Hoping to reach out to other families affected by Down syndrome, a team of volunteer families have come together to form The Central Missouri Down Syndrome Family Network.
It will hold a kickoff event from noon-3 p.m. on Sunday in north Jefferson City at Turkey Creek Golf Center, 1616 Oil Well Road.
The group, which is a subsidiary of the Kansas City Down Syndrome Guild and the Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Louis, was formed to connect families who have a member with Down syndrome, said Kathleen Basi, volunteer and mother of a 5-year-old with Down syndrome.
For some time, a group of families representing a variety of disabilities had been meeting, but Basi said she and other parents want to form a more inclusive group to help families of Down syndrome patients of all ages.
"We have had certain frustrations," Basi said of her family's experiences. "We know a few families who have children with Down syndrome, but we know there are more, and we often feel like we are off the radar."
For more information about The Central Missouri Down Syndrome Family Network, call Basi at 573-449-8342.