This year, since we are out here on the east coast, we had the opportunity to go to the first Dup15q Believe Walk held in Atlanta! 

It was an awesome way to meet other Dup15q individuals and families and to show our love and support for them while also helping raise funds for research.

The event was at a beautiful park north of Atlanta and we managed to get through our Zumba warm up and the 1.5 mile walk before it started to rain. The walk was close to where my parents live, so Granny and Danpa were able to join us as well as our close family friend, Marianne. It was awesome to have some loved ones with us to show their support for Henry and Dup15q. ❤

Granny made signs for us to wear with Henry’s picture for the walk!

We enjoyed getting the chance to chat with other parents of kids with Dup15q and it was the first time we’d ever met other kids and adults with Henry’s syndrome. It meant a lot to us, and it was really beautiful getting to see Henry make efforts to interact with the other kids.

After the walk there were snacks, face painting, a bubble machine, and toys for the kids to play with. Calvin had fun on the mini trampoline and Henry was obsessed with the bubble machine! The event organizers also did a raffle and we won a prize for being the family that traveled the farthest! It was a really cool inflatable chair for kids with sensory differences. We haven’t tried it out yet!

It was a great event and I’m so glad we went! I hope there is another walk in Atlanta next year. There is a big Dup15q conference in Redondo Beach, CA next year, but since we are on the opposite coast now we’re not planning to make it. But we’d love to do another event closer to home!

Dup15q families, did any of you go to a Believe walk this year? Anybody going to the conference next summer?