Happy Giving Tuesday! After a long weekend of spending, today is the day that we give back to organizations in our communities. To show you the power of your gift, we'd like to tell you about our Medical Outreach program.
Dr. Brian Skotko in Milwaukee, WI in July, 2019
Many DSAW parents recall feeling scared and uncertain after receiving their child's Down syndrome diagnosis. Medical professionals too often start with "I'm sorry" and share stacks of outdated information about Down syndrome. DSAW knows the importance of a compassionate, unbiased diagnosis of Down syndrome and how much that can change a family's experience. That's why we started our Medical Outreach program, which sets out to provide continuous education to healthcare professionals on how to deliver a diagnosis of Down syndrome. In addition, we give medical providers information about DSAW and encourage them to connect new families with our organization for resources and support.
Dr. Skotko trains medical students
This year, we brought Dr. Brian Skotko, M.D., M.P.P, to Milwaukee, Madison, and La Crosse to train resident medical professionals on delivering a Down syndrome diagnosis. Dr. Skotko is the Director of the Down Syndrome Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, and has a sister with Down syndrome. He recognizes the importance of DSAW's program and that "new and expectant parents say over and over again that they would like access to quality, up-to-date information and the option to connect with other parents. DSAW's Medical Outreach program provides those critical pieces at a very sensitive time for families."
From his time in Wisconsin this summer, Dr. Skotko learned that "our work together is not over. Until every new and expectant parent knows about DSAW, we still have work to do. Obstetricians, nurses, and midwifes are constantly changing, so the outreach work must continue!"
YOU can help us continue this vital work! You can give a new parent a message of "Congratulations" instead of "I'm sorry." When you support DSAW, you support families in the moments following a diagnosis.
Today is Giving Tuesday. By donating today, you give a new family a better, more positive experience from the first moment they begin their journey with Down syndrome.
