How are you responding to the call on your life to work to end abortion?

Here at the March for Life, we are working each and every day so that one day soon, we will no longer have to march for life.

Last week, EWTN News Pro-Life Weekly, featured this year-round work of the March for Life, as well as our President Jeanne Mancini.

You can watch the brief segment below:

In the clip, Jeanne shares about her faith and life experiences that underlie her belief in the truth that “every life is a gift and every person has human dignity.”

The EWTN anchor notes that the 2018 March for Life theme, “Love Saves Lives,” matches “Jeanne’s noteworthy passion and optimism and her big hopes for the future.”

Jeanne closes the segment by posing this challenge: “If every marcher responded to God’s call to them, to their potential, abortion would be ended that year, I’m convinced of it.”

So what can you do?

1. Share this video clip to encourage pro-life individuals to respond to the call on their life to work to end abortion.

2. Invite your friends and family to the March for Life so that they may be inspired and equipped to take action in the pro-life movement.

 

British actress Sally Phillips may be best known to Americans for her roles in “Bridget Jones’ Diary” or “Veep,” but she’s taking on a new role in the UK that is causing many to pay attention.

Phillips is the mother of three children, and her oldest son Ollie, has Down Syndrome. She is one of many parents of children with Down Syndrome concerned about the UK government’s proposal to implement a new prenatal test (second-line cfDNA screening: NIPT – non-invasive prenatal testing) that is projected to result in a significant increase in terminations of children with Down’s Syndrome.

According to the advocacy group, Don’t Screen Us Out, the consequences of this testing “would have a profound long-term effect on the population of the Down’s syndrome community, and enable a kind of informal eugenics in which certain kinds of disabled people are effectively ‘screened out’ of the population before they are even born.”

Troubled by these reports, Phillips embarked on the process of making a documentary about the testing, and to show the world firsthand the inherent value and dignity of individuals like her son Ollie. She opens the film with the questions: “What kind of society do we want? And who should be allowed to live in it?”

This is a fascinating, and at times hard film to watch, as a wide variety of individuals share their thoughts on Down Syndrome, genetic testing, and abortion. One must also keep in mind that Phillips has never claimed to be a pro-life advocate; in fact, she has one comment to a researcher that would indicate that she supports a “woman’s choice.” However, the overwhelming message of the documentary is that the extremely high (and increasing) rate of abortion for diagnoses of Down Syndrome is not only a bad thing for society, it’s discrimination in the worst way towards a group of people.

The films opens with some poignant and hilarious scenes of Phillips and her three children. She quips that when she first learned her son had Down Syndrome (not until several days after he was born), “I was expecting tragedy but I got comedy.” She also mentions here that a majority of families with an individual with Down Syndrome are very happy.

>>>> Check out the research from Dr. Brian Skotko that supports this.

She interviews a fetal genetic testing doctor, and questions “why is everyone behaving like having a baby with Down Syndrome is a catastrophe?” One of the reasons he cites is that people think of the child as a burden to the family for many years.” Phillips responds, “A burden that lasts a long time? That’s not how I see Ollie.”

A visit to Iceland, where the termination rate has reached nearly 100% for babies with Down Syndrome, is also part of the documentary. Phillips visits an exhibition of photographs of individuals with Down Syndrome by Sigga Ella, and interviews one of the few remaining individuals with Down Syndrome in Iceland. “It felt like they were coming after me,” the young woman shares when she hears reports on the “elimination of Down Syndrome.”

Ultimately, Phillips questions the idea of choice. She interviews a mother who chose to abort her child because of a Down Syndrome diagnosis. You can visibly see that Phillips is having a hard time with this. The mother spoke of a desire for happiness for her and her child. Afterwards, Phillips reflects,

“I think she’s wrong that an increase in choices increases happiness…The thing I keep coming up against is this idea of choice. Ollie had 1 in 10000 chance of Down Syndrome – back then if I was told I’d have a child with disability, I’m not sure if I’d had been able to say yes. But having him in my life has changed me and my family for the better. That makes me question whether choice is the great thing it’s cracked up to be. Where will all these choices take us?”

 

Sadly, she concludes, that the “choice” to terminate with Down Syndrome nearly 100% of the time, could lead to the frightening vision of “a world without Down Syndrome.” That is a world Phillips – and the March for Life – wants to prevent. As she poignantly concludes, “there is great value in things not being perfect.”

You can watch the full documentary below:

 

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month. We’re featuring three of our favorite parents who are advocates for their children with Down Syndrome (there are also many more!). These families are breaking stereotypes and showing the world that every life is a gift!

1. Carissa Carroll

Carissa is mom to two boys and one girl, including Jack who has Down Syndrome. She founded Jack’s Baskets to celebrate every child born with Down syndrome and congratulate their family with gifts, support, and resources.

For the 2015 March for Life with the theme, “Every Life is a Gift,” Carissa shared her story and work with Jack’s Baskets. Its mission is to celebrate babies born with Down syndrome, to ensure that every new and expectant parent is provided resources and avenues of support within the community, and to educate medical providers on how to discuss the diagnosis in an unbiased way in hopes that the birth of a child with Down syndrome is celebrated like any other.

Carissa and Jack also joined the March for Life in an Instagram Takeover a few years ago. See the pictures here!

Thank you, Carissa, for being an advocate for Jack and kids and families with Down Syndrome!

2. Rick Smith

Rick is the father of two boys, with another on the way! His son Noah, has Down Syndrome, and since Noah’s birth, Rick has been a tireless advocate for his son and all individuals with Down Syndrome.

He runs an inspirational and informative blog, “Noah’s Dad.” We highly recommend one of his most shared posts, “What To Say To Someone Who Has Received A Down Syndrome Diagnosis.”

Rick, Noah, and family also joined us for an Instagram takeover this year. Check out the pictures here!

Thank you for all you do, Rick, for Noah and the Down Syndrome community!

3. Oakley Peterson

Oakley is mom to three precious children, including Welles who has Down Syndrome. She documents her life on the blog, “Nothing Down About It.” Her mission is to “encourage other mothers out there who are new to this situation. I was just there at the beginning and now offer you my support and love.” She further shares, “Our wonderful special children unite us with a unique bond and blessing and responsibility. Together we can shrug off stigmas and help people embrace the goodness of these angels among us! Together we can help all of our children realize their full potential.”

You can watch a short video about her family HERE.

Thank you, Oakley, for being a voice for Welles and all children with Down Syndrome!

 

The news out of Iceland that 100% of babies diagnosed with Down Syndrome are aborted is still fresh in our minds and raw in our hearts.

The sad truth of the matter is that Iceland is not preventing or eradicating anything but rather terminating nearly 100% of their babies who receive a prenatal diagnosis of Down Syndrome.

In honor of Down Syndrome Awareness Month, yesterday, March for Life President Jeanne Mancini talked with Dr. John Bruchalski, founder of Divine Mercy Care in Fairfax, Virginia about this tragedy.

“The high termination rate for babies with #Downsyndrome is not about “eliminating a disease,” it’s eliminating a group of people.” pic.twitter.com/l7KzuP1Q3l

— March for Life (@March_for_Life) October 10, 2017

During the Facebook Live session, Dr. Bruchaski and Will Waldron, Executive Director of Divine Mercy Care, also shared about an upcoming free lecture that the center is hosting, “Down Syndrome as a Pro-Life Cause.” The lecture will feature Madame Birthe Lejeune, wife of the renowned French physician and geneticist, Dr. Jerome Lejeune. Dr. Lejeune is credited with discovering the chromosomal cause of Down Syndrome. He devoted his life to promoting the dignity of individuals with Down Syndrome and opposing abortion for fetal abnormalities like Down Syndrome.

If you are in the Washington, D.C. area and are interested in attending the event, click HERE for more information.

You can watch the full Facebook Live discussion below: