Down Syndrome Buddy Walk online again next month

The Down Syndrome Family Network’s (DSFN) 5K run and Buddy Walk will be held virtually again this year, owing to the covid19 pandemic.

The organisers said the event’s platform will be launched and its website will go live on October 3.

Newsday spoke with the founder and chairman of the network, Fitzherbert Glen Niles, as well as honorary board member and chairman for events and sponsorship Lisa Ghany.

The event has been the network’s major fundraiser over the years. However, hosting it virtually resulted in the usual numbers of participants almost being cut in half, Niles said.

But while last year’s virtual event did not draw as large a participation as an in-person event would, the network hopes this year’s event will attract greater participation and continue the work of advocacy, education and celebration.

Niles told Newsday that holding the event virtually definitely was not the same. Ghany said the virtual platform attracted just over 400 participants.

“It is about 50 per cent of what our live event would generate,” she said.

Niles said, “Since we started the buddy walk in 2012 my son has been looking forward to it – especially for the afterparty.”

The in-person afterparty would usually have artistes like Nailah Blackman and giveaways by various sponsors. But the ongoing pandemic has halted that.

Many of the event’s participants now have to do the run or walk on their own, which is facilitated by the virtual platform Bafasports.

Niles’s son, Tyrese, a young man with Down Syndrome, did the race virtually last year with four runners. He is once again preparing to do so this year and has been by doing an hour’s spin, four times a week.

Those who participated last year were either runners who still wanted to run and get their medals, or members of the network’s community.

“It was more a community thing. People look forward to that coming together. The entire family will come out to walk for a particular child or adult with Down Syndrome or any other disability.”

Niles said the number of people participating had been growing before it had to be held virtually. At the last in-person event 1,200 people were registered, he added.

“Having it virtually did lessen the impact of seeing 1,200 people walking around King George V Park with a marching band to the front,” he said.

For Niles, the in-person event was an opportunity to build awareness and have a bigger impact on advocacy and the rights of people with disabilities.

“Now it is challenging to find new ways by using social media, interviews and other methods to get that kind of impact,” he said.

The organisers have been trying to push marketing the event more to reach more people and increase participation levels virtually, he said.

He believes some of the reasons for the low participation are that some people are frustrated by the lockdowns and restrictions and others are apprehensive about coming out.

The pandemic has also been “very difficult” on people with Down Syndrome and other disabilities, Niles said, particularly for people with intellectual disabilities.

He said many young adults with Down Syndrome were put in an internship programme before the pandemic, but many lost those internships when the pandemic hit.

Niles said he watched Tyrese change when he started to do his internship, and saw him mature. Now he’s watching Tyrese’s regression while he is at home.

“His calling the names of the people he used to work with and his boss and saying he is missing them, and actually showing signs of depression where that is concerned.”

Niles said children with Down Syndrome are visual learners and having to learn online has been a major blow to their development.

He said that was why the network was an advocate for inclusion.

But he hopes this year’s 5K run and Buddy Walk achieves it original purpose, and that is to engender a mindset change in how people with Down Syndrome and disabilities are perceived.

“We don’t always want charity. We want them to have a future, and the best future is living in an inclusive society where everybody can have an opportunity to grow to their fullest potential.

“Every step you take – whether you are walking or running – you are walking or running for the human rights of people with Down Syndrome and other disabilities,” he said.

Ghany echoed a similar sentiment.

She said, “This is for the human rights for people with disabilities and this should encourage the national population to support this in a big way.”

The last time the event was held in person was 2019. October is Down Syndrome Awareness month and the Buddy Walk is an international event held in several countries across the world to create awareness for people with Down Syndrome, Ghany said. With the event being held virtually, the race can be done at any time within a specific period.

She said the network’s partner Bafasports.com is a company that organises virtual events for organisations across the country. Ghany said people can go on to the Bafa virtual platform, where they would be directed to Buddy Walk and register online.

In addition, the organisers will have a social media campaign to generate interest in the virtual event.

People with Down Syndrome can register free and others for a fee of $99.

Ghany said the first 500 people who register will be guaranteed a medal, customised for this year’s event. Once people clock their times and submit them on the Bafa platform, they qualify for their medal, which can be picked up at various points throughout TT.

There will also be further incentives such as prizes for the oldest and youngest participant and most creative mask.

She added all of the details will be posted on the network’s social media pages when it is launched.

More importantly for Ghany and the network, it is hoped that people do not forget why they are walking, and that it is a human rights walk.