On March 21st 2019, Chester Drawer and our customers joined the world in supporting inclusiveness for persons with Down Syndrome. Whilst many of us rocked our fanciest, mismatched socks it's important to know the cause and why we did what we did.
So.. what is Down Syndrome? And why is there continuous advocacy for persons living with it? Let's delve into it for a little...
What is Down Syndrome?
According to NHS, United Kingdom, our bodies are made up of cells that contain genes which are grouped in thread-like structures called chromosomes. These chromosomes contain detailed genetic instructions that determine things like our gender and the colour of our eyes amongst other things.
Usually, cells contain 23 chromosomes from your mom and 23 from your dad giving a total of 46 chromosomes. However, in people with Down's syndrome, all or some of the cells in their bodies contain 47 chromosomes instead of 46. This extra chromosome copy occurs in chromosome 21.
It is important to note, that in most cases, Down Syndrome is not inherited and is just the result of a one-off genetic change in the sperm or egg. (Excerpt sourced from:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/downs-syndrome/causes/)
Why do we advocate?
For quite some time, people with Down Syndrome have not been privy to equal freedoms and opportunities as others. Therefore, a global campaign titled 'Lots of Socks' is promoted annually by World Down Syndrome International and is designed to create global awareness of these issues. This year the theme was 'Leave no one behind' which represented a unified call to action for full inclusiveness and the protection of human rights for people with Down Syndrome. (Information sourced and adapted from: https://www.ds-int.org)
So the next time you 'rock your socks' with Chester Drawer you know exactly why. In light of all you have learned today, we encourage you to always remember that before anything else, we are all human and deserve the right to freedom and opportunity as anyone else.
Photo courtesy: Kelly Joseph / Instagram: @sanaarahj / Owner: instylebeautiq (www.instagram.com/instylebeautiq/)