Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network - DSDN

Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network - DSDN Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN)
Learn more & join here:
http://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/

DADS!!! ⚾️🙌Friday Dad's Night Out just got even better.We are going to a TWINS GAME...And Cooper Murray is throwing out ...
06/12/2026

DADS!!! ⚾️🙌

Friday Dad's Night Out just got even better.

We are going to a TWINS GAME...
And Cooper Murray is throwing out the first pitch!

Cooper is a young man with Down syndrome, known by many as "Extra Super Cooper." He is on a mission to throw the ceremonial first pitch at all 30 MLB stadiums, and next month he'll check another one off the list with the Rockin' Dads cheering him on!

Cooper is the son of Brady Murray, founder of Rods Heroes and CaringTide, a fellow Rockin' Dad, and one of last year's keynote speakers.

So this isn't just a baseball game. It's a chance to show up for Cooper and his family. A chance to celebrate inclusion. And a chance to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with dads who understand this journey without needing an explanation.

That's what the Rockin' Dad Retreat is all about.

Let's fill our section.
Let's cheer loud.
Let's make sure Cooper hears us! 👏👏👏

If you're already registered, get ready!
If you're still thinking about it, this is your sign.

Join us in Minneapolis! Registration closes tomorrow, June 12!
https://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/dad-retreat-registration

RODS Heroes

Did you know your whole gift can go directly to families? 💛When you give at dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/donate — zero fees. E...
06/11/2026

Did you know your whole gift can go directly to families? 💛

When you give at dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/donate — zero fees. Every dollar supports a family navigating a Down syndrome diagnosis.

Make your gift count. 👇
💛 dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/donate

PLATINUM SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT: Dads of Down syndrome (DODS)A huge thank you to Dads of Down syndrome (DODS) for their gener...
06/10/2026

PLATINUM SPONSOR HIGHLIGHT: Dads of Down syndrome (DODS)

A huge thank you to Dads of Down syndrome (DODS) for their generous support of the 2026 Rockin' Dad Retreat as our Platinum Sponsor!

DODS shares our belief that dads need connection, community, and opportunities to learn from one another. We are grateful for their partnership and for the work they are doing to empower fathers and inspire advocacy throughout the Down syndrome community.

About DODS:
The Dads of Down syndrome aims to do two things. Empower dads and inspire advocacy. Through monthly meetups and fundraising efforts, DODs is on track to empower over 1,000 dads and re-invest over half a million into the Down syndrome community by 2030!

📍 Twin Cities Area Families: DODs Days is happening tomorrow, June 11, from 3:00–10:00 PM at The ROC in Saint Louis Park. This free, family-friendly music festival fundraiser will feature live music, food trucks, family activities, and opportunities to connect with other dads and families in the Down syndrome community. Admission is free, though registration is encouraged.

Learn more:
🌐 www.dadsofdownsyndrome.org
📱

We still have space left for this year's Rockin' Dad Retreat. Registration closes on Friday - get registered today!

https://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/dad-retreat-registration

No one gets it quite like another dad who’s been there.DSDN brings fathers of children with Down syndrome together throu...
06/10/2026

No one gets it quite like another dad who’s been there.

DSDN brings fathers of children with Down syndrome together through the Rockin’ Dads™
Group - a private, supportive online community led by moderators who value respect,
honesty, and connection. It’s a place to talk through real life, ask questions, and build
camaraderie with dads who understand.

Join the group in the DSDN app - a free, private and secure online community for parents of children with Down syndrome.

📱 App Store: https://tinyurl.com/DSDNApp-AppleAppStore
📱 Google Play: https://tinyurl.com/DSDNApp-GooglePlayStore

💙 Every expecting mom deserves to feel celebrated and supported.When a mom expecting a baby with Down syndrome joins DSD...
06/09/2026

💙 Every expecting mom deserves to feel celebrated and supported.

When a mom expecting a baby with Down syndrome joins DSDN’s Pregnancy
Support Group, we send a small gift as a way of saying: you matter, your baby
matters, and you’re not alone. Families across the world receive these gifts
each year during this meaningful chapter.

If you’re currently pregnant and expecting a child with Down syndrome, you
can learn more and join the Pregnancy Support Group in the DSDN app - a free, private and secure online community for parents of children with Down syndrome.

📱 App Store: https://tinyurl.com/DSDNApp-AppleAppStore
📱 Google Play: https://tinyurl.com/DSDNApp-GooglePlayStore

This program is supported by the Rockin’ Family Fund, made possible through
the generosity of donors who believe in showing up for families early and
often.
https://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/rockin-family-fund

🎙️ New episode available!A birth diagnosis can bring a whirlwind of emotions, questions, and uncertainty. In Episode 2 o...
06/08/2026

🎙️ New episode available!

A birth diagnosis can bring a whirlwind of emotions, questions, and uncertainty. In Episode 2 of From Diagnosis Forward, parents reflect on what helped them most as they processed unexpected news and began moving forward.

These are the voices of families who have been there.

Listen now wherever you get your podcasts. 💙💛

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2610500/episodes/19301848

🐦🩵Sunday Smiles from a few of our Rockin' kids!💛🐦
06/07/2026

🐦🩵Sunday Smiles from a few of our Rockin' kids!💛🐦

Help Us Make the 2026 Rockin’ Mom™ Retreat Auction & Raffle Amazing! ⭐️We are currently seeking donations for the DSDN 2...
06/06/2026

Help Us Make the 2026 Rockin’ Mom™ Retreat Auction & Raffle Amazing! ⭐️
We are currently seeking donations for the DSDN 2026 Rockin’ Mom™ Retreat happening September 24–26, 2026 in beautiful Phoenix, Arizona!

💙Our auction and raffle help support the mission of the Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network (DSDN) and allow us to continue connecting and supporting families after a Down syndrome diagnosis.

🎁 We are currently looking for donations in the form of:
✔️ Gift baskets or themed bundles (preferred)
OR
✔️ A single item we can combine with other donations to create a basket.
Popular basket themes include:
✨ Down syndrome awareness
✨ Self-care & spa night
✨ Family fun
✨ Travel
✨ Coffee lovers
✨ Kid-friendly favorites

🛍️ Want an easy way to give? You can purchase an item directly from our Dream List here: DreamList.com/for/w9fbe3atkg

Or our Target Wish List here: https://www.target.com/gift-registry/gift/trish-16

💙 You may also make a monetary donation to help us purchase items and create baskets: 📧 [email protected]

Thank you for helping us create a meaningful and fun experience for the incredible moms attending this year’s retreat! Every donation makes a difference.

Recently, a public conversation about Down syndrome was a stark reminder of why our work matters.One of the comments tha...
06/05/2026

Recently, a public conversation about Down syndrome was a stark reminder of why our work matters.

One of the comments that stood out was the idea that life with Down syndrome is simply too difficult. That people with Down syndrome are destined to be dependent on others and that the impact on families is overwhelmingly negative.

What concerns me most is that millions of people may now walk away believing this represents the full reality of life with Down syndrome. It doesn’t.

Are there medical challenges? Sometimes.

Are there therapies, extra appointments, and hurdles we didn’t expect? Absolutely.

But a diagnosis does not define a life.

My son is going to school, playing baseball, earning karate belts, swimming, and spending hours at the park. He has friends. He makes us laugh every day with his silly jokes. He has dreams, strengths, interests, and a personality all his own.

As a family, we travel, eat out, go to the movies, play games, hang out with friends, and spend our weekends cheering on our kids in their various activities. Our life looks a lot like the life we imagined with kids. It is busy, messy, joyful, challenging, exhausting, and full of love.

And Augie is just one of thousands of individuals with Down syndrome living full, meaningful lives.

The reality is that no diagnosis can tell you who a child will become. There is no test that can predict whether a child will be kind, funny, determined, resilient, loved, happy, successful, or surrounded by meaningful relationships. There is no crystal ball for any child’s future.

Every life will include challenges. Every life will include joy. Every life will include uncertainty.

Down syndrome does not change that.

Every day, families receive a prenatal or birth diagnosis of Down syndrome. In that moment, they deserve balanced, accurate, up-to-date information. They deserve to hear from people who are actually living this experience. They deserve facts, support, and hope.

That is why we do what we do at DSDN.

Because Down syndrome is not the tragedy.

The tragedy is when families make life-changing decisions based on incomplete, outdated, or misguided information about what life with Down syndrome can be.

Every family deserves accurate information. Every family deserves support. And every child deserves to be seen as more than a diagnosis.

We have more work to do.

- Melissa Shutwell, DSDN Executive Director

06/04/2026

What happens when you put a group of dads who "get it" in the same room?

Friendships are built. Stories are shared. Laughter comes easy. And nobody has to explain a thing.

This is a look back at some of the moments that make the Rockin' Dad™ Retreat so special.

Join us July 10-11 in Minneapolis.
Registration closes June 12.

https://www.dsdiagnosisnetwork.org/dad-retreat-registration

Address

7130 Manning Avenue N
Stillwater, MN
55082

Telephone

+16124600765

Website

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