It seems that 6 month old Trig Palin, the son of some American politician, is making his weight felt in not just one, but two countries. In particular, Trig has sparked something in Dr Andre Lalonde. Dr Lalonde, according to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC) has "developed an expertise and is an advocate for safe Motherhood and family planning as well as promoting women’s empowerment for reproductive health."
In a recent Globe and Mail article entitled "A message of hope - or pressure to keep the baby?", Dr Lalonde is quoted as concerned that Trig might "have an implication for abortion issues in Canada". According to the article, Dr Lalonde seems to think that "Ms. Palin's widely discussed decision to keep her baby, knowing he would be born with the condition, may inadvertently influence other women who may lack the necessary emotional and financial support to do the same".
Two things. First, in case I forgot to mention it, Trig lives with Down Syndrome. Second, it seems that Dr Lalonde is advocating for the wrong kind of testing; if his concern is that the parent will lack "emotional and financial support", then perhaps he should advocate testing potential parents before they get pregnant. But somehow I don't think he'll go for that. Or he could simply join forces with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society to improve resources for parents whose children live with Down Syndrome. If one raises "support" as the issue, then one should be just as vocal about improving that support. Perhaps Dr Lalonde's comments were "taken out of context" as they say. Or at least as they say when a comment is found to be lacking in wisdom or compassion.
(ed update: - I recall Dr Lalonde's last comments in a national Canadian newspaper. The SOCG began recommending genetic testing for all pregnant women and "automatic" genetic testing for pregnant women over 40. "Choice"? What exactly does it mean to be automatically given a test? Here is what he had to say in comment to the National Post: “Yes, it’s going to lead to more termination, but it’s going to be fair to these women who are 24 who say, ‘How come I have to raise an infant with Down’s syndrome, whereas my cousin who was 35 didn’t have to?'" Think that one through. Carefully.
Dr Lalonde, who says that "above all else, women must be free to choose", seems in fact to be worried by one choice in particular: Sarah Palin's choice to have a child with Down Syndrome. He is worried about Sarah Palin's choice to have a child with Down Syndrome. I don't take a huge interest in American politics, but I do take an interest in the one person who might be forgotten in all of this. In the midst of this, it might be easy to forget who we are talking about: Trig. It is easy in the article to forget Trig. For those frightfully worried about Trig's presence in the world, it might even get worse: Trig might learn to walk in a little while, perhaps use signs and then start talking. Maybe even take up an interest in music, start going to school and hanging out with friends. Get invited to a birthday party, and then host a birthday party of his own. Take swimming lessons, help dad build a playhouse, read out loud before bed. Before you know it, that "emotional and financial" burden is returning the investment in spades (but more often in hugs and laughter).
I have sometimes wondered what would happen if the Down Syndrome community coined and used a new word: trisomophobic. And kept on using it. But you know what? They won't, even though such "tactics" seem to have worked well for other groups in public debate. And why won't they? In the years I've been involved with people who live with Down Syndrome, it seems that they are not interested in debate, or scoring rhetorical points, or the great machinery of politics. Instead they trade in only one commodity:
Love.
Trig just might influence someone to rethink a possible abortion due to genetic anomalies. Let him. It happens, Dr Lalonde. I know because someone told me the same thing - they saw our family, imperfect as it is, and they took a new view. We are not heroic parents, my wife is not governor of a state, we are by no means wealthy. We are not out to change the laws, just the hearts.
Go Trig. If you need a pen pal along the way, you can write to SJ:
some updates:
The LA Times blog, which first circulated this story in the States, is now saying this.
There are numerous persons in the Down Syndrome community who have reacted to this story. I'll try to assemble some links and post them later.
Dr Lalonde is also quoted in this article as wanting to reduce the number of abortions in Canada. Caveat emptor.
Much, much more on Dr Lalonde's organization here: Thoughts on Dr Andre Lalonde & Trig Palin
Thank you Joe, for your wisdom and compassion
Posted by: quinn | September 11, 2008 at 08:49 PM
Bless you, Joseph.
Posted by: The Sheepcat | September 11, 2008 at 09:47 PM
JOE FOR PRESIDENT!
(As always, thank you for your wisdom and grace.)
Posted by: Lisa Barrowclough | September 12, 2008 at 05:15 AM
A most righteous rant, my friend.
Posted by: Tim | September 12, 2008 at 01:21 PM
Genetic Testing to detect Down's syndrome is nothing but genocide
in Canada, advocating Genocide is a crime. This doctor should be gaoled.
Posted by: Sinner | September 12, 2008 at 03:13 PM
Yes, he should be,except we are the country that gave Morgentaller an award of Canada.
Automatic testing? The doctor who gave me my stage 2 ultraound (heart defects run in teh family, and I would have had to deliver in a different hospital had teh baby had the defect) when I was pregnant and 40 was shocked that I had refused testing. He just didn't get it that I would not terminate under any circumstances.
Posted by: Kate | September 12, 2008 at 03:28 PM