Unilab Foundation event gives hope to people with Down syndrome

About 200 doctors, nurses, dentists, psychiatrists, and therapists joined hands for people with Down syndrome at the annual free clinic of the United for Down program at the Bayanihan Center, Mandaluyong City, on Mar. 20.

The free clinic was the key event of United for Down, a joint project of the Unilab Foundation Inc. (ULF) and the Down Syndrome Association of the Philippines Inc. (DSAPI).

United for Down is a healthcare program that provides access to free health services for people with Down syndrome. It was held in celebration of World Down Syndrome Awareness Day.

Now on its second year, the free clinic again united volunteer specialists, groups and individuals.

Healthcare professionals from the Philippine General Hospital, specializing in such fields as pediatrics, cardiology, orthopedics, and EENT provided free consultations.

Therapists from Communicare gave physical, occupational, and speech therapy sessions.

Various Unilab brands provided medical equipment, medicines and vaccines. Other groups that joined the event are Best Buddies Philippines, which provided activities to keep the children entertained; and Wings Technology, which managed and ensured the safety of the event.

More than 200 children and adults with Down syndrome were expected to benefit from the program during and beyond the event.

Patients who registered at the March 20 event were entitled to free lifetime primary medical consultations from volunteer specialists and United for Down’s partner health clinics, HealthFirst.

They were also included in a free six-month hepatitis vaccine program.

United for Down is part of ULF’s mission to build a healthier Philippines.

“A healthier Philippines is where all 100 million Filipinos have the space to be holistically healthy—physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Nobody gets left behind; not even those who are born different, and are marginalized in opportunities,” ULF Executive Director Rhodora Palomar-Fresnedi said.

ULF does this through Project Inclusion, an employment program for people with disabilities (PWDs), particularly those with intellectual and neurodevelopmental disabilities. Project Inclusion enables their gainful employment by matching the supply of employable PWDs to the demand of companies who are willing and able to hire them. United for Down is a key initiative to help ensure that people with Down syndrome who are qualified to contribute to the workplace are ready and fit for employment.

“Given the right conditions, people with Down syndrome can make their unique contribution to the workplace and be productive members of society. That is why we need to address all aspects that affect their employability—technical skills, social skills, and most importantly, health,” Palomar-Fresnedi said.

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects mental and physical development, putting affected people at increased risk of health complications, such as heart defects, vision and hearing problems, hypothyroidism, and infections. “Many people with Down syndrome are born with medical conditions that require proper attention which can make a big difference in their overall health and their ability to live more normal lives,” said Elmer Lapena, president of DSAPI.

The group had organized many free clinics before, but United for Down is the biggest in terms of participants and volunteers.

“The United For Down free clinic is a huge undertaking, as it entails getting many doctors, therapists, and other medical specialists in a single venue, to attend to close to 200 people with Down syndrome in one day. Through the generous sponsorship of the Unilab Foundation, this program helps to ensure that people with Down syndrome can avail (themselves) of the essential medical attention, regardless of their socio-economic status,” Lapena said.