By Eileen Haupt

Some members of KIDS gathered at the NRLC office before heading out to the March for Life.

Since 1981 October has been designated as "Down Syndrome Awareness Month." One way to raise awareness and support individuals with Down syndrome is to participate in a local one-mile-long "Buddy Walk." The Buddy Walk was established by the National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS) "to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome."

These events help raise awareness about a condition that is still very much misunderstood by many. In this modern age of information, many still have outdated ideas about people with Down syndrome or what it is like to parent a child with Down syndrome. Many believe that individuals with this condition have a poor "quality of life."

But by all accounts, there has never been a better time, in the history of the world, for babies with Down syndrome to be born. There is greater knowledge of this genetic condition than ever before, supportive laws, inclusion in schools, advanced medical technology to treat physical problems, exciting new research that may lead to treatments for cognitive challenges, and in general, more understanding toward those with intellectual challenges, despite the misconceptions.

So it is a great shock to many to learn that approximately 90 percent of babies prenatally diagnosed with Down syndrome are aborted. This statistic is tragic enough, but a couple of recent developments will most likely reduce, even further, the number of babies who make it to birth.

New guidelines, recommending that all pregnant women be offered prenatal testing for Down syndrome, were issued a few years ago by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Previously, the practice was that only older women, those consider "high risk" for conceiving a baby with Down syndrome, were offered testing. This new ACOG recommendation, combined with the development of more accurate prenatal testing, earlier in the pregnancy, will undoubtedly result in many more babies with Down syndrome being detected and aborted.

The leading Down syndrome advocacy groups, such as NDSS, do wonderful work and obviously have a heart for individuals with Down syndrome. But sadly, they are virtually silent on this tragic reality. Perhaps, because they don't want to get into the "politics" of abortion. It is, therefore, up to pro-lifers to raise awareness about this shocking statistic.

A few years ago, Leticia Velasquez and I, each a mother of a child with Down syndrome, felt compelled to do more to raise awareness about the high incidence of abortion of these babies. We organized a group of families who have a child with Down syndrome to meet at National Right to Life headquarters, and walk together in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. We called our group, KIDS (for "Keep Infants with Down syndrome"). We sparked a lot of interest and realized that we filled a niche that needed to be filled.

It occurred to me recently that out of all the hundreds of thousands who participate in the March, we might be the only group that represents individuals who are specifically targeted for abortion.

So this October, find a local Buddy Walk event in your area to support individuals with Down syndrome and to help raise awareness about this condition.

Additionally, here are some ways you can raise awareness about the high abortion rate of these babies and to affirm the value of their lives: Write a letter to the editor of your local paper, join in on-line parenting or pregnancy blogs, use on-line tools such as Facebook and Twitter. If you have a child with Down syndrome, your witness is especially powerful.

For example, one mother recently posted on Facebook a beautiful photomontage video with photos of her daughter, interspersed with information about Down syndrome.

Finally, if you have a child with Down syndrome, join KIDS for the 2011 March for Life. We'll be posting information at our blog http://www.keepinfantswithdownsyndrome.blogspot.com in the next few months.