Mosaic Down Syndrome

One of the things (among many) that I love about this project is the people I "meet" through it.

One of those people is Casey. Casey has been a contact of mine for quite awhile on Facebook. Only recently, did I become aware that Casey has Mosaic Down Syndrome. I asked him to write a piece for our website and he happily agreed!

This man amazes me. He does so much in regards to advocating for individuals with Down syndrome. He is a father, a husband and an amazing human being!

But don't take my word for it!

Mosaic Down Syndrome

Hello Everyone. My name is Casey Morton. And I have a form of empathy that has a foundation in relation to your self, and your children. On a level, I hope to help gain hope, and look to the future with wide eyes, and a hopefully an honest reassurance that can bring something for each person reading on. I am 29, I am a father of two, and my youngest is 2 yrs of age and his older brother is 8yrs [with a form of autism]. And I myself have something that is called Mosaic Down Syndrome. I’m turning 30 by new years eve, and am also on the Board of Directors at IMDSA (International Mosaic Down Syndrome Association) as also its Newsletter editor.

I like to think, I have accomplished a good amount of things. Yet, I was a young man and knew the feeling of my diagnosis very well; Mosaic Down Syndrome as both a curse, and a blessing. Feeling very abnormal, and not to sure if I was normal. Relating to mythological beings on the movie screen, because of how detached I felt growing up with family and the people around me. My comfort was at home usually by my self, in my room or in front of the television, or listening to music daydreaming. Feeling isolated and agoraphobic; with frustration on everything outside my front door. See when I was inside my room, home, or wherever I felt normal, when I was outside felt I could I feel fingers pointing and the staring. Now, I did have a few friends, yet could never fully relate. “Should I tell them?” –Or- “would they still let me hang-out if they knew?”

Later on for me, it was the birth of my son that really got some real sense knocked into me. With his brother, and mother I now have a loving family! I completely adore them all and would do anything for. We are just like any family, just like you. We go on daily, and work things out as everyone else does. And, I never feel that I’m above, or behind the pack… I’m here to simply help, as a friend.

Casey Morton

"Having Down syndrome is like being born normal. I am just like you and you are just like me. We are all born in different ways, that is the way I can describe it. I have a normal life."
~ Chris Burke

Read more...

Mosaic Down Syndrome

With A Very Saddened Heart

This isn't one of the posts I like to make. As a matter of fact, I wish I wasn't making this post at all.

Awhile back, I was contacted by someone who wanted to gift an afghan to Mr. Pierce. He was fighting his second battle with leukemia.

Pierce lost his battle on December 18th and will be put to rest the day after Christmas.

I want to extend all my thoughts and prayers to Pierce's family over their loss.

I am so, so sorry. There are no words to heal the pain you are experiencing.



Rest in peace, Pierce.

Read more...

With A Very Saddened Heart

Marissa's Family

The adorable Miss Marissa from To Love Endlessly has had her turn with the Traveling Afghan! She had taken it on a big trip with her and cuddled up under it's warmth while enjoying some of the holiday's festivities!

Here are a few pictures of her with the Traveling Afghan!

You can read all about Marissa and her family on their blog, To Love Endlessly!

Read more...

Marissa's Family

An Afghan For Delphine C.

Miss Delphine got a Special Delivery in the form of her very own afghan!  Since her mom, Melissa, is a knitting expert, I was a bit nervous at sending off a piece of my own work, but it was received with rave reviews! (I'm sure the fortieth one is much better constructed than my first few, but all are holding up at this point!)

Delphine seemed to have a blast with her new afghan!  You can see her mom's post on their family blog (linked above.)  But here are some pictures from the blog!

Big brother helps her open it up!

 

 

 

One very tired little girl!

 

You can learn all about Miss Delphine and her family on their blog, Banana Migraine!

Read more...

An Afghan For Delphine C.

An Afghan For Lily S

I have to say that I absolutely adore Lily. A lot of people like to oooh and aaah over the chromosomally enhanced babies and toddlers in our community and the older kids may get over-looked now and then.

Lily isn't one to be overlooked! The pictures on her blog, Lily's Life is Great, is just that, GREAT!

She is full of spunk and personality.

I was honored to make her an afghan of her own (just as I'm honored for send one for each and every child I'm able!) Her mom posted some photos of Lily with her afghan in this post, Cool Things That Come In The Mail!

Here is Lily, with her very own afghan!

You can read all about Miss Lily on her blog Lily's Life Is Great!

Read more...

An Afghan For Lily S

In The Local Paper

Next up?!?! Ellen?!?!

I finally managed to get The T21 Traveling Afghan Project in the paper! Woo hoo!!

Appleton mom CJ Field's crocheted afghans comfort families with Down syndrome

APPLETON - Sometimes, when Appleton mom CJ Field is crocheting afghans, her 5-year-old daughter Emmalee gets out her own crochet hook and ball of yarn.

Like many children her age, Emmalee, who lives with Down syndrome, tries to do what her mom does.

These days, crocheting and boxing up afghans for other families with children who live with Down syndrome takes up much of Field's free time. Field, a nanny, creates afghans as an outgrowth of the T21 Traveling Afghan Project, an effort she began in March.


C.J. Field crochets an afghan Friday in her Appleton home. She founded a project called The T21 Traveling Afghan Project, in which an afghan travels throughout the United States and overseas from family to family with a member who lives with Down syndrome. Field has organized a fundraiser at Harmony Cafe in Appleton. (Post-Crescent photo by Sharon Cekada)

One afghan is traveling the country and overseas, visiting family after family. The families take photos with the afghan for the project's Web site, which also displays pictures of children with their individual afghans.

"Afghans represent security and safety and warmth and comfort," Field said late last week. "It's essentially like sending a hug. Emmalee helps me pack up the afghans and send them off. Every time she picks out colors and I make her one, she wants to shove it in a box."

Field started the project to further unite an online community of bloggers that gains strength in sharing similar family experiences. That project and community are inspiring her to hold an offline awareness-raiser and benefit Wednesday for an international Down syndrome orphan ministry.

The event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. at Harmony Cafe, 233 E. College Ave. A suggested donation at the door is $5.

It supports the work of Reece's Rainbow, a Maryland-based adoption agency that finds homes for children with Down syndrome and other special needs. The event is Field's way to rally others around the agency's fourth annual Christmas Angel Tree Project.

"I think it's a really good push for awareness," said Michelle Zoromski of Combined Locks, who is adopting a 5-year-old girl with Down syndrome from Eastern Europe through the agency. "Other families would love to bring children home and they don't have resources or support to do that."

Andrea Roberts, the agency's executive director, said this season volunteers such as Field are raising funds for a specific child awaiting adoption. The agency's goal is for each volunteer to raise at least $1,000 for the child's adoption fund.

Money from donations, a silent auction and sales of contributed afghans Wednesday will funnel into the fund for "Melissa," an almost 4-year-old girl from Eastern Europe.

Field, whose daughter was 15 months old when she adopted her through Florida's foster care system, said she hopes the event might bring the child who is waiting overseas one step closer to home and family.


Emmmalee Field, now 5, holds an afghan her mother crocheted for the T21 Traveling Afghan Project.

"Once a family is matched for Melissa, I will be making Melissa an afghan of her own," Field said.

Kara Patterson: 920-993-1000, ext. 215, or kpatterson@postcrescent.com

Read more...

In The Local Paper

An Afghan For Avah M.

While the majority of the afghans I make are for children with Down syndrome, once in awhile I will get a request for what I like to call a "sibling afghan".  I make these in a different pattern, but with the same amount of love and dedication!

A former co-worker asked me to make one for Miss Avah's second birthday and I was happy to do so!

Here is the newly two Avah and her afghan!

I will be available to make more sibling afghans sometime next year, once I get the current ones in the queue made and sent off.

I am currently waiting to hear back from a number of families who have received their afghans so I can post the pictures!

To date, there have been 38 afghans made for children with Down syndrome (including the traveling afghan) and two sibling afghans!

And I have quite a few more to get done, so off I go!!  I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season!

Read more...

An Afghan For Avah M.

In The Spotlight!

Down Syndrome Dot Com has profiled our project on their website! Please go check out the article posted there about the T21 Traveling Afghan Project!

A Community Wrapped in an Afghan

Also, please check out Jasmine's new project on her blog Windmills and Tulips called T21 Abilities! This is a great way to link our blogs and help one another celebrate what our kids CAN do!

Read more...

In The Spotlight!