Down Syndrome Innovations is excited to partner with DS-Connect®, the Down Syndrome Registry, to present to you a free workshop and dinner to get DS-Connected!

Dinner is at 6 p.m. Workshop starts at 6:30 p.m.

Register here!

The Down Syndrome Registry is a secure online survey-based tool developed for and by the Down syndrome community. It provides families with access to trusted research studies, events, and resources, while collecting privacy-protected demographic and health information. The information shared helps scientists identify patterns in related health conditions and advance research that informs care, services, and future scientific discovery.

DS-Connect is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Questions? Email info@ds-connect.org or visit ds-connect.org for more info.

We are proud to promote an important event hosted by our community partner, The Transition Academy...

The 5th Annual KC DiversAbility College and Career Fair!

Thursday, April 2, 2026 from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

This impactful event provides an inclusive platform for high school students with disabilities to explore college and career opportunities with a diverse range of colleges, employers, and community resources.

Look for the Down Syndrome Innovations table in the Vendor Fair. Come say hello to your friendly DSI team members!

Location: Kauffman Foundation Conference Center 4801 Rockhill Rd, Kansas City, MO 64110

Attendee Registration: https://form.jotform.com/260290205774859

Click to view brochure: 2026-WEBSITE-INFO-KC-DiversAbility-College-and-Career-Fair-8

Join us for this meaningful parent-to-parent conversation on aging, dementia, grief and Down syndrome with Buddy and Carolyn Jones, in collaboration with Down Syndrome Innovations (DSI) and KU Alzheimer's Disease Research Center (KU ADRC). In addition to sharing their family’s personal story, Buddy and Carolyn will encourage other parents to proactively develop a plan for their loved one in anticipation of regression in the aging years and specifically, Alzheimer's disease. 

Buddy and Carolyn Jones have been effective trailblazers and system-change advocates throughout their son's entire life, as well as being mentors and supportive friends to so many parents, service providers, and physicians. Additionally, Buddy and Carolyn have remained in close contact with the teams at Down Syndrome Innovations and the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, providing vital parent perspectives on services, interventions, and research.

Now they have chosen to sit down for an intimate conversation with other parents who could face a similar experience with their aging loved one, and ensure no one else feels isolated or without resources in this stage of the journey.

Both DSI and KU ADRC acknowledge the science that nearly all adults with Down syndrome will develop evidence of Alzheimer’s disease by late middle age, and therefore  our organizations are taking an active role in education, research, services and supports for aging individuals with Down syndrome and their caregivers. At the conclusion of this presentation, DSI and KU ADRC will guide families in practical next steps.  

All attendees are welcome to come at 6:00pm for a casual caregiver connection time prior to the presentation. DSI will provide drinks and refreshments during this time. 

Service providers and medical professionals are welcome to join to learn and observe. However, we will prioritize the questions of caregivers and parents due to time limitations and the goals of the speakers.  DSI is available to all community partners as a resource in the area of aging and Down syndrome and follow-up consultation is available. 

On March 25 - March 31, at Down Syndrome Innovations, we are hosting FREE hearing and balance screenings for individuals with Down syndrome who fit this criteria:

- Who are between 5 and 65

- Do NOT wear a cochlear implant

- And are accompanied by a caretaker or loved one

Participants will attend one appointment that includes a game-based hearing and balance test (with immediate results), a simple blood draw, a quick mouth swab, and permission for researchers to access relevant health information. 

From there, families will receive the hearing and balance results, and contribute to one of the largest Down syndrome biobank research efforts.This study is open to individuals with or without hearing loss. 

Click here for the Hearing and Balance Registration Link

Click here for the Human Trisome Project (HTP) Registration Link

To be clear, there are two links: one is to register for a hearing and balance appointment, which includes an HTP blood draw. The second link is to register ONLY to participate in the HTP blood draw.