The Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach Group, an affiliate of the National Down Syndrome Society, are parents, family members, and friends of individuals with down syndrome. This outreach group hosts several events throughout the year, but the most recent event was the 2022 Buddy Walk. It was held on Saturday, October 1st, 9 am – 1 pm, which was an absolute gorgeous day filled with activities for all ages!
Down Syndrome is a condition in which a person has an extra chromosome. With this extra chromosome 21 leads to the physical features and developmental challenges that can occur among people with Down Syndrome. No one is for sure why Down Syndrome occurs or how many different factors play a role.
There are 3 types of Down Syndrome:
- Trisomy 21 – the most common type, where every cell in the body has three copies of chromosome 21 instead of two.
- Translocation Down Syndrome – each cell has part of an extra chromosome 21, or an entirely extra one. BUT it is attached to another chromosome instead of being on its own.
- Mosaic Down Syndrome – this is the rarest type, where only come cells have an extra chromosome 21.
Currently, there is not a specific treatment for Down Syndrome. However, there is a wide range of physical and developmental therapies designed to help people with Down Syndrome. Some of these are: physical, occupational, and speech therapy; specialized education services; social and recreation activities; and programs that offer job training and teach self-care skills.
This year we had the opportunity and honor to support one amazing EXIT River Rock Realty Buddy, Grady Myers, in the 2022 Buddy Walk. Grady is currently 4 years old, and he has a twin sister, Georgia. Their big sister, Vera Lee, is a big help to mom and dad as they care for Grady. When you have a child with down syndrome, as we have learned through his fabulous mom, Emily Myers, that when a cold comes for Grady, it can be so much more than a common cold for most children. Emily does an amazing job juggling 3 beautiful kids, Grady’s therapy, the girls’ gymnastics, and being a realtor. Each day may come with new challenges where Grady is concerned, because he can not tell her how he feels or what is wrong, like most children his age. Even through these challenges, Emily always has a smile on her face, and every time Grady comes into the office, he is always a joy to be around. He is so much fun, and we enjoy that precious smile every time he visits EXIT River Rock Realty.
Below are some pictures of our time at this year’s Buddy Walk. Buddy Walk is done yearly to raise awareness about Down Syndrome and to raise money for more research into what causes Down Syndrome. This year we were at Faulkner University’s John Mark Stallings Field at Billy D. Hilyer Stadium. The Faulkner volleyball, baseball, and softball players came out to host activities for everyone to enjoy. As you will see below, these players were not the only ones that had a good time playing activities with some of the members of the Montgomery Area Down Syndrome Outreach Group, the owner of EXIT River Rock Realty had a WONDERFUL time too!
