DS in All Saints episode. GRRRRR!

Subject: Re: DS in All Saints episode. GRRRRR! Wed 28 May 2008 - 17:22

Ok Cathy here is the copy of my email, i have to be honest i dont watch this show but Mundi does and im glad she didnt last night. I hope you are feeling abit better we cant change the world all at once just abit at a time. Smile

To whom it may concern,
I hope i have the right person regarding this
complaint. My family watch your show All Saints, and
i feel it would be wrong of me not to comment on the
contents of last nights show 27.5.08.
I would be interested to know where you obtain your medical information
from especially concerning last nights subject matter (sister and brother
relationship).It was suggested that the unborn child would likely have a
chromosome disorder, namely Down syndrome. It was also implied that Down
syndrome is "caused" (lack of better word) by incest.
I dont and never would confess to being a member of the medical profession
but i am a mother of a beautiful 7 month old baby girl who happens to have
been born with Down syndrome, and i can tell you she was not the product
of incest.
Instead of relying on infomation from god knows who maybe you yourself
should research the cause of Down syndrome and any other chromosome
disorders. Feel free to send me any info you find that supports the claim
made on your show last night.Translocation 21 (rare) is the only type of
Down syndrome that is hereditory and can be passed from mother and/or
father to baby. It is likely that it would be a 1 in a million chance that
this would happen as a result of incest. Your show gave the impression to
the viewer that Down syndrome was caused by incest..........
THANKYOU for sending the public's view of Down syndrome back another
hundred years. Shame on you.
Adults and children and the families of these people who happen to have
down syndrome have had to fight for years to change the public's views and
perceptions of the disorder. Many advocates have been trying to educate
the public on the real causes of this disorder, and to gain equal rights
for everyone who has Down syndrome. These days these children will go to
school with "typical" kids, they will hold down jobs and they will learn
to live independantly.
Its been a long road but things are changing and what your show did last
night was unforgivable. Will i now have to tell my neighbour who might
have watched your show that i didnt sleep with my brother? and who else
for that matter.
Please dont under estimate the power behind your show, to you it might be
just a job but to many of your viewers they believe that you are giving
out the right information when you present story lines.
Once again i stress that you have just sent down syndrome awareness back
hundreds of years. This is 2008 surely you can get it right.
I wonder how many siblings of someone with down sydrome went to school
today to be teased that their mum and dad were really brother and sister?
and what of a poor child with down syndrome who might have been put in the
same situation?
I dont expect you to take any notice of my email to you, im just one of
your soon to be ex viewers, ratings are all that matter to you but trust
me when i say that im absolutely sure you just lost a few hundred if not
more loyal viewers because of your misguided episode. I do sincerley hope
that you do everything in your power to right your wrong.
Yours Sincerley
Robyn Daley
Mother to Amarli, blessed with an extra something special.

Subject: Re: DS in All Saints episode. GRRRRR! Wed 28 May 2008 - 21:20

Thanks Robyn you get that this has consumed me all day Arhhh
Here is my letter, I have never written one before so don’t worry about pointing out the faults lol I’m edgy enough I still have more facts to add and have to correct that part

Hi Kimberly

I spoke to you twice today 28th May 08 via phone in regard to the episode on All Saints about a sister that is expecting her brothers baby, a baby that in a scan showed nuchal fold is thick which can indicate Down syndrome.
After speaking with you I understand that “the possibility of the baby having Down syndrome is just one story line of many” also you assured me that the medical people (not sue you stated who they were) working on the show , doing the research, have the most up to date medical information.

I would first like to point out that there is a lot of information on the internet and medical books that is out of date and often incorrect .
I appreciate the extra length your show goes to tackle and insure that old myths and incorrect information about Down syndrome and other medical issues is brought to viewers attention. Sadly this time I know your team have it wrong.

One example of the good your show has done in the past to help advocate Down syndrome was, on the show, a young girl with down syndrome had a baby. The young mother was being helped by the hospital staff and even encouraged that she was doing a wonderful job of breastfeeding and caring for her child, I remember someone had upset the young mother with Down syndrome saying that she wasn’t feeding her baby. She had thought of giving up the child … until the hospital stepped in and encouraged her to keep her baby. It was a lovely episode.

I just need to point out to you Kimberly, that if you read medical books or speak to many health professionals, they state and believe that people with Down syndrome are unable to conceive a pregnancy in the first place.
It was lovely to see your show, putting out there to the community that it is very possible and does happen that, people with down syndrome can and do have children.

After my son was born and my own Doctor said that my son could never have a child of his own, I had great comfort in remembering the program above.
My point here is that medical information books internet searches of information about Down syndrome are often out dated and scarily misguided. When I questioned you about the writers you assured me they are getting their information from the show’s medical personnel. I would strongly encourage you to look further into this.

Groups of parents and many medical professionals have worked hard, the past few decades to help parents of children and the public understand that “nothing they did during and before conception can cause Down syndrome to occur” it saddens me and hurts so much that now we have this new stigma to deal with because of your show.

There is enough medical and physical challengers for people with Down syndrome, to over come and it’s almost to much for many expecting parents to deal with, without having now to deal with the misleading information your show has aired on TV.

I’m upset that, you underestimate the impact your show will have on the community and am very surprised you feel this episode will not have long lasting negative effects on the Down syndrome community.
Shocked even that you refuse to see the negative repercussions of your show. I’m mostly shocked that you say your show goes to such great lengths to portray the truth and most up to date medical information, and yet you have got this so badly wrong.
Personally I think your show goes to these lengths, because you know how important it is to get this sort of stuff right? Because really you do understand that your viewers including my family have come to relay on nothing but correct information because this protects us from stigma and prejudice, and in this case against people with Down Syndrome and their family’s, mainly their parents.

As I pointed out in our phone conversation today, I’m extremely worried the effect this will have on my children, and other parents already struggling with a diagnoses of Down syndrome.
you only have to look at the medical word “retarded” to know that something like Incest is a smorgest board for Bullies, comedians and the like.
After watching your show for many years I’m surprised that your writers even ran with such a thing, I have come to expect a higher standard, like the positive episodes I wrote about above with the young mother with down syndrome.

I really have to question why your TV program felt the need to mention Down syndrome and imply that it is a result of incest
I need answers to this question, what did yoru writer hope to gain other than ratings by taking this path.
Also I’m planing on writing to your advertisers, talk back radio and current affairs type programs.
I am willing to wait for your response, also I’m hoping that you will work out some way to repair the damage, that your show has caused.

I know you don’t personally believe this to be true, but hope after our second phone call (you seemed more willing to be compassionate and understanding) you can see the damage that this show has done.
I know as well as others in the Down syndrome community as well as many other parents that have no personal interest in the Down syndrome community, are talking about last nights episodes on many parenting forums across the country, as well as your own feedback site. That what aired will have long lasting negative effects on our children with Down syndrome. .
Like you know already today my Daughters friends have mentioned this at school. I know this is just the start of what is to come.
Your show has the potencies to heal the damage it has caused, either by airing more up to date correct information or putting together or paying for advertisements, with correct and positive information about Down syndrome.

Also I would hope in the case of any teasing in any place in Australia in regard to a person or persons being targeted about having incest, or siblings of people with Down syndrome being tormented about incest, or tormenting directly to a person with Down syndrome, your TV show will supply counselling for those mostly children that need it that are affected, as a direct result of what you have aired.
As your TV show has put it out there to the community that, this is a reason for Down syndrome.
Below are some medical “facts” for your writers

Quote :: How down syndrome occurs
During cell division to create a germ cell (either sperm or egg), a cell containing 46 chromosomes divides into two germ cells each containing 23 chromosomes. Sometimes this division does not happen properly and one cell may contain 22 chromosomes and the other may contain 24 chromosomes. This can happen if the chromosomes do not properly separate and instead "stick together." This is called nondisjunction because the chromosomes have failed to disjoin or split-up. 75% of the time it is the egg cell which carries the additional chromosomal material, 25% of the time it is the sperm cell. If the cell containing 24 chromosomes combines with a cell containing 23 chromosomes, the new cell will contain 47 chromosomes instead of 46. If the trisomy is chromosome 21, the person will have Down syndrome.

The vast majority of cases of Down syndrome are not inherited. Only in cases of Translocation Down syndrome and then in only 1 of 3 cases of this type of Down syndrome is the condition inherited. These inherited cases occur because one of the parents is a carrier. A carrier will have 45 chromosomes instead of 46 but they will have all the genetic material of a person with 46 chromosomes. Remember that in Translocation Down syndrome the extra chromosome 21 material is located on a different chromosome. A carrier will have the extra material but will have only one chromosome 21. The carrier will not exhibit any of the symptoms of Down syndrome because they have the correct amount of genetic material.
A carrier will have an increased chance of having a child with Down syndrome. If the carrier is the mother, the chances are approximately one in five of having a child with Translocation Down syndrome. If the carrier is the father the odds are reduced to between one in twenty to fifty. In cases where the carrier has no unattached chromosome 21, all the carriers children will have Down syndrome. In all cases of Down syndrome but especially in cases of Translocation Down syndrome, it is important that the parents have genetic counselling to determine their risk.

So as you can see Kimberly, saying that the incest has resulted in the baby possibly having Down syndrome is grossly inaccurate and misguided information .

Looking forward to hearing back from you.

Regards

Cathy B.........

Addict Number of posts : 433 Age : 53 Registration date : 2008-05-24

Excellent! At the very least there needs to be an apology, and not just a little bit of fine print at the end of an episode that no one will see. We need Frank, in a little five minute piece at the end of an episode, saying hey, we fucked up here, THESE are the facts.

Subject: Re: DS in All Saints episode. GRRRRR! Wed 28 May 2008 - 22:16

Quote :: We need Frank, in a little five minute piece at the end of an episode, saying hey, we fucked up here, THESE are the facts.

Subject: Re: DS in All Saints episode. GRRRRR! Thu 29 May 2008 - 8:22

My mum watches All Saints religously. After reading about the story on here yesterday I rang her to see what she thought about it. Thankfully I had lent her a book about DS on Monday as she always has so many questions for me and I thought this would satisfy most of them. As soon as the DS was mention on AS she got out the book and realised that there was no way it could be a possibility. Now I just need to her to spread the word on our behalf!

Subject: Re: DS in All Saints episode. GRRRRR! Thu 29 May 2008 - 10:20

I am a huge All Saints fan- haven't yet watched this weeks episode (still have to watch last weeks for that matter!) but I will make it my mision for the day to watch them both... Sad

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