【留美日记】暖人心的Buddy Walk

【留美日记】的作者是目前身在美国的留学生，她从自己的日常生活出发，向我们展示了美国的方方面面。带我们从点滴中了解一个真实的美利坚。

谈到纽约曼哈顿，人们的反应通常是Gossip Girl里的种种物欲横流和时尚元素。但是真正在这里，却很少看见这些色彩斑斓的剪影，更多是的积极阳光的生活方式和人生态度。

我参加了NYC一年一度的Buddy Walk，在绿草如茵的Central Park，人们穿着LOGO T恤，推着婴儿车，牵着孩子的手，在阳光下，聆听临时stage上的演讲。

那些演讲让我听来如涓涓细流。一个健康的哥哥，揽着患有智力疾病的哥哥，说：“我们全家为拥有我哥哥而感到骄傲和快乐。”然后这个身材矮小，面部因疾病而扭曲的哥哥展开一个快乐的笑容，像美剧里一样朝弟弟肩上摁了一拳，说：“Hey man.”然后跳起一段动作简易而无比欢快的舞蹈。

一个同样患有唐氏综合症的女孩子，穿着蓝色碎花的裙子，捧着演讲稿，努力把每一个音节都发得清晰准确：“I wish all, all, all of you, live a health life."听着这些话，我禁不住眼角湿润。这里的人情和关爱，让每个沐浴其中的人都感到美好幸福。

照片里的小男孩，有天使般的笑容，而大部分时间却只能躺在童车里，不能言语，不能活动。在纽约的Buddy Walk中，他能够遇见那些和自己一样和疾病作斗争的人们，于是会像他们一样坚强快乐起来。

关于Buddy Walk的详情和历史，一起看看下文的描述吧!

Buddy Walk

The Buddy Walk was established in 1995 by the National Down Syndrome Society to celebrate Down Syndrome Awareness Month in October and to promote acceptance and inclusion of people with Down syndrome. Today, the Buddy Walk program is supported nationally by NDSS and organized at the local level by parent support groups, schools and other organizations and individuals.

Over the past fifteen years, the Buddy Walk program has grown from 17 walks to more than 300 expected in 2010 across the country and around the world. Last year alone, 250,000 people participated in a Buddy Walk! They raised more than $9.5 million to benefit local programs and services as well as the national advocacy initiatives that benefit all individuals with Down syndrome.

The Buddy Walk is a one-mile walk in which anyone can participate without special training. It is a wonderful, heart-warming event that celebrates the many abilities and accomplishments of people with Down syndrome.