December is just the start of the season of giving. Around this time of year, it is nice to share stories of giving and to give back in many different ways.
Moorestown resident Elsa Law, an 11-year-old, shared her story of giving with The Sun. Elsa decided that for her 11th birthday, rather than presents, she would ask family and friends for a contribution to an organization that is meaningful to her — the National Down Syndrome Congress.
“I already have enough stuff and thought it would be a good idea to do it, my mom, too. So I thought it would be cool to give a donation to the NDSC,” Elsa said.
Elsa is a fifth grader at Moorestown Friends School and has a younger sister with Down syndrome named Julianna, who is 9 years old and is in third grade at South Valley Elementary School.
Elsa said her favorite part of her sister is she is always happy. Julianna said her sister is fun, as they play pretend a lot.
“(I like that) she is always on the bright side most of the time. She understands when I’m happy and sad, and she knows how to cheer me up,” Elsa said.
“She’s fun and plays house,” Julianna said about her sister.
Last summer, she and the Law family attended the National Down Syndrome Congress’ Annual Convention in Phoenix, Ariz. The NDSC provides information, advocacy and support to individuals with Down syndrome and their families, as well as the larger community. The convention is an opportunity for families, educators, medical professionals, therapists and researchers to come together and learn from one another. There are also fun parts, such as dance parties during the convention. It is held each year in the summer at different locations.
“I learned more about what Down syndrome really is and how it works inside the human body, and how it is really fun to have a sibling with Down syndrome,” Elsa said.
At this year’s convention, Elsa was old enough to participate in the Brothers & Sisters Conference, which is a mini-conference held during the convention that brings siblings of individuals with Down syndrome together. During the workshop, Elsa wrote notes to parents who were going to have a child with Down syndrome and about her experience with having a sibling with Down syndrome.
“I said that they’re very happy most of the time and they like dancing, and they aren’t really scared to show off their dance moves,” Elsa said about her letter.
When the subject of her birthday came up this year, Elsa was very enthusiastic about wanting to do something that would benefit her little sister and others whose lives are touched by Down syndrome. So instead of presents for her birthday, she asked family and friends to donate toward the NDSC.
Elsa was able to raise $500 for the NDSC. The NDSC wrote her a thank you letter, saying it will be used toward its Brothers & Sisters Conference.
“I felt really good about it. It was really nice that all of my friends and family donated money toward it,” Elsa said.
The Law family plans to go to the NDSC next year. Elsa would like others to understand Down syndrome shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing. Instead, she would like others to be happy.
“I hope that most people think of it as a good thing, and not a bad thing. And that people be happy because people with Down syndrome are happy. People being happy makes other people happy; it’s contagious,” Elsa said.
To learn more about Down syndrome and the NDSC, go to www.ndsccenter.org.
“It is not a bad thing that people have it. I count it as an ability, myself, because they are happier than other people. People should know that even though they look different, they may be different just enough to have more courage than you,” Elsa said.
