“She may not walk or talk until she’s 12” – that was the prognosis. Perseverance and determination changed all of that. Now at 33 years of age, Jennifer Cunningham has shown the world what a young adult with Down syndrome can truly accomplish.
Despite the odds , Jennifer did walk and talk before she was 12. Matter of fact, by the age of 8 she had won two gold medals at the special Olympics in gymnastics. At 13, she tried out and won a spot on her school’s gymnastics team. In 1996, she carried the Olympic torch through her hometown of Worthington.
When words like “no” and “can’t” tried to stop her in her tracks – like when her school’s drama teacher told her she couldn’t join the theater department until she had years of stagecraft and drama classes – she hurdled them time and time again. After being accepted in to the drama program, she took her craft even farther by securing a leading role in the stephen King mini-series “Kingdom Hospital.”
Now at 33 – engaged and in her own condo – she’s the poster child for self- determination: literally. As an extremely active advocate of Down syndrome awareness, Jennifer serves on the board of both the National Down syndrome Congress and the Down syndrome Association of Central Ohio, speaks publicly at local events and businesses, and has been featured on posters for self-determination and a “We’re More Alike Than Different” campaign. she’s also received an award for Personal Determination from the state of Ohio.
Jennifer says it best herself: “Women with Down syndrome have great stories to share.”
To learn more about Down syndrome advocacy, visit: dsaco.net. ▪