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Patricia Hogan is happy that her family is facing its current challenge. Her husband, Walter, and twin sons, Chris and Tom, are weighing choices for the future: Should the 19-year-old boys go to college or pursue full-time jobs?

"I'd love for them to go to work," said the proud mother. "But I'd love for them to go to college. Nineteen years ago, I didn't think we would be discussing college or full-time work."

Mrs. Hogan explained that her sons were born with Down Syndrome, a chromosomal disorder that causes mild to severe physical, intellectual and language development. The disability occurs in approximately 1 in every 800 live births.

Remember when
The Hogans were featured in The Evangelist in 1994, when the twins were four years old and enrolled in a five-hour-a-day therapeutic preschool program. The family were members of St. George's Church in Pittstown, which has since closed.

Following Mr. Hogan's retirement, the family relocated to Cooperstown. They are now parishioners of St. Mary's Church there, where the boys are altar servers.

"I like to help Father John" Rosson, the pastor, Tom told The Evangelist.

The boys graduated from Cooperstown Central School last June. Currently, they are participating in a work-study program through their school district; they take life skills classes in the morning and work in the food services department at Bassett Healthcare in the afternoon.

Chris particularly enjoys his job at Bassett Healthcare. "I like to help people," he explained. "It's fun."

The Hogan family's schedule is as busy as that of many other families: In addition to being altar servers, Chris and Tom are Eagle Scouts and enjoy downhill skiing and swimming.

They also follow NASCAR racing and professional football. Chris roots for the Buffalo Bills, while Tom roots for the New England Patriots. Mr. Hogan said the only time the boys disagree is while watching NAS-CAR or football.

"It's really quite amazing," he said. "They rarely have disagreements."

Sticking together
While Mr. and Mrs. Hogan have tried to give their sons time away from each other, Tom and Chris aren't really interested in being apart. "They want to do everything together," Mr. Hogan said. "They take care of each other."

When she first spoke with The Evangelist in 1994, Mrs. Hogan shared that one of the doctors had told her the boys would always have each other, a blessing not many children with Down Syndrome have.

"Those words echo in my head every day," she said.

But the twins also have the support of the parish community at St. Mary's. In raising them, said Mr. Hogan, "it's the entire Church pulling for you."

Chris and Tom participated in religious education with their peers; their mother also worked with them at home. When her sons became altar servers, Mrs. Hogan initially worried that they might be bothersome to other parishioners: Like many identical twins, Chris and Tom anticipate each other's actions.

Mrs. Hogan feared that Mass-goers might be distracted by their symbiotic behavior. These fears were put to rest by parishioners.

"So many people come up and say that the boys are an inspiration," Mrs. Hogan said. "People say they like to see them serve."

Amazing advances
When the Hogans received their sons' diagnosis of Down Syndrome, they weren't sure what Chris and Tom would accomplish. Seeing their adult sons enjoying work and friendships is a blessing.

"This is beyond our wildest dream," Mr. Hogan said. "I am amazed at the outcome. Down Syndrome is not the doom-and-gloom [prognosis] it once was."

Mrs. Hogan hopes that parents of newly-diagnosed children with disabilities aren't too discouraged. She pointed out all of the advances made in the education of children with disabilities that have occurred over the past 20 years.

She is confident that services to children with disabilities will continue to improve: "Who knows what's coming down the road in the next 10 to 15 years?"

(03/18/10) [[In-content Ad]]

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