Bridget Jones star Speaks Up for Down Syndrome Children

Sally Phillips has starred in the Bridget Jones’ Diaries and other films. She has become an outspoken advocate for children with Down syndrome, passionately urging that even the prenatal testing for Down syndrome be stopped.

Sally Phillips is not just another star taking a stand on an issue. Her 11-year-old son, Ollie, has Down syndrome and she vividly remembers his diagnosis when he was born. The doctor said how sorry he was, and the nurse cried, but Sally Phillips thinks quite differently and it bothers her deeply that a Down syndrome child is referred to as a tragedy and a very sad thing.

As a mother of three, she is very frustrated over the negative attitudes and the poor information given to pregnant mothers about having a Down syndrome child. She says it lacks any positive outlook, and that is wrong.

Her newest film is not a comedy. It is a very serious BBC documentary about this very topic. It will cover a new screening test for Down syndrome that is 99% accurate and a proposed law in the UK that would allow women diagnosed with a Down syndrome baby to abort that baby right up to the time of birth. She is horrified by what this says about society’s rejection of handicapped children.

Mrs. Phillips explains that Down syndrome is not a disease. It is a type of person. She goes on to explain that in many ways, having her son Ollie was the best thing that ever happened to her. In fact, she hopes that Ollie follows in her own footsteps to become an actor because actors are so accepting of others.