How World Down's Syndrome Day Aims To Raise Awareness And Inspire Change On 21 March

Why 2015's World Down's Syndrome Day Is So Important

Despite the fact that around 775 babies are born with Down's Syndrome in the UK each year, many people still struggle to understand the condition.

World Down's Syndrome Day aims to change that.

The global awareness event will celebrate its 10th anniversary on 21 March. The date (21/03) was chosen to represent the fact that three copies of chromosome 21 lead to Down's Syndrome.

According to the NHS, everyone born with Down's syndrome will have a degree of learning disability, but the level of disability will be different for each individual.

This year, World Down's Syndrome Day will focus on equality and how people with the genetic condition can contribute to their community while living a life of choice and opportunity.

"We're the least funded genetic condition and yet we're the most frequent," Michelle Sie Witten, executive director of The Down's Syndrome Foundation, says in the above video.

"We really do need people to come together and help us provide more services, medical care and research for the community."

To find out how you can raise awareness of Down's Syndrome on Saturday (as well as the rest of the year) visit the official World Down's Syndrome Day website.

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