BY AD SHARMA
PALS VOLUNTEER LEADER
As April is National Volunteer Month, read AD’s reflection on his experience as a volunteer at PALS. AD joined PALS in 2019 and has served as a Volunteer Leader. He is currently a Program Lead this summer at PALS Baltimore. Since volunteering, he has been inspired to run two studies for more comprehensive research about people with Down syndrome.
While signing up to volunteer for my first PALS program in 2019, I sincerely wasn't sure what to expect. Upon my arrival, I quickly realized I had stepped into an incredibly supportive community that brought out the best in one another and created an environment that cultivated personal growth for every person involved. Appreciating my experience and the PALS magic, I continued to volunteer with PALS.
I volunteered wherever possible: recruiting, fundraising, planning and directing programs. As I grew within the community, I recognized how little some of my classmates knew about people with Down syndrome and began giving presentations to student organizations at my college, the University of Pittsburgh, in hopes to continue to spread the PALS magic and potentially open the doors for new people to become involved in the organization.
In doing research to prepare for these presentations, I learned about the connection between individuals with Down syndrome and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. To my astonishment, one of my former professors, Dr. Ann Cohen, was currently doing research regarding Down syndrome and Alzheimer’s. While one of the main study sites was in Pittsburgh, I was excited to learn data was also being collected nationally in numerous other states.
Since individuals with Down syndrome are at risk for developing Alzheimer’s disease, I found it crucial to explore the connection and see what could be done. While this is an ongoing process, through the Alzheimer Biomarker Consortium-Down Syndrome (ABC-DS), we hope to learn more about how this research could best help the community and the best ways to disseminate the information.
As a result, Dr. Cohen and ABC-DS are currently conducting two studies. One is an online questionnaire that helps provide insight regarding how the research findings can best be used and keep the community informed.
The other study is designed to understand biomarkers potentially related to Alzheimer’s disease and Down syndrome. These studies can help advance our understanding of Alzheimer’s disease in Down Syndrome and how our research studies can best serve the Down Syndrome community. Visit here to learn more or here to get involved!
I couldn’t have imagined the impact PALS would have on my life when I first came to Camp back in 2019. I am excited to see how my work in this area can support the PALS mission to inspire a world of belonging.
Donate today to support more volunteers like AD in experiencing the transformative impact of PALS.