A walk with a purpose
Brooke backers walk held in Garrison
BY DONNA SCHWARZ
For Chris Seidler and her daughter Brooke, the significance of the 2020 Walk for Down Syndrome was too meaningful for their family to miss out on. After learning that the Buddy Walk at Bismarck’s State Capital Grounds will be held virtually, Seidler has organized a smaller scale walk to take place in Garrison. The walk will begin at 10:30a.m. on Sept. 26 with participants meeting and parking in St. Paul’s Lutheran Church lot. The group will then walk through Wilderness Park.
Seidler said “We usually do three laps on the loop out front of the Capital Grounds. The three laps
signify the three copies of the 21st chromosome. We have two copies of the 21st chromosome and
Brooke has three. That’s what makes Brooke have Down Syndrome. Whether you can do three laps on
not you are welcome to join. Do one lap or do 10, whatever you can”.
“We have participated for 14 years, Brooke has a lot of medical issues so we have had to miss some,”
said Seidler.
The story of Brooke and her family begins much like the story of many excited, expecting parents.
Chris and her husband Shannon were thrilled to be having their second child. After a routine ultrasound
at a prenatal visit, the Seidlers were informed that there was a possibility that their unborn child would
have clubfeet, but time would tell. Chris’s pregnancy continued to full term at 38 weeks without
incident.
