AWARENESS: Simone and Emilie Leahy pictured launching a coffee morning for World Down Syndrome Day on March 21. Photo: Michelle Crean

By Michelle Crean

Next Thursday World Down Syndrome Day takes place across the globe - and one Killarney woman plans to take part to raise awareness and funds.

Simone Leahy, whose 20 month-old daughter Emilie has Down Syndrome, is planning a coffee morning in the Cahernane House Hotel next Thursday, March 21, from 10am to 12.30pm.

She said both she and her sister-in-law Nicola Browne want to raise awareness of World Down Syndrome Day, and to raise funds towards the Kerry Branch of Down Syndrome Ireland.

“It’s a world celebration of every person with Down Syndrome and their families,” Simone told the Killarney Advertiser this week.

“The date is special as it is the 21^stday of the third month - which signifies the three copies of the 21^stchromosome which leads to Down Syndrome.”

The events worldwide helpto raise public awareness and create a single global voice for advocating for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with Down Syndrome, Simone, who is married to Noel Leahy, added.

“With Emilie you go into a whole new world but you’re not excluded. It’s only been a short journey, but it’s been a wonderful one. We’ve made new friendships with people.”

Simone said the Kerry services, which are run through a centre in Tralee are amazingly supportive - but they receive no Government funding of any kind.

She’s hoping that the coffee morning will raise funds adding that she has seen Emilie come on so much since using the service.

“There’s 235 members in Kerry. It relies completely on donations. Emilie receives subsidised physio and speech language therapy and is learning to stand up on her own. One of the big rollouts is Lámh, which is modified sign language while speech is delayed and we get training in that. She’ll benefit from the centre for years to come.”

To get World Down Syndrome Day trending on the day make sure to join in the ‘lots of socks’ campaign by taking pictures and videos and posting them on social media using the hashtags #LotsOfSocks, #WorldDownSyndromeDay and #WDSD19.