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One of the fundamental aspects of having a community is feeling included. We know most of us can relate — wanting to have friends, having places to go for fun, knowing there are others who support our goals and dreams. Something that seems so simple and integral to human life can also sometimes feel hard to achieve. And there’s a part of the population who might not get included quite as easily, and who value it so deeply. People with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) have historically often been excluded from society, although, luckily, that’s been changing over recent years. Diagnoses like autism spectrum disorder (ASD), cerebral palsy and Down syndrome — which is celebrated this month with an annual awareness campaign — are just some of the diagnoses we see at Easterseals Hawaii. For nearly 80 years, our organization has been providing a range of services and programs across the islands that cater to individuals and families with such diagnoses, from keiki to kupuna. Last year alone, we provided more than 280,000 hours of service to more than 2,000 families. One of those families is Jon’s. Jon, 42, has Down syndrome, and has been with Easterseals Hawaii as a participant since he was a baby. When his mom, Debbie, first received his diagnosis just after giving birth, she says she was in a daze — and her pediatrician, who couldn’t even look her in the eyes as he suggested she consider sending him to a “special place” for him to be looked after, didn’t help her situation. Naturally, Debbie knew the only place for him to be cared for was at home with his family. As an infant, he started receiving services with us before moving to after-school care, and now, at 42, Jon has spent the last 22 years in our adult day health program in Honolulu making friends, joining activities and volunteering. It’s this lasting impact on people like Jon that makes programs for people with I/DD so vital, and why social integration plays such a key role in overall happiness. It’s important for people like Jon and his family to have a sense of community, where they can contribute to society and find what brings them joy. In fact, it’s part of our whole purpose as an organization: to help people choose their own path. According to Debbie, inclusion for her family has provided opportunities to learn and grow and find meaningful ways to play a part in the well-being of not only themselves but those around them. “Knowing how you can contribute to your community promotes a healthy environment where everyone is valued and can make a difference for each other,” Debbie said when we spoke to her about her experience. It’s also comforting to hear her say how as a whole, Hawaii is a very loving and accepting place to live. People go out of their way to accommodate Jon way more than those who choose not to, which inspires us to celebrate inclusion particularly this Down Syndrome Awareness Month. At Easterseals Hawaii, inclusion inspires and drives us toward achieving our purpose of creating a more equitable world for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and we deeply thank everyone who is leading the way with us. ——— To learn more: visit www.eastersealshawaii.org. Andrea Pettiford is CEO and Ella Aiwohi is program manager, respectively, of Easterseals Hawaii
