It has come to my attention that Emmerdale is covering a segment on Down syndrome abortion, which as someone who has a sister with this condition it is sad and not nice to watch or hear; However, I feel that it needs to be discussed (whether at this point of time it hasn’t been aired yet) it may or may not be showing it in a good or bad light, as the main character may be having their own issues, so who are we to criticize or not. However, it’s when people are condoning the act of aborting a full-term down syndrome baby by not seeing it as a real-life, that’s where I draw the line. But we will just have to see how Emmerdale will portray it.  
 
Doctors, in our NHS, who are supposed to help, support and be there for us, are the real venoms of the issue. As when reading multiple articles about when they find out they’re having a down syndrome baby; They see it as a negative but many mums have said its “not a curse but a blessing in disguise”. By them having a replicable pessimistic outlook of it, they don’t see them as “normal” everyday people, because they don’t get the full “quality of life” (as well as people I have known have said this to me), but who are doctors to say what really is a good life or bad. When “normal” everyday people deal will struggles which could be worse, whether that is physical or mental. If they could see into the future that the “normal” everyday person had these struggles would they of gave the same response? By them being like this, it gives mothers (whether it’s their first child to their second child) it will give’ them a negative outlook. It’s sad to see in these many articles that the doctors will prosiest and tempt you to abort the baby at full term and just because it’s a down syndrome baby. With what I have seen, someone quoted a doctor that said: "You do know we still terminate babies with Down's syndrome at 38 weeks?”. Do I even need to say anything about that, when you have a “healthy normal” baby it tends to be born at 40 weeks’ that’s a two weeks difference?
 
A lot of down syndromes parents will all agree that them being special and different, they see it as a good thing, not a bad thing (as doctors like to push this view). As a parent, you should love your child and accept them in whatever way possible. They shouldn’t be treated less than anybody else, whether that is when the baby is nearly being born to in everyday life. As if you have ever been around or have someone with down syndrome in your life, you know they are the happiest, kindest, most joyful energy you can be around but people still want to have a bad prospect on them. By people continuously being like this towards it, makes them feel unwanted and unloved, even if the people around them (like family or friends) will be cherishing them will there all, but still having these embedded actions, how will they ever feel like they’re really welcomed to this world?
 
Down syndromes lives are not supported. People need to be more educated on down syndrome awareness as the education system is flawed with everything. I feel like I always fight for this issue, but not many will stay in my corner or support (luckily now I am surrounded by good supportive people, with same opinions). The reason for me for feeling like this is that someone once said to me when speaking on this issue “why would you want to glorify them”, with this comment I was disgusted and hurt with this mindset. Luckily, down syndrome awareness and acceptance is growing and improving but not where it should be.
 
Personally, I think they/the parents have minimal to no support, but this all varies depending on your city. As when I was younger I lived in Bristol, and it had a lot of support and activities for my sister to do, as well as Bristol once being the “centre of excellence” having supportive and helpful companies like Brandon trust and many more. In Gloucester, they lack that “centre of excellence” that Bristol had, as when my sister would go out to do either activity or volunteering it wouldn’t be in Gloucester, it would either be placed in Stroud or Stonehouse, which overall here shows the lack of support. Doctors say they don’t get a “good quality of life” yet the council barely gives them good support or care they need.
 
People don’t give them the chance whether it’s with a job etc. They think just because they’ve got a carer or need slight support they think it’s hard work and they’re enabled to do the little task. Which this is not the case, not every business is like this as my sister worked in Keith Allen’s Diner (in stroud), my sister loved it there, they made her feel welcomed and apricated, it was very sad to see it close down as my sister very much enjoyed and misses people there.
 
My sister is able enough to cook and clean, this is due to the amazing support she got many years back, which she helped and gained this from William Morris house (this is a college that is specialist to help people with learning difficulties) in Stroud, which enabled her to get these daily life skills, but places never seems to take her into consideration or accept because she may need someone they're depending on what it is. All my sister ever wants is to serve people in a little café serving teas coffees and cakes, it hurts me to see that she’s always getting let down and she can never fully understand and comprehend why.
 
Not all about Gloucester is bad for support, but this isn’t from the council involving themselves (no). It’s the team that doesn’t get enough credit for what they do such as support groups like Spring centre as well as Sharp Life. But someone who has really benefited my sisters’ life massively is Lucy Bridge; she is my sister PA, who betters her life and brings her so much joy, as when she comes home from a day with Lucy she glows with happiness, which overall makes our family so happy that someone other than family can make her so joyful and feel so welcomed into the world. She does this by taking her on days out to e.g. taking her to see animals to doing baking at her house, the main thing for me what warmed my heart is when even in lockdown, she still stayed in contact (and if you know my sister, know she loves Lucy’s’ dog, Rizzle) she sent videos using the talking dog apps to take a video of Rizzle to make her day as well every birthday getting a photo book of their journeys of the year. This shows how dedicated and how much she cares for people, and that she does the job, she does because she loves it, not for the money; and It clearly shows.
 
Just because she has one extra Chromosome, who are we to justify if she isn’t “normal”. They’re not robots, they have a mind and feelings.