Denver, CO, March 30, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) announced its annual AcceptAbility Gala (“Gala”) will take place on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel Washington on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. beginning at 6:00 PM ET. GLOBAL will present its prestigious Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award to Congresswoman Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Congressman Pete Stauber (R-MN) for their unwavering support for GLOBAL and the people with Down syndrome we serve. Self-advocate Abby Ashbrook will be recognized as GLOBAL’s 2023 Ambassador.
The event will raise critical funds and awareness for GLOBAL’s life-changing research, medical care and government advocacy for people with Down syndrome. Proceeds will help underwrite over 2,400 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries, over 200 scientists working on co-occurring conditions such as Alzheimer’s and immune system disorders, and will help fulfill GLOBAL’s mission to elongate life and improve healthcare outcomes for children and adults with Down syndrome.
The AcceptAbility Gala will also feature dancing and a live performance by GRAMMY® Award-nominated multiplatinum singer-songwriter Gavin DeGraw, whose set will include some of his top hits throughout his expansive career. Inclusive dance troupe RhythmXpress and Robert Wallop, a professional dancer with Down syndrome, are part of the night’s inspirational entertainment.
Kyra Phillips, award-winning ABC journalist and a GLOBAL Quincy Jones Award recipient, and John Roberts, co-anchor of “America Reports” on Fox News, will emcee the event.
Key speakers will include Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers and GLOBAL President and CEO Michelle Sie Whitten. See the full list of this year’s Congressional Hosts and Gala Congressional Committee on the AcceptAbility Gala website.
The AcceptAbility Gala brings together congressional champions from both sides of the aisle, key directors and scientists from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Down syndrome community for a night of celebration and inspiration. Support for this event allows GLOBAL to deliver on significantly improving the lives of people with Down syndrome through Research, Medical Care, Education and Advocacy. With support from its champions, GLOBAL’s advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill have resulted in $200 million increase in NIH funding in five years, as well as outreach to over 14,000 families.
Down syndrome is the leading cause of developmental delay in the U.S., yet it is often overlooked by the federal government. The Global Down Syndrome Foundation is the lead advocacy non-profit working with self-advocates, congressional champions, and the NIH to advance Down syndrome research and medical care that will lead to the elongation and improved quality of countless lives.
For more information, please visit the AcceptAbility website.
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About Global Down Syndrome Foundation
The Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) is the largest non-profit in the U.S. working to save lives and dramatically improve health outcomes for people with Down syndrome. GLOBAL has donated more than $32 million to establish the first Down syndrome research institute supporting over 400 scientists and over 2,200 patients with Down syndrome from 33 states and 10 countries. Working closely with Congress and the National Institutes of Health, GLOBAL is the lead advocacy organization in the U.S. for Down syndrome research and care. GLOBAL has a membership of over 100 Down syndrome organizations worldwide, and is part of a network of Affiliates – the Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, the Sie Center for Down Syndrome, and the University of Colorado Alzheimer’s and Cognition Center – all on the Anschutz Medical Campus.
GLOBAL’s widely circulated medical publications include Global Medical Care Guidelines for Adults with Down Syndrome, Prenatal & Newborn Down Syndrome Information and the award-winning magazine Down Syndrome WorldTM . GLOBAL also organizes the Be Beautiful Be Yourself Fashion Show, the largest Down syndrome fundraiser in the world. Visit globaldownsyndrome.org and follow us on social media (Facebook & Twitter: @GDSFoundation, Instagram: @globaldownsyndrome).
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