The Jordan’s Guardian Angels Team is excited to introduce you to Christopher Grant from Ireland! Christopher, 15, is the older brother to Francis, 13, who is living with Jordan’s Syndrome. This past November Christopher was first elected and the first person with Down Syndrome to be an elected member of Donegal Youth Council! We are so proud!
 
All my life, my family has taught me the importance of advocacy. When I was born with Down Syndrome, my mom became involved in the Down Syndrome community here in Donegal. Mom is a board member at Donegal ETB, and I have learned a lot by joining her at work. We have talked about what causes Down Syndrome (being born with an extra chromosome), and how we can send out good messages and positive thinking.

My brother Francis is two years younger than me, and he is my best friend. I advocate for him too because he was born with Jordan’s Syndrome. Jordan’s Syndrome isn’t the only thing that makes him unique! Francis and I share a room, we do a good job of helping keep each other calm, and love to share marshmallows. We also love spending time in the ocean! One of the best things about Francis is that when I get home from school, he is always waiting to give me a big hug. We are going to be best friends forever, advocating together.

Last year I was so happy and proud to be elected to Donegal Youth Council! I’ve made so many new friends on the board. We meet every Tuesday, and we talk about problems we see like mental health, body image, social media, and alcohol. Sometimes we take what we have talked about and advice the school and community. I also help with the teams. There are about twelve of us, and we have social activities like football. It’s a great way to see friends, and I’m looking forward to our February group where we will head to Dublin to sing, go bowling, and try out escape rooms.

If you want to know more about Donegal Youth Council, visit out Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/donegalyouthcouncil

Published

February 23, 2023

Share