Jamie Foxx Advocates for Increased NIH Funding for Down Syndrome Research

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Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx joined lawmakers on Capitol Hill on Wednesday to advocate for increased funding for the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) research on Down syndrome. The DeOndra Dixon INCLUDE Project Act, named after Foxx’s late sister, has passed the House and is now introduced in the Senate.

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The bill, supported by the Global Down Syndrome Foundation (GLOBAL) and lawmakers including Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), aims to increase NIH funding for Down syndrome research up to $250 million. This funding would support the INCLUDE Project, which focuses on understanding co-occurring conditions throughout the lifespan of those with Down syndrome.

Foxx, deeply moved by the loss of his sister, shared his personal story, saying, “When we lost DeOndra, we lost a part of our soul. She had so much life.” Foxx has long supported the cause, creating the DeOndra Dixon Fund in 2020 and serving as an advocate for the GLOBAL Foundation, where his sister was an ambassador.

Currently, NIH’s Down syndrome research funding stands at $111 million. The bill seeks to expand clinical trials and research on the extra chromosome associated with the condition, as well as foster collaboration within the NIH. Those with Down syndrome are more prone to conditions like Alzheimer’s and leukemia but are less likely to develop other cancers or certain heart diseases.

McMorris Rodgers, whose son has Down syndrome, emphasized the need for more funding, saying, “Although this is the most common chromosome abnormality, it is also the least funded at NIH.” She thanked Foxx for his role in bringing attention to the cause, noting his presence helped draw more focus on Capitol Hill.

Foxx fondly remembered his sister, saying, “She taught us how to embrace the good of life. She is going to be more famous than me.