LuMind Foundation and Research Down Syndrome Merge to Create Leading Source of Private Funding for Down Syndrome Cognition Research

from Research Down Syndrome:

LuMind Foundation and Research Down Syndrome have combined resources and programs. Together, these organizations contributed nearly $12 million to stimulate cognition research, resulting in the discovery of multiple drug targets and supporting the initiation of four clinical trials.

March 2, 2015 (Marlborough, Mass.) – The LuMind Foundation (formerly the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation – DSRTF) and Research Down Syndrome (RDS), worldwide leaders in advancing Down syndrome cognition research, together announce consolidation of the two organizations. The new foundation will pursue their shared mission more effectively and efficiently, and leverage the tremendous progress each has made to ignite Down syndrome cognition discoveries.

The merged organization will be named LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation. The LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation will be led by a national board of directors, consisting of board members from both organizations. Ryan Hartman will continue from his position as LuMind Foundation Chairman of the Board and Dan Flatley, Research Down Syndrome founder and Chairman, will serve as Vice Chairman.

NASCAR joins Down syndrome research efforts

by Maureen Wallace from SpecialEDPost.org:
Long ago, I shifted from fear to acceptance when it comes to my 4-year-old son Charlie’s extra chromosome. I love every bit of him, including his DNA.
But what’s not acceptable is that Charlie has a greater chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease because he has Down syndrome.
NASCAR driver David Ragan loves to drive fast and wants to win whatever race he can. It made perfect sense when the LuMind Foundation asked Ragan to chair its first annual fundraiser, the Race for Research: Accelerating Down Syndrome Cognition, which took place this summer.
The link?
David’s older brother, Adam, has Down syndrome.
That means we share a sense of urgency to fund research to help our loved ones. We also share a building outrage that research progress is stalled because of a lack of funding.
You see, if research doesn’t progress quickly enough, it’s possible Charlie and I will develop Alzheimer’s disease at the same time, because people with Down syndrome can develop the condition as young as 40 years old. (I’ll be 77.) Adam could begin to show symptoms in as few as 10 more years.
The entire Ragan family — with a history of racing success — became involved in the 2014 Race for Research, and their determination gave me hope. Because my Charlie has two younger siblings, David’s perspective of his brother also has been reassuring.
“Adam is just a normal older brother,” David says. “My parents didn’t really teach or tell me anything about Adam’s capabilities. They just always treated him the same as me.”

The Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation Changes Its Name to Celebrate Its First Decade of Breakthroughs

from PRWeb:
In conjunction with its tenth anniversary, the Down Syndrome Research and Treatment Foundation (DSRTF), the nation’s leader in accelerating research towards improving learning, memory, and speech for people with Down syndrome, announces its new identity as the LuMind Foundation, and celebrates World Down Syndrome Day with a match: donations will earn 3:1 on March 21.
To reflect the awareness and focus DSRTF has brought to the field of Ds cognition research, the organization will now be known as the LuMind Foundation. The name has its origin in the words lumen, a measure of light, and mind. “We’re proud to be shining light on the powerful potential of cognition research,” says Carolyn Cronin, Executive Director of the LuMind Foundation, contextualizing the new name. “Our continuing mission is to make a brighter future possible for people with Ds, to enhance their learning, and to delay or halt the cognitive decline they experience at an earlier age — in a word, to illuminate. We’re excited to move forward with an identity that underscores our values.”