may be thought of as impossible.
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/08/20/jad-issa/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

152. Revisiting The Canadian Down Syndrome Society’s Project Understood - Training Speech Recognition Technology

This episode is the entire conversation we had with Matt MacNeil and Ed Casagrande from the Canadian Down Syndrome Society concerning their collaboration with Google AI to create a database that can help train Google’s speech recognition technology to better understand people with Down syndrome.
Donate your voice at: https://projectunderstood.ca
Learn more about the CDSS: https://cdss.ca
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/08/13/152-revisiting-the-canadian-down-syndromes-project-understood-training-speech-technology/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.

151. The New York City Buddy Walk and Times Square Video with Abby Brandon-Livits and Misty Adams

This week we are joined by Abby Brandon-Livits and Misty Adams from the National Down Syndrome Society to talk about the 2023 NYC Buddy Walk and it’s wonderful Times Square Video presentation that redefines the image of the Down syndrome community.
NYC Buddy Walk website: https://give.ndss.org/event/2023-new-york-city-buddy-walk-r/e478474
National Down Syndrome Society: www.NDSS.org
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/NDSS1979
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ndssorg/
Episode Transcript: https://ifweknewthen701833686.wordpress.com/2023/08/06/151-nyc-buddy-walk/2/
Please follow us on Twitter @ifweknewthenPOD you can drop us a line on our Facebook page @ifweknewthenPOD or visit our website https://www.IfWeKnewThen.com to send us an email with questions and comments. You can join our mailing list there and get alerts of future podcast episodes. Thank you again and we look forward to you joining us on the next episode of IF WE KNEW THEN.