Buddy Cruise in the News
January 29, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
FRIENDS-Support Inc.
PO Box 677
Brandon, FL 33509
DOWN SYNDROME ORGANIZATION
TO HOST AWARENESS CRUISE
FRIENDS-Support Inc. and Cruise Planners
to host a very special event aboard Royal Caribbean
Brandon,FL — FRIENDS-Support Inc., an organization headquartered in Brandon, Fl. will be teaming up with Cruise Planners to host the first of its kind Down syndrome awareness cruise aboard Royal Caribbean: the Buddy Cruise. The three-night Bahamian cruise will depart Port Canaveral, FL on October 17. The event is designed to provide an opportunity for families from across America to come together and bring awareness to one of the most frequently occurring chromosomal deviations, as well as promote inclusion for individuals with Down syndrome.
The Buddy Cruise will feature the talent of Sujeet Desai a 26-year-old accomplished musician born with Down syndrome. He and his wife Carrie have been featured in Wall Street Journal, Time magazine, and have aired on national TV shows such as The View, 20/20, and The Oprah Winfrey Show.
The cruise will also feature Emily Perl Kingsley, a writer and activist for children with special needs. Her experiences with her son Jason (an actor with Down syndrome) inspired her to include people with disabilities into the Sesame Street cast. She has received 17 Emmy Awards and 13 Emmy nominations for her work on SESAME STREET.
Also joining the cruise will be Nikole Whitehead, co-founder of the STatewide Advocacy Network on Disabilities, Inc. (STAND), an organization dedicated to assisting parents in navigating the special education system. Mrs. Whitehead has presented at conferences across Florida such as The Family CAFÉ, Partners in Policymaking, as well as serving as a resource member to the Florida Developmental Disabilities Council. She is a past Board member of the national Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA).
October is National Down syndrome awareness month. Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome, which results in varying degrees of physical and mental abnormality. It occurs in one out of every 733 live births. More than 350,000 people in the U.S. have this genetic condition.
FRIENDS -Support is a non – profit 501c3 organization that lends support, encouragement and educational resources to families while promoting understanding and acceptance of Down syndrome within the community. It is their vision that no child born with Down syndrome shall be without access to information, evaluations and resources. One of FRIENDS goals is to open a center devoted to providing care, support, and educational resources to individuals with Down syndrome and their families. All funds raised during the Buddy Cruise event will be used towards the organizations vision.
FRIENDS-Support is currently seeking corporate sponsorship for their Buddy Cruise. If interested please contact the group’s President, Pamela Arnoldson, at joinus@buddycruise.com.
For more information about the cruise or to book a cabin please contact Sherry Leybovich ECCS, CTA at (888-464-1827) or sherry@cruisesforu.com.
