The DownSyndrome Achieves (DSA) Biobank is now offering at-home services to families willing to donate biological samples for use in medical research projects. “We’ve partnered with a third-party phlebotomy company to collect blood samples in participants’ homes,” said Lito Ramirez, CEO of DownSyndrome Achieves and the parent of a teen with Down syndrome. “This will …
Read More
Out of an abundance of caution, the Community Star Awards event that FCBDD typically holds in the fall has been postponed this year due to the continued spread of the COVID-19 virus. A new date has not been determined; however, consideration will be given to scheduling the event during DD Awareness month in the spring. …
Read More
When it came to reading, Ethan Boerner didn’t make a lot of progress in school. “It just seemed so hard,” said Boerner, who has Down syndrome. “I wasn’t interested.” He never really got the chance to discover whether he might have been more successful as an older student. His educational programs moved along, and Boerner …
Read More
The Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities is continuing its partnership with We Thrive Together, a nonprofit organization that offers an array of online programming for people served by Ohio county boards. FCBDD has extended its countywide subscription so that all We Thrive Together programs are free to Franklin County residents until the end of …
Read More
Not long after he hung up his cap and gown last year, Ryan Alimo headed off to a new day program. He had loved being at West Central School and was disappointed when the coronavirus pandemic stole some of his time there. Moving on – without his beloved teacher Miss Donna – was a big, …
Read More
Families and people with developmental disabilities who want to learn more about the benefits of remote support have plenty of options for trial runs in Franklin County. The Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities and other disability-services organizations are providing both information about remote support and opportunities to try it out – including an offer …
Read More
The phone for CP Parent Columbus still rings, and Lynne Fogel answers, generous as always with her time and knowledge about raising a child with cerebral palsy. “With most of the calls, it’s a new diagnosis. Or a family who thought they had it all figured out, and then they move to a new stage,” …
Read More
As an Ohio State University graduate, biomedical engineer, certified Americans with Disabilities Act coordinator and entrepreneur, Jen Schlegel has long used technology to help her go where she wants to go and do what she wants to do. Some of her assistive devices are simple enough to work by way of duct tape or Velcro. …
Read More
For too long, Tyrone Gladney says, he kept to his comfort zone. He avoided big risks, but he wasn’t having much fun. “I was sick, I was depressed, I wasn’t happy,” Gladney said. “I had high blood pressure, headaches, was eating all the wrong foods.” When he decided to make some changes, his providers – …
Read More
As she walked into the school auditorium for a Black History Month program, Raya Smith’s eyes lit up. “You’re going to sing today,” her teacher told her. The notion might have seemed strange to Raya’s Columbus Alternative High School classmates. Up to that moment in late February, they had never heard her utter a word. …
Read More
