Health
Kids with Down syndrome can live 'abundant lives,' dad tells Fox News contributor
Each year on March 21, World Down Syndrome Day (WDSD) marks a global day of awareness and education about the genetic condition.
The goal is to “help people understand and support those with Down syndrome better,” according to the initiative’s website. WDSD has been officially observed by the United Nations since 2012.
On Friday, Fox News contributor Tom Shillue headed to Times Square in New York City to speak with New Yorkers about their awareness of WDSD. (See the video at the top of this article.)
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Shillue spoke with Daniel Schreck, chairman of the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation, a global nonprofit focused on research and advocacy for people with genetic intellectual disabilities.
Schreck also has a daughter with Down syndrome.
Daniel Schreck, chair of the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation and father of a daughter with Down syndrome, at left, spoke with Fox News contributor Tom Shillue, right, on World Down Syndrome Day. (Fox News)
When asked about common fears or misunderstandings about the condition, Schreck spoke of the perceived limitations.
“I think the most important thing is that if you have Down syndrome, just like any other disability, you can live an abundant life and there’s nothing to be afraid of,” he said.
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“Plus, people with Down’s syndrome are the happiest people you’ve ever met. So there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
The date of WDSD, the 21st day of the third month, was chosen to commemorate the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which is the cause of Down syndrome.
Daniel Schreck’s daughter, Rose, has Down syndrome. “People with Down’s syndrome are the happiest people you’ve ever met. So there’s nothing to be afraid of,” Schreck told Tom Shillue, Fox News contributor. (Daniel Schreck)
Schreck joked that the extra chromosome “makes you happier.”
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His son, Danny, also joined the conversation to speak about his sister, Rose.
The date of WDSD, the 21st day of the third month, was chosen to commemorate the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome, which is the cause of Down syndrome. (iStock)
“She’s really fun to be around,” said Danny Schreck.
“It’s kind of weird to see everyone else compared to her, where she’s just so happy and everyone else is just walking around with their head down.”
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Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition.
Each year, about 5,000 babies with Down syndrome are born in the U.S., or one in every 775, according to the National Down Syndrome Society.
To learn more, check out the below.
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The Tennessee Department of Health (TDOH) has confirmed the first case of measles in the state, as an uptick across the country has recently been reported by health authorities.
“The individual became infected with measles in early March and is recovering at home,” according to a statement from the government agency. “Public health officials are working to identity [sic] other locations and persons potentially exposed to the virus.”
TDOH noted that it is also investigating the source of the infection.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MEASLES OUTBREAK
SEMINOLE, TEXAS – FEBRUARY 27: Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District across from Wigwam Stadium on February 27, 2025 in Seminole, Texas. Eighty cases of measles have been reported in Gaines county with one death reported. (Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images)
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 300 cases of the highly contagious and potentially fatal illness have been confirmed this year.
As of March 18, the state of Texas accounted for 279 of the cases, by far the most in the country, with 191 cases being reported in Gaines County alone.
New Mexico has the second-highest number of reported cases, with 36.
Five cases have been confirmed in California, along with four in Oklahoma.
Georgia, New York and New Jersey have each had three confirmed cases during the outbreak, and Pennsylvania has had two.
Seven other states have reported one case each of measles.
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TDOH echoed the CDC’s message that the best way to prevent measles is to receive the two-dose measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
A vial containing the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is showcased at the Neighborcare Health clinics located at Vashon Island High School in Vashon Island, Washington, on May 15, 2019. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson, File)
The outbreak has been a source of debate about vaccines and their effectiveness, with one Texas couple whose daughter died from the illness saying they still would not have vaccinated her against the virus.
The tell-tale sign of a measles case is a red rash that usually begins on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Additional symptoms can include fever, headache, cough or congestion.
Fox News’ Melissa Rudy and Angelica Stabile contributed to this report.
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