Dear Editor, Niamh Uí Bhriain (IC 27/07/2017) wrote about the “inspiring, amazing Karen Gaffney”, the first person with Down Syndrome to receive an honorary doctorate for her achievements. The article made reference to the fact that the mainstream Irish media refused to give Karen a media platform when she visited Ireland to address the Save the 8th Rally for Life in Dublin recently. I was present to hear Karen speak that day and I watched her also on a Ted Talk, ‘All lives matter’, when she referred to the 60s and 70s, when doctors encouraged families to place their Down Syndrome children in institutions; the progress that was made in the 80s and 90s, when parents advocated for school integration and sadly to today when medical scientists work hard on designing tests to detect and potentially eradicate all unborn Down Syndrome children.
Every Sunday in my parish two well-dressed men in their 40s bring up the gifts at Mass, they smile and bow their heads when they greet the priest and they also happen to have Down Syndrome, but like many with such a diagnosis, they are respected and loved by everyone. If I had any doubts about the importance of working to protect our Eighth Amendment, I certainly do not have now.
Yours etc,
Frank Browne,
Templeogue,
Dublin 1