THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, November 13, 1995 TAG: 9511110071
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E3 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAM STARR, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Short : 44 lines
SERGEI AND Maria Koloskov have been trying to educate Russian families who have children with Down syndrome ever since their daughter was born with the birth defect six years ago.
They're facing a difficult battle, says Dr. Thomas Montgomery, the director of Developmental Disabilities at Eastern Virginia Medical School. He has visited Russia 10 times in the last 3 1/2 years and has seen the abysmal conditions that children with Down syndrome face over there.
Most are placed in a facility in early infancy and just stay there, says Montgomery, with no attempts made to educate them. In 1993, the Koloskovs founded the Down Syndrome Association of Moscow. They established infant and therapy programs and a theater group and string ensemble for the 140 individuals in the association, but they have ``exceedingly meager funds'' with which to operate. The 140 members only represent about 5 percent of the children with Down syndrome in the city of Moscow.
``Sergei has worked magic with these 140 individuals but is trying to do more,'' says Montgomery. ``He's interested in programs that might be able to be translated into Russian and is looking for financial support through the Tidewater Down Syndrome Association.''
The TDSA is sponsoring a project called ``To Russia With Love.'' Its video for new parents has been translated into Russian. But the association needs money for translation work and to purchase informational materials like books and pamphlets.
If you wish to donate, make check payable to Tidewater Down Syndrome Association and indicate that you wish the money to go to the ``To Russia With Love'' fund. Mail to: Joan Blind, 5221 Dundee Lane, Virginia Beach, Va. 23464. If you have informational materials like books, pamphlets and videos to donate, call Mary Wilt at 340-5998 to make arrangements. MEMO: [For a related story, see page E1 for this date.]
KEYWORDS: DOWN SYNDROME by CNB