Founders' Award

2022 Founder's Award Recipients Brent and Dana Bythewood

Brent and Dana Bythewood are the 2022 recipients of the Founders' Award, created in 2016 to honor Parent representatives who exemplify the vision set by our founders, Elise McMillan, Sheila Moore and Joanne Drumright. 

Brent and Dana, parents of Emily, are parent representatives that have gone above and beyond to welcome every family to the Down syndrome community. They ensure all families are aware of resources and information, and regularly put the needs of our families first. DSAMT often contacts them for families with prenatal diagnosis, congenital heart defects, and other complex medical issues. The Bythewoods have never said "no" to being parent representatives for any family no matter the situation and are often a support to other families within the community. In the few years since Emily’s birth, they have been parent representatives for more families than any other trained representatives in the same time period and are an asset not only to DSAMT but the entire Down syndrome community. Brent and Dana are not only parent representatives for DSAMT, Brent serves on the board of directors, and they are involved with and support many other organizations including Gigi's playhouse, Nashville and the Brett Boyer Foundation.

Emily’s diagnosis and birth story is one of Hope. Dana and Brent share that hope with every family they meet. That story can be found in an article on the Epoch Times website.

Previous Founder's Award Winner