Check out this amazing campaign about genetic screening for Down syndrome that Renate Lindeman has put together. I am so impressed that she is pushing forward and encouraging people to discuss this important issue.
The more we talk about the difficult ethics involved with pre-natal genetic testing, the more likely those that carry out these tests will challenge and question their accepted practice. At the moment, the way that screening is handled causes a great deal of unhappiness for too many people - and because the ethics can so easily be linked to a pro-life/pro-choice debate, people steer clear of discussing the complex issues involved.
Let's take this conversation out of the closet!
2 comments:
My husband and I were lucky to have good support from our OB and the hospital social worker when it was confirmed that our son has Down syndrome. Our geneticist was very helpful in providing the best information she could about what services we would be seeking once Gabe was born. In fact, it was she that contacted the IDP.
If I could duplicate this situation to every woman that finds out that her baby has Down syndrome, I would. Of course, we had our own personal fears and prejudices to work through, and we did by going to the public library, and then reaching out to the forums on the internet.
Talking to people who love and live with others with Down syndrome can really bring clarity.
I agree. It is time to take this conversation out of the closet.
I am doing the best I can, blogging about it all the time. Thanks for the image, I'll be sure to post it.
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