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Grayson Hicks managing the information booth at the 2023 Buddy Walk.
November 1, 2023 – The Buddy Walk is an annual tradition uniting thousands of local, national, and international participants and supporters. It is a celebration of life and a fundraiser, helping provide resources, outreach, and advocacy for individuals with Down Syndrome and their families. Families, individuals with Down Syndrome, and their supporters came together for the 27th Annual Puget Sound Buddy Walk®, an event hosted by the Down Syndrome Center (DSC) of Puget Sound at the Woodland Park Zoo.
The University of Washington’s Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (UW LEND) program and the Institute on Development and Disability (IHDD) participated in the Buddy Walk. Sue Adelman, the UW LEND Family Leadership Discipline Leader at the IHDD, shared their approach to engaging with the community at the event.
The IHDD tabled next to the Haring Center and Benaroya Research tables, which allowed them to engage with numerous families that have been involved with the Experimental Education Unit (EEU) at the UW Haring Center, a school dedicated to inclusive and innovative early childhood education. Families and self-advocates learned more about the IHDD’s clinics and educational opportunities, while providers saw LEND as a valuable resource for developmental disabilities.
IHDD shared information about their programs, such as UW LEND, the Down Syndrome Specialty Clinic, and Child Development Clinic and introduced community members to the ECHO programs. The Buddy Walk served as an event for forming partnerships between UW IHDD and other community organizations and providers, including organizations such as Virginia Mason/Franciscan Down Syndrome Program, Benaroya Immunology Research, Best Buddies Washington, and the Down Syndrome Center of Puget Sound. The Down Syndrome Center has established a physical space in the University District of Seattle that offers occupational therapy and speech-language pathology therapies. They aspire to become community partners with UW LEND and are collaborating with the Academy for Precision Learning (APL) on a family-facing transition program.
Feedback from families, community members, and providers who attended the event has been overwhelmingly positive. The Buddy Walk is cherished within the Down syndrome community, and the Woodland Zoo’s venue adds to its appeal. Sue Adelman expressed excitement about IHDD’s plans for increased community engagement in the future. This reflects the Buddy Walk’s lasting impact and its ability to inspire ongoing efforts to support individuals with Down Syndrome.
