Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr Foundation and the University of Kentucky Human Development Institute Offer a New Infrastructure for Nationally Lauded Prenatal Down Syndrome Book

Lexington, KY, September 17, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. Foundation and the design studio, Canister, are pleased to announce that Canister has donated the copyright to the nationally lauded, "Understanding a Down Syndrome Diagnosis" booklet to the Kennedy Foundation. The booklet will continue to be available in print and as a free digital download through the Lettercase program at the University of Kentucky's Human Development Institute (HDI), which needs ongoing donations to support this important effort.

This development will provide a more institutional and academic foundation to expand the use of this valuable resource, which was prepared with assistance from representatives of the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, the National Down Syndrome Congress, and the National Down Syndrome Society.

Justin Meredith, the owner of Canister, states, "We've distributed over 25,000 booklets in the past four years and have been so grateful for generous support from the Kennedy Foundation in those efforts - as well as the University of Kentucky, HDI, the medical and Down syndrome organizations who reviewed and supported the booklet, and the many medical providers and organizations who use our booklets each day. Our hope in gifting the copyright to the Kennedy Foundation is that the booklet will be made available to an increasing number of medical providers sharing a prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome with their patients."

Kennedy Foundation Executive Director, Steve Eidelman, says, "As prenatal testing becomes more advanced, it is vital for expectant parents to have access to the most accurate, up-to-date and balanced information about the condition for which they are being tested. This is why the Kennedy Foundation originally supported 'Understanding a Down Syndrome Diagnosis,' which was particularly meaningful to the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, and we look forward to growing this program along with HDI."

Dr. Harold Kleinert, Executive Director of HDI, adds, "'Understanding a Down Syndrome Diagnosis' is a perfect complement to our existing Brighter Tomorrows program, which is a recently updated website for new and expectant parents learning about Down syndrome. So we are delighted to be combining these resources to provide even more comprehensive support to families learning about a diagnosis of Down syndrome."

The Kennedy Foundation and HDI plan to expand the reach of these prenatal resources by presenting information at and attending medical conferences, participating in targeted distributions, offering translated versions, and creating additional materials, but can only do that with ongoing funding. Please consider making a donation today to support this important resource for expectant parents learning about Down syndrome.