Standing up for Down's
People with Down's syndrome have proved they can lead full and independent lives... The real challenge they face, says Sophie Radice in The Observer, is overcoming society's prejudices

'I'm an actress, choreographer and a jazz and contemporary dancer. I always have about eight new dances on the go in my head,' says 24-year-old Suzy Beddington. Suzy has been working for the Strathcona Theatre Company for five years and has starred in eight productions. Prior to this, she was an outstanding pupil of the Sylvia Young Theatre School. Just another girl in her twenties dreaming of stardom, you might think. But her achievements are all the more remarkable as Suzy has Down's syndrome.

'People with Down's are all different with varying interests and abilities,' says Suzy's mother, Veronica. 'If Suzy showed an interest in something, we always took it further. We noticed when she was dancing with her sisters in front of the TV that she was really good, so it took off from there. She started attending a mainstream dance school. Now she is an accomplished dancer, not just for a girl with Down's, but for anyone.'

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<small>[ 02 June 2003, 01:31 AM: Message edited by: Stuart Sweeney ]</small>

Just as a sidebar here, a friend who does medical transcription for a living has informed me (as I read this to her) that the syndrome is Down Syndrome, not Down's, without the possessive.

Hi Librarian! Medical nomenclature is one of the many areas where my knowledge could go on the back of a postage stamp and still leave room for my name and address.

However, it looks as though there may be a difference in terminology between the US and the UK. Here is the link to the website of the Down's Syndrome Association website:

http://www.downs-syndrome.org.uk/

I once studied Operational Research, but in the US I would have studied the same material under Operations Research.

It may very well differ from country to country, as the link below illustrates:

http://www.ds-health.com/

Although the organization below is in the UK:

http://www.downsed.org/

Chacun a son gout, I suppose.

<small>[ 02 June 2003, 06:53 AM: Message edited by: librarian ]</small>