Edmeston, New York, April 26, 2011 ... George T. Capone, M.D., one of the country’s pre-eminent research scientists in Down syndrome, will be featured at a special full-day conference at The Kennedy-Willis Center at Pathfinder Village on Friday, June 10, 2011. The conference, “Medical and Behavioral Issues in Down Syndrome” is open to parents, educators, and professionals who work with people who have developmental disabilities.
A printable registration form and more information on Dr. Capone’s conference is available at www.pathfindervillage.org; a registration fee of $70 will be charged and includes conference materials, refreshments and lunch. For more information, contact Bonnie Laugen, director of the Kennedy-Willis Center, at (607) 965-8377, ext. 154/112, or email blaugen@pathfindervillage.org. A $5 discount is offered for those who register before May 1.
“For 15 years, people have turned to the Kennedy-Willis Center for the latest research information on Down syndrome,” said Ms. Laugen. “It is very exciting to have this opportunity to share Dr. Capone’s expertise with the community and learn about base-line research that will shape our understanding and methods of care for years to come.”
Dr. Capone is the head of the Down syndrome clinic at the Kennedy Krieger Institute (KKI) in Baltimore, Maryland, and has conducted research that explores the neuro-biologic basis of cognitive impairment, behavioral and psychiatric disorders that may be associated with the chromosomal condition. He and his colleagues have been published in the Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, Journal of the Neurological Sciences, and the American Journal of Medical Genetics.
Dr. Capone also is an attending physician at KKI, and an associate professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He attended Wesleyan University and worked as a research assistant at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, before obtaining his M.D. from the University of Connecticut in 1983.
The conference is part of the 15th anniversary celebration for the Kennedy-Willis Center on Down Syndrome, Pathfinder Village’s outreach and education initiative. The Center provides counseling and training for direct care staff, medical professionals, and families who care for loved ones who have Down syndrome and other disabilities. The Center has sponsored over 30 conferences on a variety of topics pertaining to Down syndrome, including behavioral patterns, sexuality, life planning, Alzheimer’s and aging, and inherent medical conditions.
Founded in 1980, Pathfinder Village is a privately funded, non-profit, residential community for children and adults who have Down syndrome. Additionally, it offers a day school program for students who have disabilities, serving area school districts. Pathfinder Village is licensed by the State of New York and its programs are regulated by the State Department of Education, Department of Health, and Office of People with Developmental Disabilities. It is located on State Route 80, two miles east of Edmeston and 15 miles west of Cooperstown. More information is available at its websites, www.pathfindervillage.org or www.pathfindervillagestories.org, and Pathfinder Village now has a fan page on the popular social network site, Facebook.
