離開
進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 Uplift people with Down syndrome: VP
Vice President William Lai, third left, poses with participants at an event in Taipei yesterday marking World Down Syndrome Day. Photo: Fang Pin-chao, Taipei Times
‘SAME AS ANYONE’: Vice President William Lai said that people should not look at appearances and choose to misunderstand, but rather choose to give more support
By Lee I-chia / Staff reporter
As more than 20,000 people with Down syndrome live in Taiwan, Vice President William Lai （賴清德） yesterday urged the public to give them more support and encouragement.
Lai issued the call during a visit to the “We’ll Be There” （嘿!小唐我在這） exhibition at the Red House Theater （西門紅樓） in Taipei’s Ximending （西門町） area.
Yesterday marked World Down Syndrome Day, its 10th celebration since the UN set aside March 21 to raise public awareness of Down syndrome and to advocate for the rights, inclusion and well-being of people with the syndrome, Lai said.
“Down syndrome is a chromosomal abnormality caused by an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21; it is not a terrifying disease,” said Lai, a former physician.
Although the incidence of Down syndrome varies by country, one in every 1,000 to 1,200 live births has it, so there are about 20,000 to 30,000 people with it in Taiwan, Lai said.
That is not very many, but neither is it rare, he added.
The exhibition, held by the Down Syndrome Foundation, is called: “We’ll Be There,” because the foundation hopes that Taiwanese would understand and accept people with Down syndrome, he said, adding that the public should know that people with Down syndrome live in their communities and help them live normally with others.
Lai said that as a doctor, he met many children with Down syndrome, and found them to be sociable and loving — if people show them love, they might show even more love back to them.
“People with Down syndrome are the same as anyone, as we all go through different stages in life. They are no different from us, but only a bit extraordinary,” he said.
People should not look at their appearance and misunderstand, but rather choose to give them more support and encouragement, Lai added.
As the exhibition closes on May 9, Lai said he encouraged everyone to support people with Down syndrome by visiting the exhibition and choosing first to understand them.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
