When Doctor's Said No, The Bythewood's Said Yes

Abortion is a common go-to for those in the medical field. Within the Down syndrome community, many parents hear it suggested one time too many. "Your baby has a 90% chance of having Down syndrome. We recommend abortion.” “There are several Down syndrome markers present. We recommend having an abortion.” “Down syndrome means an unhealthy and difficult life. We recommend abortion.” This is a huge concern for those in the disability community and an issue many are trying to correct by educating medical professionals and the general public.

Instead of taking the doctor’s advice when the Bythwood’s were told there was nothing they could do for their baby, they went a different route. They decided to lean on hope and turn to their religion.

Discrimination, Genocide, Advocacy and AwarenessLindsay RobertsonJune 29, 2020discrimination, abortion, AwarenessComment

Heidi and Aidan's Case to Change UK Abortion Law

As you know, the law in England currently allows you to terminate a baby after 24 weeks, and indeed to moments before they are born, if they are found to have a “serious disability”. Serious disability is not defined by the law and has been interpreted to include Down’s Syndrome. Heidi, a young, capable woman with Down’s Syndrome wrote to you. She has said that she finds the law “deeply offensive” and is launching a legal battle against the government with regards to this. Your Department of Health and Social Care said; “any decision to terminate must rest on the judgement of the women and her doctors”. As I see it, there appears to be two predominant voices within this debate; those who believe it is an issue of women’s choice, and those who believe it is an issue of the human rights of those with disability.

Genocide, DiscriminationAnonymousJune 15, 2020awareness, advocacy, discrimination, law and policyComment

Chromosomes, the Definition of "Human," and the United Nations

To what extent do prenatal screening tests, which can assess the probability of having a fetus with Down syndrome, affect humans’ quality of life in the world? Can these screening tests tell us how much a fetus will not be afraid of telling the truth in the future? Can they tell us how well a fetus can have acceptable behavior in the future? Can such screening tests be 100% accurate in determining what kind of fetuses will not murder others, steal things, or cause corruption on planet Earth? Which of these screening tests can tell us how the quality of life of these fetuses, who are human beings, will be like or what kind of fetuses will live in a way that they will never disgrace human dignity? Can these prenatal screening tests indicate how the fetuses that are considered defective by carrying out these tests and based on their results would live and how they would influence other people’s lives and can they compare these fetuses’ impacts on the world around them with the influences of fetuses that are described as healthy fetuses who are regarded worthy of life in the future?

Discrimination, GenocideDr. Azadeh AbbaszadehMarch 30, 2020genocide, Health, Government Comment

Post-Modern Slavery: Fetal Chromosomal Slavery

The slavery system, today and in its latest advancement, has considered fetuses (future humans) that have an extra chromosome as abnormal and low-rank fetuses (future humans), regarded them worthless, and attempted to commit genocide!

Do you know anything about this genocide? Nowadays, many fetuses, who have an extra chromosome, are killed alive in the mothers’ uteri lest a person with Down syndrome may not be born. This is while research has shown that fetuses having Down syndrome, like all other fetuses, are very likely to feel pain after the 20th week of their fetal lives.

Discrimination, GenocideAnonymousJanuary 27, 2020Genocide, Slavery, Down syndrome, Advocacy, AwarenessComment

Dear Doctor

When we had Alice, all of the doctors in the hospital were incredibly negative with us. They told us that she had Down syndrome in a very depressing way. They did not congratulate us. They told us they were sorry. They acted like it was the end of the world for us. I would have given anything in that moment for one sliver of hope... but the doctors didn't give it.

As I've met and talked to so many other moms of kids with Down syndrome, I realize that 99% of them had the same experience. This is wrong, and it needs to stop.

A World Without Down syndrome?

In August 2017 after a CBS news crew traveled to Iceland a report was released titled “Inside The Country Where Down Syndrome Is Disappearing”. Since the introduction of more advanced prenatal screening tests in the early 2000’s the vast majority of women in Iceland, almost 100%, who received a positive prenatal test for Trisomy 21, also known as Down syndrome, elected to terminate their pregnancy. On average, only 2 babies are born per year with Down syndrome in Iceland. Geneticist and founder of deCODE Genetics, Kari Stefansson, has studied nearly the entire Icelandic population’s DNA and has his own perspective on the advancements made in medical technology.

Patsy Christy: Possibility of Shock Parole

On January 10, 2019, Patsy and Albert Christy plead guilty to wreckless homicide for abusing and neglecting their son, Logan, for 20 years until their abuse lead to his death. Logan was kept in his room with a padlock on the door. The window to his room was shattered, the ﬂoor covered with glass and feces, since he was locked in and unable to use the restroom. Logan had been starved, and kept from water. At the time of his death, he had also contracted pneumonia, most likely from the winter air coming through his broken window. For all of this, Patsy and Albert Christy were each only sentenced to 5 years in prison with the option for parole by the following April.

Justice for Logan Christy: Our Letter Writing Campaign

We cannot change what Logan’s parents did to him, but we can advocate to get what little justice we can for him now.

Discrimination, Advocacy and Awareness, GenocideKaitlin PepperJanuary 14, 2019discriminationComment