Down's Syndrome campaigners rally at High Court to challenge abortion law

Supporters came from across the country to join the rally outside the High Court

DON'T SCREEN US OUT was the clear message of the many people with Down's Syndrome and their supporters who gathered outside the Hight Court on The Strand on Tuesday morning in support of Heidi Crowter and Máire Lea-Wilson as the first day of their court case against the UK Government over the current discriminatory abortion law that allows abortion up to birth for Down's syndrome...

Heidi, a 26-year-old woman from Coventry who has Down's syndrome, together with Máire from Brentford, West London, whose two-year-old son Aidan has Down's syndrome, are challenging the UK Government over a disability clause in the current law. Máire Lea-Wilson was placed under pressure to have an abortion when a 34-week scan revealed her son had Down's syndrome.

Addressing the crowd, Heidi said: "Here we are at the High Court to challenge the Downright discrimination that allows abortion up to birth for Down's syndrome. This law makes me feel I am better off dead, I know I'm not, but that's how it makes me feel. There is no difference between me and someone who doesn't have Down's syndrome, like my nephew. Life is good for people like me and abortion law needs to show that. Everybody is equal, and doctors shouldn't tell women that they will be sorry if their child is born. They should be supporting them.

"It makes me sad that this doesn't happen. My family aren't sorry I was born, my husband isn't sorry I was born, and all my friends appreciate me too. We are happy with our lives. And my mum, who is also my agent, here today, realises she was wrong about me when I was born.

"She thought I wouldn't get married and I did. A year ago. It's my anniversary this week. James, my husband, has Down's syndrome too. He supports me in this case.

"The judges need to know that we are not suffering and our parents and family don't suffer. The doctors need to hear this, they need to hear from people like me and learn more about life with Down's syndrome.

"My fight for justice and equality has brought us here today to change a law that makes me think I shouldn't have been born.

When the law changes for us then we will have won the fight. Let's do this."

Speaking outside the High Court, Ms Lea-Wilson, 33, an accountant from Brentford, West London and mother to Aidan who has Down's syndrome said: "I've been very much enjoying spending time with my new best friends Heidi and James today.

"So my son came into my life two years ago and he is just the most incredible human being and everything that I'm doing now I am doing for him. It is a complete honour and a privilege to be stood being an ally beside Heidi and James and the rest of the Down's syndrome community today.

"Our case is about equality and that everyone in the whole world deserves to be treated equally regardless of disability, gender, race, religion- and so I really hope that we win today and that we start to pave a path for true equality and acceptance of people with disabilities."

Lynn Murray, spokesperson for Don't Screen Us Out and mother of Rachel who has Down's syndrome, said: "For too long people with Down's syndrome have been marginalised and excluded from society - but the advent of equality law means that this should no longer the case and these equality ideas should be embedded in every law, including abortion law.

"Since January 2016, the Don't Screen Us Out campaign has been working for the right reforms to ensure that the Down's syndrome Community is brought in from the margins, fully included in society. We've been raising awareness with the NHS and the Government of inequalities in pregnancy screening programs and asking for the voice of people with Down's syndrome to be part of health policy development.

"And in April 2016, Heidi Crowter joined us in London to protest outside the Houses of Parliament at the Don't Screen Us Out demo. Heidi addressed the crowd that day making the point to the crowd and to the Health Minister that we are all equally valued - no exceptions. And she hasn't stopped saying it since to anyone that will listen! And lots of people have been listening.

"Now Heidi's an advocate of international stature and millions of people are hearing her voice and her message. And if the Health Minister wasn't going to listen when she spoke nicely then she was going to take the fight for equality all the way. And she has!

"Many people thought that the law needed to be changed but Heidi is the one who's taken up the fight. Heidi has led and inspired many people and she has done it in her own inimitable way, charming those she meets along the way, especially when she tells people that she has a most amazing memory for remembering birthdays. Try it, test her, we haven't seen her being beat yet!"

Sally Phillips, actress and comedian who attended the rally, and is mother to Ollie who has Down's syndrome previously told the Times: "Given advances in medical care and quality of life for people with Down's syndrome, the different right to life is beginning to look not just dated but barbaric."

Alan Whelan, who lives in Ireland now, but also attended the demonstration, told ICN: "As principal emeritus of St Benedict's College Colchester I attended both as an opponent of Abortion and a supporter of the several young people with Down's Syndrome that I had the privilege to teach down the years. Fourteen years after retirement I still receive joyful weekly social media messages from Craig Readion who brought such joy to his school friends and staff. Craig celebrated his 31st birthday last weekend and I was delighted when he responded to my birthday greetings with a message asking "how you doing, mate?"

Held wrote on Facebook page on Wednesday night: "The case has been heard. The evidence discussed. And now we wait. Judgment will be sometime in the autumn. Whether we win or lose, we have won because of the coverage the case has got, the awareness tat it has raised. It's got people thinking. The genie is out of the bottle. The conversation has started. We will not go quietly. We will not stop fighting."

LINKS

Watch: Channel 4 report: www.channel4.com/news/woman-with-downs-syndrome-to-challenge-abortion-law

Don't Screen Us Out campaign - https://dontscreenusout.org/