Calendar campaign promotes belonging for people living with Down syndrome

CTV’s Ashley Bacon finds out how a calendar aims to cultivate a sense of belonging for those with Down syndrome.

A calendar campaign is inviting people to view the world through the lens of someone living with Down syndrome.

The Waterloo Wellington Down Syndrome Society (WWDSS) said their 2026 calendar is part of a campaign called ‘I Belong.’ It features images that capture the insights and interests of people living with the condition.

It’s a reality Roxana Constantinescu’s family lives with every day. She told CTV News when she found out she was pregnant, it was supposed to be a joyful occasion, but doctors said her child would be born with Down syndrome and gave her a grim outlook on what her child’s life would be like.

“We were told to have an abortion,” she said. “Coming from a doctor, it was a hard hit.”

Just days after Constantinescu gave birth to her daughter, Ellie, WWDSS reached out and invited her to a picnic.

“We went, we saw people with Down syndrome from all ages, from a few months [old] to 40[years-old] I believe. Shortly after, around six months after, it was the calendar. That’s when we realized, wait a minute, there are so many people. So many stories,” Constantinescu said.

Ellie is now a thriving athlete who has a starring role in the calendar campaign.

“I like to be on the calendar. It’s my favourite place to be on,” Ellie said.

Photographer Hilary Gauld said she hopes the calendar is eye opening.

“For the last 11 years, we’ve used these photos to help shift perceptions and open conversations between our communities and people with Down syndrome,” Gauld said.

Nineteen-year-old Kaleb has been included in the calendar campaign since it started 11 years ago.

“I was an artistic person and people tell me I’m an artist,” Kaleb said. “I do a lot of sport.”

WWDSS representatives hope the calendar is a daily reminder about how capable people with Down syndrome are.

“How can I make someone with a disability truly feel like they belong, instead of just inviting them to be part of something,” Tara Hart, WWDSS board member and parent, said.

The calendars will be available through the organization’s website for $10 starting in November, but the focus is not on fundraising.

“It’s more about getting the word out there and getting these beautiful calendars and these beautiful faces of the people in the calendars out into as many spaces in the community as possible,” Hart explained.

All money raised will go to supporting people living with Down syndrome.