Airdate: The Upside of Downs
Perth-based actor Julia Hales becomes ABC's first TV host who is living with Down syndrome.
- Published by David Knox
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- Filed under Programming
On Tuesday ABC screens the documentary The Upside of Downs for Down Syndrome Awareness Month.
Filmed during the pandemic, this is presented by Perth-based actor Julia Hales, who becomes ABC’s first TV host who is living with Down syndrome.
You can read more on the making of the doco here.
As a woman living with Down Syndrome, presenter Julia Hales is challenging people to value her community and the diversity it brings.
As pre-natal testing becomes more sophisticated there has been an increase in the number of terminations after receiving an abnormal result. This has led to questions about the efficacy of the screening and the support and information given to women and couples deciding whether to continue with the pregnancy.
As the shift in public funding moves from caring for those with disabilities to preventing their birth in the first place, Julia meets doctors, pregnant woman, parents and those within the Down Syndrome community to confront the fears, health concerns and reality of living with Down Syndrome.
Production credits: Producer: Kim Akhurst; Editor: Philippa Byers; Researcher: Michele Esteves, Mark Webb; Executive Producer: Jessica Douglas-Henry.
9:30pm Tuesday on ABC.
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One Response
I learned in life that it’s important to have down syndrome awareness as people with down syndrome can be very loving, wonderful and talented people to have in a family and in society. There are challenges but I don’t think it’s worth terminations. An awareness program is something that should have been made a long time ago, but better late than never.