22q at the Zoo(m) 2021 16th May

Message from The International 22q11.2 Foundation

THANK YOU to all our International 22q11.2 Foundation friends who made the 11th Annual 22q at the Zoo Worldwide Awareness Day and 22q and ZooM a great success! A special SHOUT OUT to Julie Wootton and Mark Tripp from Max Appeal for spearheading the fun and games on ZooM, as well as to all of the healthcare professionals (Madeline Chadehumbe [Brain and Behavior], Maria Mascarenhas [Integrative Health], Donna McDonald-McGinn [Genetics and Same Name Campaign], Ed Moss [Education and Transition to Adulthood], and Kate Sullivan [Immunology and COVID-19]), special presenters (Martin Kennedy [Quizzo], Tracy Heninghan [Story Time], Max Keir [Sing Along], Tessa Koller [Learn to Draw], Michael Weinberg with a touching solo performance, Chris and his amazing critters at the Dudley Zoo, as well as the Philadelphia Zoo), international 22q coordinators, and all of the 22q families who joined us on ZooM representing >20 countries around the globe (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Denmark, England, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Poland, Scotland, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the USA), numerous cities across the United States stretching from the Atlantic to Pacific Oceans and Canadian to Mexican borders, and >10 virtual 22q and ZooM sites, many in local languages, including Japanese! Continuing the tradition, Maria Kamper from the Australia and New Zealand 22q Foundation kicked us off in person in two locations, while many others were fortunate enough to gather in person due to confidence in a low risk of COVID-19 in their local communities. After a year of extraordinarily difficult times, with your help, once again we came together as a family - supporting one another, learning new things, making new friends, enjoying one another’s company, just being silly with our children, and looking forward to better times ahead. So PLEASE mark your calendars and plan to join us next year as we celebrate the 12th Annual 22q at the Zoo – Worldwide Awareness Day on May 22, 2022! We can’t wait to continue the tradition!!!