A few weeks ago we got to participate in something really special. Two weeks ago was Williams Syndrome Awareness week. Because of this, many cities were hosting a walk for Williams Syndrome, including Draper, Utah. Draper is just 10 minutes from us! What are the chances of all this happening just 2 weeks after finding out that Dallin has WS?
The event started with a 2k walk. Some of my family members came to walk with us.
Grandpa rolled with us.
It was fun to have some family there to show support by walking. There were games for the kids to play, prize giveaways, a silent auction and even some hairstylists. A motorcycle group came and allowed all the kids with Williams Syndrome to sit on their bikes.
I think Dallin wants one when he grows up.
There was also a fire truck that the kids could go inside and take a look around.
I'm convinced Dallin could have fit inside this helmet.
Most of the participants were people supporting someone they know with Williams Syndrome. There were probably 20 or so people there that had WS. A lot of them were kids, ranging from babies to older teenagers. We got to talk to a few parents and they shared some of their experiences with having a child diagnosed with WS. They shared some of the health difficulties their children had experienced, and they talked about how WS had not limited their abilities. We saw a 12 year old boy with WS who got embarrassed when his mom talked about him and brushed food crumbs off his face, just like a typical 12 year old boy. We met a 19 year old boy with WS who likes to ride motorcycles and go four wheeling. He is getting ready to get his driver's license. His dad talked to us for a while and gave us a lot of insight. One thing he said that has stuck with me is to not think that children will be limited by having WS. They will still want to run and play, dig in the dirt, play sports and do everything that little kids do. He said to always be open to allowing him to try the things he wants to do.
It was great to see the positive side of things. I've been reading all about the medical concerns and limitations that can accompany Williams Syndrome, so it was good to see the wonderful personalities and optimism that go with it. I'm so grateful for our family who came to walk with us and support us. My mom even got to participate in the walk for WS held in St. Louis. It's good to know that we have supportive people who will help us as we discover more about who Dallin is and the potential he has.
3 comments:
So cute! I love the pictures. It's exciting to hear about older kids with WS too. I'm glad you got to do that.
Yay a new post! I'm so excited that you guys all got to do the WS walk. You need access to the internet so we can see more of Dwalaburtons big adventures. You guys are always welcome to use ours... We're only about 10-15 minutes away... and we have a pool:)
The walk sounds like it was lots of fun. I love the pictures of Dallin on the motorcycle and on the firetruck. I checked to see if there were any walks near San Jose, but the only one in California was in San Diego.
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