Kyler in the News Paper

On Wed. Sept. 3, 2008 The Herold Journal came and interviewed Josh and I, Jonnie and Ashley Rosser, Jodi Lundberg and Naydean Park. They wanted to interview us about beening a parent of a child with Down Syndrome and what our lives are like now. It was also to help promote the upcoming Buddy walk. The one thing I didn't like though is that they wouldn't send the photographer to the interview to take pics. of all the kids playing together the didn't want it "staged". Which I don't get how that is staged they were just playing with eachother. Hello have you ever tried to pose two 5 year olds and a 2 year old, expecially with Down Syndrome, yeah right, if they don't want to do it it isn't happening...lol But what do I know..lol I just really wanted pics of more than 1 kid with Down Syndrome for this story. Well oh well I guess I don't run the news paper. You can go to www.hjnews.com and see Kyler today at least. I don't know how long they will have him on there. Well here's the article.



By Devin Felix
Published:
Friday, September 5, 2008 1:19 AM CDT
Five years ago, Johnnie Rosser was excited about the birth of his first son — he expected a vibrant, healthy, athletic young boy.

When Bennett was born with Down syndrome, Rosser’s heart sank.

“I felt pretty sorry for myself at first,” he said. “My initial reaction was, I thought I was going to be raising a vegetable.”

But as he learned more about Down syndrome, his spirits lifted. He knew he and his wife, Ashley, would face different challenges in raising their son, but that they would love him just the same.

Looking for help and support, the Rossers joined the Cache County chapter of the Utah Down Syndrome Foundation, encouraged that Bennett would be able to grow and learn as well, Ashley Rosser said.

Now, five years later, Bennett is an active kindergarten student and his parents participate in the Down Syndrome Foundation for the sake of other parents as much as for themselves. They’ve become friends with parents such as Maria and Josh Leishman, with their 2-year-old, Kyler, and Jodi Lundberg and her 5-year-old son, Kendrick.

Johnnie Rosser said he hopes the group will be there to support the parents of newborns with Down syndrome. Becoming new parents under any circumstances can be difficult, and the situation can be even more overwhelming when a child has a disability.

The group helps people know what to expect as their children grow and cope with medical problems — a high percentage of children born with Down syndrome have heart or respiratory problems.

“When they’re first born you have no idea what to expect,” Johnnie Rosser said.

Leishman, the president of the

Cache County chapter said she sends out about 50 newsletters each month and about 10 families participate in activities for the group.

The purposes of the foundation are provide each other support and increase awareness and acceptance of Down syndrome. To accomplish that, the group will have a buddy walk Sept. 13. Buddy walks were started by the National Down Syndrome Society in 1995 to promote acceptance and understanding of the condition.

The buddy walk will be at 11 a.m. at Ryan’s Place Park, 500 South and 600 East in River Heights. After walking around the block, participants will take part in volleyball, fishing ponds, games and other crafts. More than $1,500 in prizes donated by merchants will be given out in a raffle. Leishman said everyone is invited to take part.

NayDean Park, whose 30-year-old daughter, Kathleen Daily, has Down syndrome, said she commends parents like the Leishmans and Rossers for working to promote understanding.

When Kathleen was born, Park said few people understood Down syndrome. She had to fight to get her daughter included at school and she worked to get legislation approved that would benefit disabled people, she said.

Park advised the young parents to enjoy raising their children.

“There’s a journey ahead that is so exciting,” she said. “It’s challenging, it’s frustrating, but it is so rewarding.”

Down syndrome is a disorder that affects one in every 733 babies, according to the National Down Syndrome Society Web site. It occurs when a baby has three, rather than the normal two, copies of the 21st chromosome. It causes cognitive delays, decreased muscle stature and other problems. The life expectancy of people with Down syndrome has increased from 25 years in 1983 to 56 today.

If you go...

What: Utah Down Syndrome Foundation Buddy Walk.

When: 11 a.m. Sept. 13 at Ryan’s Place Park, 500 S. 600 East in River Heights.

Cost: $10 for adults, $5 for children 16 and under. $25 for a family.

To register: Call Maria Leishman at 753-1357.