“I had very little experience with Down Syndrome prior to Jake,” Lipovitch recalls. “I went through the initial shock and devastation like many parents do, and it took some time to realize the beauty of my precious baby. Jake has taught me so many amazing lessons, and I know he has touched the lives of everyone he meets.”

    But like any parent facing the challenge of raising a child with DS, Lipovitch was desperate to find information and support from within her own community to help answer those questions and face those challenges.

“Parents can be overwhelmed by the confusing waters of government agencies and special education programs,” she explains. “And that is only the beginning—once the kids get older, a whole new set of issues arise: acceptance, continuing education, workforce participation, and long-term care.”

Lipovitch discovered the advocacy and support community she was looking for with Down Syndrome Network of Arizona, which was founded parents of DS children. Down Syndrome Network of Arizona is an advocacy group that provides opportunities for families to reach out, share common knowledge and support and above all, increase the acceptance of these unique and special individuals.  Lipovitch currently serves as the group’s secretary.

Once a year, Down Syndrome Network of Arizona members take to the streets—literally—to educate the community about DS.

The seventh-annual Down Syndrome Network Buddy Walk will be held on Saturday, Nov. 15, concurrent with the ASU Homecoming parade in Tempe. The Buddy Walk celebrates awareness and acceptance of individuals with Down syndrome.

“We march in the ASU Homecoming parade as a symbol of unity in our community,” Lipovitch says. “People with Down Syndrome play a valuable role in our community at large, and our goal is to educate more people about the richness our loved ones with DS provide.”

For more information, visit www.dsnetworkaz.org and register to be a walker or make a contribution.