October 28, 2007 9:39 AM
Casting call: Newborn girl with Down syndrome - urgent!
Passing this on from several people who've sent it to me for publication:
We have an assignment!Please help me out and forward this email to anyone you know anywhere in the US and Canada that might have contact with a brand new Caucasian baby girl who has Down syndrome. Forward this to any list-serve you may be on for DS.
The book The Memory Keeper’s Daughter is being made into a film for the Lifetime Channel. It is shooting in Nova Scotia in November. They are looking for a baby girl born in October 2007 to appear in the film as the new born Phoebe. They only found one baby with DS born in Nova Scotia in 2007 and she is 6 months old. In Canada it is a law to screen every expectant mother for DS - not just a guideline, scary isn’t it?
I need to hear from any parent of a newborn who might want the opportunity for their little one to work in Nova Scotia in November 2007. I would also consider older babies weighing under 8 lbs. I know from my son Blair being a preemie he didn’t hit 8 lbs until he was about 4 months old.
I have an agent that would negotiate all the details making sure to get appropriate pay and travel for the family. Please have anyone interested contact me at the DSALA office at 818-242-7871 or they can reach me by email at gail@dsala.org. Thank you for helping me with this search, and watch for the film on Lifetime next spring. Gail
Gail Williamson
Executive Director
Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, Inc.
315 Arden Avenue, Suite 25
Glendale, CA 91304
818-242-7871 voice
818-242-7819 fax
gail@dsala.org
www.dsala.org
Posted in Down syndrome | Permalink
Comments
I just have to comment because some of the above information is incorrect.
Either the information got mixed up or there has been more than one child born in Nova Scotia with Down syndrome this year. My son, Eric, was born May 2007 here in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He's now 5 months old.
Also, it is not law to screen every child for Down syndrome. I did find out at 22 weeks that Eric would have Down syndrome, however I had the choice to have further testing. I think it's law to offer the option but you can refuse it - I never did testing for my first son.
That being said I am very excited they are filming here in Nova Scotia! Cannot wait to see the movie!
Posted by: Felecia | October 28, 2007 1:03 PM
Felicia - thank you for the info on testing. But the casting call is for a girl - so maybe that is what they meant to say?
Congratulations on your baby!! May God richly bless him and your entire family!
love,
barbara
Posted by: barbara | October 28, 2007 1:38 PM
Just an FYI: It is NOT the law to have babies screened for DS in Canada before they are born. It is totally up to the parents, same as here. Three of my children were born in Canada. My sister, who more recently had a baby in Canada, opted for ultra sound only.
Posted by: Kelly | October 28, 2007 4:16 PM
um, Why would it have to be a girl if it is a newborn? Who could tell? Sounds like it will be a very nice movie. Hope we get the opportunity to see it.
Posted by: Lavender Blue Dilly | October 29, 2007 9:14 AM
Look, I did not write this post, but passed it on as it was given to me. I'm not sure why the argumentative spirit is hovering around this.
Maybe they wanted a girl for authenticity? Frankly, there often is a distinct difference in appearance between girls and boys - even as newborns - not always but often. Also, they wanted a newborn, not a five-month old (and maybe they were mixed up and actually referring to Felicia's five-month-old boy)
Let's stop arguing about the fine points of this and just make sure the message - written by Gail Williamson - gets passed along :)
Posted by: barbara | October 29, 2007 9:49 AM
Thanks Barbara! God has blessed my family in so many ways.
When I gave birth to Eric, the nurse passed him to me and said "You'll know why someday God has given you this special baby" I now know it's because He loves me so much!
I found out today that Eric is the baby being referred to. I did not realize he's the only baby born in Nova Scotia this year with DS! I guess that makes him extra special.
Too bad he wasn't smaller and could pass for a girl LOL. He's a whopping 17 lbs now!
Felecia :)
Posted by: Felecia | October 29, 2007 12:01 PM
ditto on Canadian law. I gave birth to two babies in Canada and though a screen was offered it's always within a mother's rights to decline. That's exactly the same as it is here in CA.
Posted by: carrien | October 29, 2007 8:19 PM
Sigh. I'm really getting tired of the misinformation regarding Canadian law that I see spread about the internet. It's completely understandable coming from a person off the street who just doesn't know better, but I'm shocked to see that the *Executive Director* of the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles would be the guilty party in this instance.
I know it's not your fault in any way Barbara and that you did not write the post. I don't want the main message to get lost either, as you pointed out in the comments, but the false claim of mandatory testing in Canada is pretty serious.
So, just to echo what my fellow Canadians said above...I'm a Canadian citizen. I have three children. Screening was RELUCTANTLY offered to me by my doctor because he is required to let me know that it is available if I wish.
Posted by: Amy | November 1, 2007 2:04 AM
