Karen GaffneyOn April 11th, which also happened to be Mikey’s birthday, I went to C. W. Post College for a conference on Down syndrome. Most of the conference was aimed at educators rather than parents so it wasn’t too useful. However, the keynote speaker was Karen Gaffney, a young woman with Down syndrome. Ms. Gaffney absolutely wowed the audience. First, she spoke for nearly 30 minutes without any notes. Try doing that. Second, her talk was amazing as she told us about her life and the things she has accomplished. She made the audience laugh, cry, and applaud.

Karen starts off with, “When I was born, the doctors told my parents that I would not be able to have a life of my own.” Today, she is just a few credits short of an Associate’s degree and hopes to be a teacher’s aide soon. She spoke about her love of reading, especially Jane Austen. She told us how she swam the English Channel as part of a team and how she swam solo across Lake Tahoe, a distance of 9 miles. She has completed the “Escape From Alcatraz” challenge and has swum across San Francisco Bay nine times. When she finished her speech, she received a standing ovation.

Ms. Gaffney is an amazing young woman. She has done more than many people who have the “correct” number of chromosomes. If you ever have the opportunity to hear her speak, be sure not to miss her.