Dear MDSC Member,

In a historic moment for our community, MDSC was thrilled to partner with the National Down Syndrome Society to host Brighter Futures: A National Conference on Adults with Down Syndrome and Aging — a landmark national gathering focused on aging with Down syndrome.

Over two incredible days at the DCU Center in Worcester, more than 500 individuals with Down syndrome, families and caregivers, educators, advocates, healthcare professionals and researchers from 24 states and 3 countries came together to address critical topics like healthcare, employment, housing, financial planning, dementia care, and building meaningful lives across the lifespan.

As our loved ones with Down syndrome are living longer than ever before, the need for expert resources on adulthood and aging has never been more critical. This conference brought together leading experts, celebrated remarkable achievements, and unveiled a major milestone for MDSC: our fifth Center of Excellence, the Center on Down Syndrome and Aging.

Before we dig into all the conference details below, we would love to share the video montage that we unveiled at the Awards Dinner. Every year, we create a video highlighting the amazing diversity of our community. This year, we spotlighted the adults in our community — showing the full, complex lives they're living every day.

Please enjoy our Brighter Futures Video Montage:

And we hope you will read more below about all the wonderful details of this conference, along with other upcoming events, including Team MDSC at the Boston Marathon, the return of our Dads Program Father's Day at Kimball Farm and, of course, the Buddy Walk this October!

Our Awards Dinner was filled with powerful moments of celebration and inspiration, expertly guided by emcee Lauren Beckham Falcone (right) of WROR's Bob & LBF in the Morning Show. Lauren has been our emcee for six years, and we were thrilled to have her back with us for this historic event.

We were honored to hear from NDSS CEO Kandi Pickard and Massachusetts Department of Developmental Services Commissioner Sarah Peterson, both of whom emphasized the importance of collaboration and the critical need for resources supporting adults with Down syndrome as they age.

Keynote Speaker Matthew Schwab shared his journey toward independence, his work at a restaurant in North Carolina, and his engagement. Matthew's story embodied the conference theme — adults with Down syndrome living meaningful lives. Matthew was introduced by MDSC Self Advocate Advisory Council member Kate Bartlett.

Self Advocate Musical Performances

Sujeet Desai delivered an incredible performance that brought the audience to its feet. Sujeet played three distinct pieces at the dinner on clarinet, saxophone, and violin, each showcasing a different style. A world-renowned musician, Sujeet plays more than eight instruments and is a member of the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. He has performed at prestigious venues including Carnegie Hall.

Graham Campbell closed the evening with a beautiful rendition of Solfeggietto by C.P.E. Bach. Graham has dedicated himself to piano lessons and regular practice every week since age 10. Now 39, he delights in sharing music programs throughout the year with a particularly affinity for classical works and opera. Using a bone conduction headset to hear his metronome, Graham delivered a heartfelt performance, and was sure to thank his piano teacher, Sayuri Miyamoto. It was the perfect way to close a remarkable evening.

MDSC Annual Awards

Employee of the Year Awards were presented by Richard Donahue Jr., representing the Richard and Nancy Donahue Foundation. The awards are named after Richard's beloved brother Philip Donahue, who worked at Market Basket for 27 years before retiring in 2022. He passed away in 2024. The Richard & Nancy Donahue Foundation continues to support MDSC's Your Next Star Employment Program, bringing Philip's vision of meaningful employment to life for individuals with Down syndrome.

This year, for the first time, MDSC honored two employees — and both have special connections to Philip.

George Sarault was Philip's best friend. They met when they were three years old and remained the closest of friends throughout their lives. George has worked at McDonald's in Chelmsford for an incredible 35 years. Known as "the mayor" of McDonald's, George greets customers by name and makes everyone feel welcome.

Louis Sciuto has worked at Market Basket for 18 years, just like Philip did. Louis also works at TJ Maxx, expertly managing both jobs with dedication and professionalism.

As Richard said in presenting the awards, "Both George and Louis represent the best of what employment can be — dedication, joy, and the power of showing up and making a difference every single day."

The Allen C. Crocker Award of Excellence, MDSC's highest honor, was presented to Susanna Peyton and John Campbell.

Susanna and John have been Honorary Board members since the board's inception and longtime supporters of MDSC.

Susanna has long championed critical care for individuals with disabilities. While working in a group home after college, Susanna was inspired by the professionals who cared for the housemates with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the experience became a catalyst for her to pursue her master's studies in psychiatric nursing in 1980. As Susanna has said: "Back in the 1980s, there was almost nothing formalized around IDD in nursing education. I realized then that we needed to change that so that future nurses wouldn't face the same hurdles." Susanna became a leader for Operation House Call, expanding the program to include co-teachers with IDD who worked directly with medical students — ensuring future healthcare providers learned from the very community they would serve.

John is the Morton L. and Carole S. Olshan Professor of Economics at Harvard University, where he has taught since 1994. In 2016, working with MGH Down Syndrome Program Director Dr. Brian Skotko and a team of researchers, John co-authored a study to determine out-of-pocket medical costs related to having a child with Down syndrome. By meticulously analyzing healthcare claims data, the team helped demonstrate the true economic landscape for these families, providing the Down syndrome community with rigorous data that continues to inform advocacy and policy discussions regarding healthcare affordability and support.

As parents, Susanna and John looked at Graham and envisioned not just his childhood and young adult years, but his entire life ahead — and wanted to ensure that he and all adults with Down syndrome could live with meaning, purpose, and support throughout every stage of life, including their aging years.

Beyond their professional contributions, Susanna and John have been deeply engaged members of our MDSC community. Year after year, they show up — at the MDSC Annual Conference, at the Buddy Walk, and whenever our community needs them — always willing to connect with other families, share their wisdom, and offer support to community members wherever they are in their journey.

In presenting the award, MDSC Board Chair Stacy Lindborg and Board Vice Chair Jonathan Tabasky unveiled MDSC's fifth Center of Excellence — the Center on Down Syndrome and Aging, made possible by Susanna and John's generosity through the Lighting the Way Lifespan Fund, made possible in part through the Lighting the Way Lifespan Fund founded by Susanna and John.

Susanna and John have been champions of our community for years, and their vision for supporting adults with Down syndrome across their entire lifespan has now been realized through this groundbreaking Center. We are deeply grateful for their leadership and commitment to ensuring brighter futures for all people with Down syndrome throughout the lifespan.

Read more below about the new Center on Down Syndrome & Aging, including our upcoming webinar series.

Board Leadership Awards honored Jud DeCew and Dave Granfors for their years of service to MDSC's Board of Directors.

Ever since his granddaughter Phoebe was born, Jud DeCew has been a tireless advocate for individuals with Down syndrome. Over 12 years on MDSC's Board, including serving as Board Chair, Jud has guided the organization through three strategic plans. "Whether diving into details or maintaining the big-picture strategy, Jud never loses sight of MDSC's mission," Jon Tabasky said. Jud's dedication extends far beyond our community — he serves as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), Special Education Surrogate Parent, and founded Brazil Today, a nonprofit supporting the Brazilian community.

When Dave Granfors' daughter Claire was born, Dave immediately wanted to give back. Dave has run the Falmouth Road Race for the past 14 years for Claire and for MDSC, and has served on MDSC's Audit and Finance Committee for 6 years, providing critical financial oversight and strategic guidance to ensure the organization's fiscal health and sustainability. As Director of Financial Analysis at Colliers International, Dave's expertise in real estate and financial management has helped strengthen MDSC's foundation and guide our growth.

We are truly grateful for Jud and Dave’s many contributions to our community.

Keynote Address, Dr. Julie Moran

Conference organizers Kristen Tenglin, MDSC's Centers of Excellence Director, and Ryan Rotundo, NDSS Director of Community Engagement and Partnerships, introduced keynote speaker Dr. Julie Moran, a board-certified geriatrician and internist specializing in older adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Dr. Moran, a Clinical Instructor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School who serves on MDSC's new Center on Down Syndrome and Aging Advisory Committee and has authored NDSS publications on aging and caregiving for adults with Down syndrome and dementia, delivered a powerful keynote address titled "Brighter Futures: Reflections of a Geriatrician."

Dr. Moran's presentation covered the dramatic demographic shifts facing our community. She shared data showing that the number of adults with Down syndrome has grown exponentially since 1950 — today's older adults were born in an era with vastly different life expectancies and have lived to see remarkable progress. She addressed the "5 Ms of Geriatrics" — a framework geriatricians use to provide comprehensive care — and explored the critical distinction between lifespan (how long we live) and healthspan (how well we live).

Dr. Moran presented sobering statistics about caregiving: 72% of US adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities live with family caregivers, with 24% living with caregivers age 60 or older. She emphasized the urgent need to support aging caregivers while planning for the future care needs of their loved ones.

Throughout her presentation, Dr. Moran reminded the audience that "change is a lifetime guarantee" and that thoughtful planning can help ensure dignity and quality of life throughout the aging process.

At the close of her keynote, Dr. Moran offered a powerful reflection on the conference theme, drawing on Fred Rogers' encouragement to "look for the helpers." She invited attendees to pick up the small flashlights on their tables and light them together — a visual reminder that everyone in the room was part of lighting the path forward for our community.

"I am so grateful to be part of this community. Self advocates, families, friends, caregivers, professionals: Let's look out for each other. Let's light the way ahead, stay connected and shine your light." The ballroom then filled with hundreds of small lights.

The Improvaneers Take Center Stage

At lunch, The Improvaneers — the world's first all Down syndrome improvisation troupe — delivered a hilarious and inspiring performance.

Founded in 2018 by Rob Snow in Cleveland, The Improvaneers began as a bold experiment: could improvisation teach valuable skills like problem-solving, quick-thinking, teamwork, and communication to individuals with Down syndrome? The answer has been a resounding yes. The troupe has been performing for more than seven years, delivering over 85 shows across North America to audiences of every size. Their performances have been featured in The Washington Post, Today Show, Inside Edition, and NPR.

The Improvaneers — Rob Snow, Henry Snow, Nick Doyle and Matthew Cullen — were introduced by Self Advocate Advisory Council member Melissa Reilly, who then joined the Improvaneers on stage along with other special guests to try their hand at on-the-spot improvisation.

Self Advocate Track

Throughout both days, over 100 self-advocates participated in a dedicated track of workshops in the Junior Ballroom designed specifically for adults with Down syndrome.

Sessions included:

• The Improvaneers Workshop — Building confidence and communication through the art of improv
• Skills for the Hill — Learning to share stories and advocate with lawmakers (included professional headshots from Beauty Has No Limits and HumanKind Casting + Talent)
• United Dance Workshop — Fostering creativity and connection through movement
• Yoga & Mindfulness — Practicing relaxation techniques for mind and body
• Staying Healthy with 321go! — Learning about nutrition, physical activity, and wellness

Friday's self-advocate track closed with a dance party led by DJ Dan, who was amazing at getting everyone on the dance floor for an exuberant celebration.

Thank you to everyone who made the Brighter Futures conference such a remarkable success.

We are deeply grateful to the National Down Syndrome Society for partnering with us to plan this national conference.  

And, thank you to the many conference sponsors, speakers, exhibitors, volunteers, and the 500-plus attendees who made these two days so meaningful for everyone.

Finally, I want to thank everyone for helping to make MDSC what it is today, whether or not you attended the conference. It is imperative that we remind ourselves of all the incredible advances we have achieved.

Furthermore, we must work together, through our collective strength and resolve, to ensure that progress in the areas of health, education, and research continue to make critical advances that improve lives.

At MDSC, we remain firmly committed to all of you as we lead the way in promoting full acceptance and inclusion for all people with Down syndrome and their families for many years to come!

Please read on below for information about some of MDSC's upcoming events, where we certainly hope to see you and your family!

Warm regards,

Maureen Gallagher

Executive Director

We look forward to seeing you at our upcoming events this spring and beyond!