Dr. William (Bill) Cohen died suddenly of a heart attack on February 6, 2009 while in-line skating with friends in Miami. 

He was a great champion for the Down syndrome community in his role as developmental-behavioral pediatrician at the Child Development Unit and director of the Down Syndrome Center at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

He was the co-founder and co-chair of the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group (DSMIG) which produced the seminal healthcare guidelines for persons with Down syndrome. 

We are saddened by the loss of such a dynamic and vital person in our community.  

Tributes to Dr. Cohen are on the NDSS website, the DSI website and his obituary, outlining his phenomenal achievements, can be found on the website of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazzette.