About Us BOD Nomination Form Nomination Form
A Brief History
In 1984 a physician of the Janeway Health Care Centre saw the need for a clinic for Down and Dysmorphic Syndromes. The physician attended the National Conference of the Canadian Down Syndrome Society in Ottawa that same year. Then in 1989, Joan Follett went to Victoria, B.C. to attend the National Canadian Down Syndrome Society Conference for that year. At this conference they met Mrs. Josephine Mills, chairperson of the Canadian Down Syndrome Society at that time. In 1990, Mrs. Mills was invited to come to Newfoundland to promote the foundation of the Newfoundland chapter. With the help of a number of professionals and parents of children with Down Syndrome, the Newfoundland and Labrador Down Syndrome Society was formed.
Our Board of Directors
The NLDSS currently has an eight member board of directors. The board meets once a month at the office on Penneywell Road.
Meetings
Meetings are held the second Tuesday of each month at our office location, 235 Penneywell Road, St. John's. Meetings focus on education, health, support and life skills. Meetings range in format from presentations by special guests to informal discussions among members.
Membership Go to Membership Form
Membership for parents with children of Down Syndrome is encouraged. The $10.00 annual membership fee includes a subscription to the newsletter, as well as all mailings from the Society. If you would like to become a member, fill out the form on the Feedback link and e-mail it to us.
Society Goals
- Increase public awarenes and understanding of Down Syndrome.
- Provide support for parents and families of children with Down Syndrome.
- Ensure primary speech therapy and occupational therapy for all our children.
- Maintain and increase networking opportunities with other associations to share information and form a unified voice.
- Establish a library to provide information on current research and other resource material.
Society Accomplishments
- The provision of speech therapy and occupational therapy to children of qualifying families
- Establishment of a new toll-free telephone number to make the society more accessible to families throughout the province 1-877-738-3336
- Charitable status from Revenue Canada
- Successfully hosted the 2004 Canadian Down Syndrome Society 16th Annual National Conference
- Currently in the process of lobbying Government to assit in the establishment of an early intervention pilot project to analyze and document the benefits of ealry intervention (including speech therapy, physiotherapy and occupational therapy) for children with Down syndrome
