Madrid 1997 World Down Syndrome Conference Facing the Future Workshops
I DON'T FEEL DIFFERENT FROM ANYBODY ELSE
Acquistapace, C.
Via Streccia, 3 23013 Cosio Valtellino (So) (Italy) Phone:39-342-636034 Fax: 39-342-611261
I am Cristina Acquistapace, a 25 years old girl with the Down's Syndrome. I was born and I live in Italy, in a place called Valtellina.My family consists of five elements: besides me there are my mother, my father, my sister who is one year younger than me and my brother who is eleven years old. I was born in 1972. At that time there were not the associations that there are today. With me there were only my mother and father; against us there was human ignorance. That, however, did not influence very negatively. I succeeded in attending all the schools, from kindergarten to primary school, from primary school to secondary school.Thanks to mother and father who didn't keep me secluded at home and didn't send me to an institute, but on the contrary they induced me towards people, in a short time I made a lot of friends and I fell in love too; learning a lot of important things. Thanks to them, I could go and see my aunt who is a missionary nun in Kenya (Africa) over there I could live my real never-ending story. In the midst of such a great poverty I found myself and felt lucky and happy.It was so beautiful! An experience that I would never exchange with a degree, but it is impossible to explain with only words; you must see with your own eyes, just as I did. The Down Syndrome, although sometimes it was a burden to me, in my opinion it was neither a malediction nor a blessing; maybe it was a test to see if, in spite of everithing, I could live a complete life, a life like everyone else. I am convinced that it was also an incentive to myself, to prove that I was like everybody else, a sort of challenge, after all. A challenge that I accepted and that still spurs me on to give my best and to deeply commit myself to obtain the things that my heart needs.I have never taken my diversity into great consideration because I don't feel different from anybody else. I have always considered myself like others, because like everybody I dream, I wish, I feel emotions, I play. In a word, I live. People with Down's Syndrome have the same rights and duties as others: maybe they can't do some things but they can do others. I don't take it into my head to drive a car because, owing to my sight problem, I would never be able to. However I insist on being made to help because I know that I can. People show their own intelligence accepting their limits and investing in the specific things they can do.In my future there are a lot of aspirations; one of these is to devote utterly and officially myself. Why have I made up my mind like that? First of all because I feel called; secondly because there is a lot of poverty in the world: spiritual poverty, above all, and the church needs me, my prayers and my concrete and unselfish help.I have always wanted to live for peace and joy, above all for people who have less than I do. I have always wished to give my heart to God and to people; I don't want to be happy on my own, I must give my love to everybody and not only to my husband and children for example, because I can do it.
THE WAY TOWARDS INDEPENDENCE
Clark, G. J. 9 Heather Street. Collaroy Plateau. New South Wales 2098 (South Australia). Phone: 61-2-9971-0721.
It is very important for people with Down Syndrome to be independent. The way towards achieving independence is to have the opportunity to learn new skills and to be accepted and supported by the community.Next month I turn 22 and I believe I am well on the way to achieving independence in my life. Do you know why? I am in the lucky position to have received that acceptance and support from the community. Therefore I am learning skills that will help me to keep on achieving many of my goals and to realizing my dream to have my own car and my own apartment.
ESTA ES PARTE DE MI VIDA
Castro, F.B.
Proyecto STELA. General Pardiñas, 23 - 4° drcha. 28001 Madrid (España)
¡Hola, soy Paco!. Pertenezco a la Asociación Síndrome de Down de Madrid y voy a contarles algo acerca de mi vida.A los nueve años fui al colegio 'Virgen de Lourdes', allí estudié hasta 8° de E.G.B. Terminé justo a tiempo para mi edad. Después elegí hacer formación profesional en la rama de administrativo, que estudié durante 2 años. Luego cambié a carpintería. Fui al Centro Ocupacional 'La Veguilla', donde estuve manejando la gubia en el taller de carpintería. Pasé por 2 talleres diferentes de carpintería. Un día una de mis hermanas me dijo que quería dar clases a chicos son Síndrome de Down, para que después pudiesen trabajar en una empresa. ¡Yo quería saber que era eso!. Entonces fuimos mi padre y yo a la Asociación y allí nos informaron del Proyecto Stela (Proyecto de Integración Laboral). Me dieron una dirección y un horario y empecé en el Proyecto.Conocí a otros chicos con Síndrome de Down a: Pedro, Victor, Mª José, Pablo, Nuria y Angel Luis. En Septiembre del año pasado, me dijeron que si quería hacer prácticas en una asesoría laboral. Estaba muy contento por trabajar en una oficina. Me gustaba mucho salir fuera de la oficina pues iba a lugares públicos como correos, hacienda, etc. Pensaba que estaba trabajando y que había muchas personas de mi edad en paro. Unos meses después, me dijeron que había una empresa que ofrecía un contrato. Dije que sí. Es una empresa grande y con muchas personas. Al principio cometía más fallos que aciertos pero poco a poco mejoraba en el trabajo y conocía mejor a las personas. Estoy contento por que sigo trabajando y cuando termino una cosa la repaso para ver si lo he hecho bien. Hay días que termino super cansado y otros me siento 'flex'.
UN SUEÑO HACIENDOSE REALIDAD
Me llamo Mª del Mar Galcerán, tengo 19 años. Al nacer me diagnosticaron Trisomía 21 (Síndrome de Down). Conté siempre con el apoyo de mis padres y de mi familia que creyeron en mí y lucharon por ayudarme a conseguir lo que hoy soy, una persona autosuficiente, válida y útil para la sociedad, pero sobre todo feliz. Estudié E.G.B. y Formación Profesional en centros ordinarios, sin adaptación curricular, y aunque, los profesores dedicaban una especial atención a mi trabajo, la enseñanza personalizada e individualizada fue muy puntual.A pesar de las dificultades, conté siempre con el apoyo de mi familia y de los centros escolares, y la integración, dentro de la compleja dinámica escolar, fue un éxito. Quiero afirmar que se puede llegar a la normalización en un porcentaje alto, cuando se han quemado todas las etapas, cuando las estrategias educativas han sido las apropiadas, cuando la autoestima de la persona implicada ha sido el motor que la ha impulsado a ser cada día más y mejor. La compasión y la sobreprotección perjudica seriamente el proceso madurativo y el crecimiento como persona. A las familias que tengan en su seno un hijo con Síndrome de Down quiero transmitir un mensaje: Es posible que una persona afectada con los apoyos necesarios, mucho trabajo personal, educación de la voluntad, y un incondicional respaldo familiar, pueda lograr una preparación que la capacite para desempeñar un puesto en la sociedad y ser útil a ella.
WHAT IS DOWN SYNDROME FOR ME?
Cromer, R.
22 Lenox St Bellevue Hill NSW 2023 (Australia)
I am twenty six years of age. I have Trisomy 21. I went to normal schools. When I was eleven years old, my teacher wrote in my report that 'We should not expect too much of Truth'. But I want to show people that they are wrong about me having Down syndrome: I had that feeling inside me that I can do things.What was it like being a person with Down syndrome at school? I didn't have many friends in senior school, and sometimes I felt 'outside'. What having Down Syndrome means to me is that I can have a life just like anybody else. I represent people with disabilities on three committees. I enjoy my activities, my family and friends. I have learnt to be strong and can cope with people who are mean to me. People with Down syndrome need to support each other. What is Down syndrome for me? I do not feel any different. I know it is there, but I do not think about it. I carry on with my life.