Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) Health Sciences Faculty, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department organized “Exercising Together with People with Down Syndrome” event on Monday, 21 March 2022 at 10:00 at the Faculty of Health Sciences on the occasion of 21 March World Down Syndrome Day.
Each year, 21 March World Down Syndrome Awareness Day is celebrated with different activities and events. The event organized in the charge of EMU Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Department academic staff members Prof. Dr. Emine Handan Tüzün, Assist. Prof. Dr. Ünal Değer and Assist. Prof. Dr. Zehra Güçhan Topçu focused on the importance of exercise and physical activity for people with Down Syndrome. Emphasizing that regular exercise programs can reduce cardiovascular and lung problems that individuals with Down Syndrome may experience, especially in adulthood, Assist. Prof. Dr. Ünal Değer stated that families and members of the rehabilitation team should be made aware of this issue. Within the scope of the event, a 30-minute exercising session was held by Assist. Prof. Dr. Değer and research assistant Specialist Physiotherapist Yaşam Direl together with the individuals with down syndrome who were invited from the Famagusta Special Education Center and İrfan Nadir 18+ Rehabilitation Center. Along with the Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation program students, undergraduate students from EMU Education Faculty, Special Education Department also attended the event. Stating that 21 March World Down Syndrome Awareness Day is very important and is an opportunity to remind everyone that exercising holds great importance in people with special needs, Assist. Prof. Dr. Değer said that the same event was also organized in Nicosia on Tuesday, 22 March 2022 with the collaboration of Nicosia Turkish Municipality.
